A Dazzling Trio

Chapters

Pen to Paper
Operation Snake Tooth
The Way Forward
An Innocuous Visit
A Silly Day
Scorned Souls
Shining Through
Business as Usual
One Achievement Follows Another
Setting the Stage
Power Restored
Behind the Wheel
The Third Wheel
Escalating Conditions
Prevailing Truths
Use Your Head
Who is Adagio?
Where to go?
Rainbows are Momentary
Hope in the Dark
It's a Deal, Darling
Light in the Downpour
Sunny Days
Weary Souls
Never Too Late
As It Was
Terms of Engagement
Our Way Home
A Mess or Two
A Little Favor
Time to Rest
The Finishing Touch
Naytra Ven Tru
A Few Steps Forward
New Road, Old Thoughts

Pen to Paper

Author's Note

Hello, everyone~ I hope you enjoy this second chapter! As you can see, this is still setting up the main plot points of the story, but all will be revealed sooner or later~ One more thing I want to say is to be careful again. As I said in my most recent blog update, someone commented on one of my stories with a link that could steal personal information, so please be careful when clicking links from people you don't know! I already deleted the comment, but stay safe and special!

Pen to Paper

Chapter II: Pen to Paper

“So, when did the Civil War start?” Apple Bloom asks me with a stern look on her face, holding a flashcard without showing me the answer. The smell of pasta fills the air of the living room, making me look back towards the kitchen. It’s not time to drain the water just yet, but it will be soon… I decided to cook us some food since Apple Bloom has been helping me study ever since I got off work. Besides… It'd be nice to cook for Sunset as well. As for Apple Bloom’s question, I can’t help but grimace slightly. Why am I supposed to remember this?

“1850…?” I ask hesitantly, looking at Apple Bloom’s all too serious face. I know that my answer is close to the right answer… It’s in that time era, right? Apple Bloom quietly raises her eyebrow, still holding her flashcard in front of her quietly. Honestly, I can’t tell if she’s enjoying this sense of power over me…

“Ya wanna try that again?” she asks me as if she’s giving me a grace period, her eyes giving me the sense that she’s interrogating some prisoner. Knowing Apple Bloom, she’s probably enjoying every second of this, soaking in the power trip. It’s not every day she gets to toy with someone my age. Well, that’s actually a lie. She’s always toying with me, but maybe that speaks to how gullible I am for the high schooler.

“Ugh, I don’t know. 1860?” I spit out, trying another answer just out of desperation.

“Close. It was April 12th, 1861. We need to work on that.” As she says this, Apple Bloom places the card in the larger of two piles. The shorter pile of flashcards were the ones I knew for certain. The pile that was three times the stack of the first one symbolized the concepts I still need to work on…

“God damn it. Why do I have to memorize so much?” I whisper, letting out a big sigh as I stand up, walking around the couch to go towards the kitchen. Apple Bloom quickly follows me, moving past me and standing next to the oven with a small frown on her face.

“Don’t get discouraged! I know it’s daunting, but remember. You’re tryna take your GED. That means you have to at least know a passing amount on each subject you were supposed to be taught in high school. That means English, geography, math classes and others. You wanted to do this.” Of course, I don’t necessarily know all of this since I left high school right after I lost the Battle of the Bands. I didn’t see the point back then… I’m good at math and physics, but when it comes to world history? I would pass it if it was based on old Equestrian history. But since it is the history of this human world, that means I have pretty much no knowledge of it. “Speaking of which, ya never told me why ya want to get your high school credit. You planning on quitting your job?” Apple Bloom asks me with a curious tone to her voice, making me sigh a little more. It was only a matter of time until she asked me this question.

“I’m not quitting, but my boss is planning on selling the music studio. I have no idea what will happen once it’s sold,” I answer her quietly, gently stirring the noodles in the pot before slipping on my oven mitts.

“Huh. Well, that sucks… Do ya know who might buy the place?” Honestly, Apple Bloom’s question is something I’ve been thinking about for a few days now. The only people I can think of might be some personal connections Fancy Pants has. I know they wouldn’t keep the establishment as a music studio at all though… That’s something I don’t want to happen…

“That would be me if I can pass the GED.” Pouring the pot into a strainer to separate the noodles from the water, I look back at Apple Bloom to see her shocked expression, her mouth still agape. Did I say something wrong…? Why does she look so surprised…?

“You’re going to buy the studio?” For a moment, silence passes between us, Apple Bloom’s question seemingly full of disbelief.

“Um. Yeah. If I can. Why is that-”

“Holy marshmallows on a stick! That’s awesome!” Apple Bloom exclaims excitedly, hugging me as quickly as she can and almost knocking the pot out of my hand. Regardless, the hug does knock the breath out of me… “Not many people get to own their own business these days! Well, my family does, but ya know what I mean. You’re great with music! I’m sure you would be able to bring more customers to it,” she tells me with the confidence of a kid much younger than she is. Honestly, it feels nice that Apple Bloom is so supportive of this especially since she is the first person I’ve told. I still have yet to talk to Sunset about it… Apple Bloom is one of my favorite students, so it’s nice to know I’m apparently doing a good job by her standards.

“Thanks~ But this really depends on if I can actually pass the GED. I guess we’ll have to wait and see, huh?” Finally letting go of me, Apple Bloom gives me another smile, seemingly proud of me. Pouring the strainer back into the pot, Apple Bloom hands me the jar of tomato sauce, not saying a word.

“I think you can do it. I believe in you~ Also, I’ll be right back. Ya don’t mind if I use your restroom, right?” She barely waits for me to nod before heading towards the restroom, leaving me alone in the kitchen. We have a bathroom on every floor of our house. The basement, the first floor and the second floor. It’s still surprising to me how many rooms we have and how much more spacious it feels here rather than our cramped apartment. Although, the second floor only really has four rooms, all connected by a hallway. Our bedroom, a bathroom and two spare rooms. One of which, Sunset plans to turn into an office so that she can work on her homework and internship supplies. The other room? Well, Sunset said I can do what I want with it, but truth be told? I don’t know what I want to do with it.

Maybe the answer will come to me soon, but for now? I just want to focus on settling in…

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

Passively eating her spaghetti, Sunset looks down at the piece of paper in her hand. The sun had long since gone down, bringing Apple Bloom away with it. Now, Sunset is just eating some of the leftovers we had from the pasta I cooked. All the while, we’re sitting here at the kitchen table, trying to decide on some important factors.

“Question. Do you like a lot of flowers?” Sunset asks me right after swallowing her bite, her eyes not bothering to look up at me. Honestly, I find it surprising that the two of us still have to ask these simple questions about each other since we seem to know so much already. She seems to know me like the back of her hand, counting down almost every one of my insecurities with ease, yet she doesn’t know if I like a lot of flowers. I guess that goes to show how much there is to know about a person and how she prioritizes the more important things about me.

“Not particularly. Depends on the type of flower, honestly.” Raising my eyebrow slightly, I can’t help but wonder what she is thinking. The two of us decided to portion out the responsibilities of our marriage so that we don’t get overwhelmed, but honestly? I already forgot everything that she is responsible for.

“Me either. I was just thinking that some of the guests might like some flowers to decorate the event. How much would you say is appropriate for our marriage?” Laying my own piece of paper down on the table, I reconnect our eyes, taking a deep breath as I try to think of an answer.

“That really depends. We still haven’t decided where it’s going to take place. I will say that I’m not comfortable getting married in a church. It feels… wrong to get married in a religious place that I’m not even a part of.” Looking back down at the table, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. What if that is where Sunset wants to get married…? Why does it take so much consideration to actually plan something of this scale…? It’s like the world is testing just how much you want to be with the person you love by making the two of you jump through hoops to actually get married. Then again, a lot of this is just society’s pressure…

Gently holding my hand, Sunset gives me a reassuring touch, making me look back up into her eyes. “I completely understand~ Trust me. I feel the same way myself. I was thinking we could just pick some place simple, sweetheart~” Instantly, my cheeks flush once more upon hearing her kind words, validating my standpoint. She only calls me sweetheart when it’s an important situation or when we’re in an intimate moment like this. Usually, she calls me Alligator or other things, but these sweeter names are reserved for when she’s trying to make me happy or defuse a situation. Hell, even simple assertions of love still make me blush if they’re said with enough purpose and truth.

“W-what would be simple to you?” I stammer out, trying to compose myself. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work… Placing her hand on my cheek, she gives me a warm smile, once again making me feel nervous.

“I don’t know~ I was thinking of somewhere like the Apple Family orchard or maybe the park. Something like that would be simple enough for me. I was wanting something outdoors, but if you want to do it indoors, I wouldn’t be opposed to it~” A few moments pass by without a word being said, but they feel like an eternity… That’s pretty easy when I’m in her embrace. Something so simple as her hand caressing my cheek makes this moment feel so intimate and small. While the rest of the world outside seems to be asleep, I can’t help but feel nervous in my girlfriend’s embrace. It’s been a couple years and I still don’t feel used to something like this. “I love you, Adagio~” Sunset whispers, picking up just how I feel at this moment. She can read me like a book, can’t she?

“I love you more,” I let out quietly, holding Sunset’s other hand with a smile. Something simple… It fits, doesn’t it? In no way has our relationship been one looking for the spotlight. Despite how much I wanted power before, Sunset really has tamed me. Or did I tame myself for her? “You’re right. Simple fits.”

“Does that mean you know when and where you want to get married~?” Sunset asks me cheerfully, causing my smile to fade slightly… The truth is that I’ve already prolonged when we’re going to get married for two different reasons. One of them is the siren inside my mind that refuses to let go… The siren that grips onto my life and makes me feel scared to feel happy… I feel scared that if something good happens to me, she will try to take it away from me. Thankfully, she hasn’t messed with my life too much, disregarding it as an inconvenience. Still… It’s scary to think that she might arrive on the day of our wedding, ruining everything. Is it wrong of me to delay our marriage when I want to protect us from that? To try and find some way to stop her?

The other reason is simple… In all my dreams of our future, I see Sunset and I living together happily after I’ve changed fully as a person. To be honest, I don’t think I have changed fully. I think there’s still that part of me that is a cynical siren. The only way I can prove I’ve actually changed is if I could somehow make up for the sins in my past. Is it wrong of me to want to make up for those things before I feel like I deserve her? She deserves the world and all I want is to rinse away those sins and stop the demon in my head before I commit to our marriage. I only want her to marry me once I deserve it…

“Not exactly… I… don’t know if I’m ready to get married just yet,” I tell her hesitantly, wanting to somehow make it up to her. As soon as I say those words, a slightly disappointed look comes across her face, but she nods with a smile and reassures me by kissing my hand.

“I understand~ If you don’t mind me asking, do you know why you’re not ready yet? Maybe I could help…?” A hopeful look in her eyes tells me just how much she wants to help me. Why does she have to be so… cute? She’s always filled with hope, kindness and determination. At some points, it feels like a toxic level of optimism like that of a puppy. Regardless, I suppose it’s one of the features of her that I love so much… She’s so kind and looks for any excuse to give me affection that it’s impossible to not love. It’s so hard to not tell her certain aspects of my life when she gives me this sort of look…

“Well… I… You know about some of my nightmares, Sunny. How I am afraid of being the same siren I was back during the Battle of the Bands.” Sunset nods slowly, her gaze never deviating from my own. Every mannerism she gives off reassures me that she is listening to me and what I’m saying is being taken into consideration. “Honestly, I… I don’t feel like I deserve you. Before you say anything, I’m just saying that I don’t feel like I’ve fully changed as a person. Not until I can make up for my sins accurately though…”

As I requested, Sunset takes a moment to respond, fully thinking through her words. “I see. Well, I already believe you’ve changed, but I think I can offer a solution~” Letting go of my hand, Sunset takes a deep breath and looks down at the table, taking a moment before she stands up. “When I…. went through the same cycle, the only way I really moved on was by apologizing to everyone else. Maybe that’s why I’m apologetic at times. Still. Saying I was sorry not only helped the people I wronged, but it also helped me. It helped me forgive myself if that makes sense.” Helped her forgive herself… Huh. That actually does make sense.

“That’s not so easy for me. Everyone I wronged has moved away or I simply don’t know their names. I mean, let’s face it. I didn’t really memorize others’ names at Canterlot High. Unless they were of use to me or I was fighting against them.” A few moments of silence pass by between the two of us with a guilty feeling overcoming my mind as the seconds tick by. I guess that means it’s impossible for me to forgive myself… All of it due to the fact that I didn’t even think of the possibility of me giving up my quest for power.

“Bon Bon. Lyra Heartstrings. Derpy Hooves,” Sunset says quietly, making me look back up at her. What is she…? What is this about? “Trixie Lulamoon. Wallflower Blush. Bulk Biceps. Octavia Melody. I remember them all. I even have the yearbook which has everyone you ever wronged at Canterlot High.” Sunset reaches over the table and holds my cheek, the same hopeful smile returning to her face. “Adagio. Don’t lose hope just because you can’t remember their names~ You have me. You have all of our friends. We would do anything to help you, even when it comes to helping you feel like you’ve changed as a person~” Can she… really remember all that? How…? I know she worked on the yearbook committee one time, but there’s no way she can remember all that. Still, she has the yearbook. Is it… really possible to apologize and move on like that…?

“That… would be really nice, Sunny… If I could apologize and all.” Taking a moment to compose myself, I look away from Sunset, sighing quietly to myself. Regardless of the possibility of apologizing to those people, we still need to decide some other things tonight. “Even if we think about that, we still need to come up with an answer as to where we’re going to have our marriage. The ‘when’ will depend on that as well.”

Letting go of my cheek, Sunset nods and pouts slightly, a thoughtful expression painting itself across her face. Before long, a sudden realization dawns on her, quickly getting up from the table and walking into the kitchen. When she comes back to the table, she sets a bowl down in between us with a big smile on her face. Clearly, I have no idea what she means by this gesture… Even though she’s the love of my life, I sometimes have to ask myself whether she’s mad at times.

“We can put all the ideas we have in here in folded pieces of paper and we can pull out one at random~ In that way, we can let fate decide.” The hopeful smile on Sunset’s lips makes me want to go along with the idea, despite my distrust in fate itself… True, the world let me have this wonderful relationship with Sunset, but fate has also caused a lot of misfortune when it comes down to it. Regardless, if Sunset is alright with it, I suppose it’s fine…

Ripping a piece of paper out of the notebook, I place it in front of me, grabbing the scissors from the middle of the table. This notebook is specifically for my half of the responsibilities of the wedding, but I suppose this is a part of our wedding decisions. “So, we’re just going to cut up a bunch of pieces of paper, each with a name of a different place we’d like to get married?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, making Sunset nod with a smile. “Okay, then I’ll put down Garden Hooves Park,” I tell her quietly, writing down the name on one of the pieces of paper. Honestly, the reason I told her the name I was putting down was so that she didn’t put it down as well. I wouldn’t necessarily want a bunch of duplicates since both of us think similarly.

“What about the field where we had a picnic on our first anniversary?” Sunset asks me a happy hum to her voice, scribbling down a couple more names.

“If you want it, then go for it. I’m sure if one of us is really opposed to the idea we pull out of the bowl, we can compromise and all,” I tell her in a reassuring tone, writing down a couple more ideas. Some of the ideas I’ve come up with aren’t necessarily the best, but I think they would be something that would make Sunset happy. I think we’re both probably doing that… She’s probably writing down the places she thinks I would appreciate just as I do the same for her. “Sunset? Can I talk to you about something? While we do this, I mean?” I ask her quietly, trying to prepare my words carefully.

“What is it, Alligator?” Her response tells me she’s paying attention to me despite the fact that she’s focusing on another task. Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but wonder what Sunset will say to this.

“So, you know I’ve been studying to take the GED for a few days now. If you want to hear about it, I’d like to tell you why.” Looking over at Sunset for a moment, I see her nod before connecting our eyes, smiling at me.

“I was curious, but I figured you would tell me when you were ready. I’d love to hear why~” Her words of reassurance almost make me blush once more, taking a moment to think of the words I’m going to say.

“Well, a few days ago, I had to meet with my boss. I’m not fired or quitting, but… he did tell me he’s planning on selling the studio. So, I’ve been trying to study for the GED for two reasons.” Carefully placing the pieces of paper I completed into the bowl, I see Sunset look at me with a confused expression, seemingly anticipating my next few words. “It’d be helpful just in case I need to get a new job and… Fancy Pants said he wouldn’t sell to someone without a high school credit, regardless of how much he trusts them.” Within a moment, Sunset’s expression is replaced with realization, looking at me with a surprised expression.

“Wait. So, you want to buy the music studio from him?” she asks me cautiously, trying to make sure she is correct about her assumption. After giving her a small nod, a conflicted expression comes over her face, looking down at the table with a thoughtful look in her eyes. “I see… It’s pretty risky though, Adagio… I admire your urge to buy this business and raise it up, but… we just bought a house and we’re still trying to save up our money again. Do you have a plan on how we can afford it?” Her words are filled with hesitation, seemingly wanting to say no, but giving me a chance to explain my viewpoint as well without immediately shutting it down. Thankfully, she takes communication seriously.

“Actually, I do.” Dumping the last few pieces of my paper into the bowl, I take my notebook and scribble down some numbers, making sure to account for possible finances. “Here is the price of the store and here is our current savings.” Pointing at the two estimates, I can already tell how bad it looks, considering how the studio is out of our price range. “If I complete my GED within the next month and a half, that will mean we can save up to four hundred dollars, accounting for our normal wages. That should make us extremely close to the asking price of the studio and since I know Pants and he trusts me, I should be able to convince him to take a couple hundred dollars off the total.” Writing down a few more numbers, I circle Sunset’s average monthly income in red and scribble out my own. “Your income would stay the same after the acquisition, but since I would be the new head of the studio, I would be earning this.” Circling a new figure, I see Sunset’s eyes widen as her eyebrow raises.

“That’s over five times what you make now… Are you sure that math is-”

“Trust me. I went over this ten times already.” Slowly, I make a couple of arrows from my new income point towards a small representation of the studio. “Now, obviously, a lot of my starting income would go into the store and advertising, but that’s why I’m so confident in this plan. Fancy Pants hardly ever advertised the studio and didn’t implement a lot of the things that I suggested such as contracting musicians.” Drawing in two columns, I make one of them represent Fancy Pants’ vision of the studio. The other one shows what I can see for the studio. “Pants’ vision was quite narrow. He only opened a studio to teach others how to sing, play instruments and such. This is a good idea in concept, but many schools already have music classes. Combined with the fact that he hardly advertised, it resulted in the studio being smaller than it could be.” Writing in the aspects of Fancy’s studio, I move onto my column, making Sunset nod slightly.

“Then what’s your plan?” Sunset asks me in an understanding and encouraging tone, looking at the piece of paper I’m presenting.

“Well, it’s simple. We go bigger.” Quickly sketching in an outline of the studio, I show Sunset the different rooms and write down a very basic name for each one. “This is my office, but I would take over Pants’ office if I was in charge. That leaves us with three rooms and a lounge area. I was thinking we could have the lounge area have some very basic instruments where someone can teach a kid how to play, but not take up a whole session. When they would require a whole session, it would be scheduled for this room.” Circling my old office, I relabel it as the music education room. “That means we have two rooms left. These would be converted into rooms where musicians can record their music since we don’t have a whole lot of students as it is right now. I also know there are a lot of musicians in this city who want to find a good studio to record their music, so…” Gingerly dragging my pen across the paper, I inscribe a price range for the recording sessions that is lower than most of the other studios in the city.

“Hmm. That is an interesting idea and I think it would be beneficial for some people, but I am a little lost on how this is supposed to get us a profit.” Sunset points to the financial figures, focusing on how much money we would lose as compared to gain.

“I have connections to multiple of these musicians due to a previous place they played at. So, they would trust me if they saw I was offering these services.” The place I met all these musicians was at the nightclub I used to work at… I didn’t particularly like them back then, but I made connections and now? They can pay off. “So, if we account for a low assumption of what we would make on recording sessions and music education sessions and my new income, we can get this. Of course, we will have to factor out advertising and over half of my new income for the first few months getting this all started, but…” adding and subtracting all the numbers after multiplying them for twelve months, I write a final figure down at the bottom of the page, smiling at my wife to be. “At one of the lowest possible assumptions of profits, we can expect to get back our investment and a little more in a year and a half~”

Leaning forward in her seat, Sunset’s eyes look over the page meticulously, presumably checking over all the math to make sure it’s right. Every second she looks over it, I can’t help but worry I got something wrong, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t. I went over this ten times… Accounting for possible lows in profits, flat periods, how much it would take to advertise and how many people would realistically come to the studio. After a few minutes, Sunset leans back and gives me a warm smile, nodding slowly.

“I’m impressed~ Your plan sounds like a good idea and even on the low end of assumptions, you’d still be able to get back our savings in a short period of time. Honestly, I’m proud of you for trying to step up the ladder like this~” A small blush comes to my cheeks as I see Sunset’s proud expression. I still feel really happy when I do something worthy of praise from her.

“If all of this goes well, I was also planning on trying to incorporate sound equipment for sound effects. Not just music. Therefore, people could come to the studio and easily make sounds for their projects either digitally or with actual props.” A small laugh is shared between the two of us after I make a popping sound with my finger and my lips. “So, what do you think? Do you think I should go for it? I don’t want to do it if you’re not on board since these are our savings.”

Once again, Sunset looks slightly conflicted, but her hand reaches over and holds onto mine with a small smile. “Honestly? It’s scary. It’s a big risk, but… It does seem like it would work. And I trust in you. So, yes. I think you should go for it, sweetheart~” Standing up slowly, Sunset leans over the table and presses her lips against my forehead as tenderly as possible. This small act of love instantly makes me feel like crying in happiness that she is supportive of this idea. Her hands quietly cup my cheeks before connecting our lips, making my heart beat a little faster. I’m… so lucky to have her, aren’t I? “In that case, how about you pull out the location? Since you came up with this idea~” Sunset tells me right after our embrace is done, smiling at my blush as she pushes the bowl over to me. Looking down at the bowl with a deep breath, my lips already miss her embrace, but I pull a piece of paper regardless. Gently unfolding it, I look at the writing, my eyes instantly widening. “So, where are we getting married, Alligator~?”

I can’t help but feel my heart skip a beat as I read the paper over and over again. Honestly, it’s perfect… I can tell Sunset wrote this down and I can’t believe I didn’t think of this as well. It makes so much sense and I love the idea~ “We’re getting married at…”

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

Walking past the old trees, the smell of apples fills my lungs, making me feel slightly nauseous. I always feel that way when scents are overwhelming… Regardless, I’m not here at the Apple Family orchard for Apple Bloom this time. Though, it wouldn’t surprise me if Apple Bloom has some weird project she wants my help on once I’m done with this. Instead, I’m here to be a mediator for something Rainbow Dash and Applejack want to do. At this point I don’t really ask questions considering all of our friends can be a little crazy at times when it comes to their motives.

“So, why do ya wanna race me again, Rainbow? We ain’t kids no more. We already raced each other at the last Apple Family reunion, so I don’t see why you want to do this,” the cowgirl asks her friend, walking a few paces in front of me. Rainbow Dash stretches with a slight groan as we walk further into the orchard. Honestly, I have no idea why they need me to be here for this. Why not ask Apple Bloom? That question, unfortunately, will probably go unanswered. Rainbow Dash is a weird individual in general.

“Because, AJ. I wanna see if I’ve still got it! You know, without using… those substances. It’s been a couple years since I stopped using them, so all the benefits of them should be gone! Meaning that if I beat you in a race now, it’s fair and square!” Rainbow Dash slams her fist into the palm of her other hand, resulting in a slight clapping sound. A confident and determined expression is painted across Dash’s face, showing just how intent she is to test her abilities. Maybe this is her way to still feel young. I don’t know why she would feel old when she’s only twenty-two. Whereas me? I’m thousands of years old. I feel way older than this body should feel.

“Fine… But only because you’re my friend. And you owe me a drink after this,” Applejack tells our excited friend, all of us finally stopping at a nondescript part of the orchard. I have no idea why they want to stop here, but I’m only really here to mediate the race.

“I assume I’m coming along for that as well?” I ask the two of them with a short laugh, pulling out my phone to time the two of them. “In that case, you both know what kind of drink I’d want.” Rainbow Dash looks at me with a slight frown, shaking her head slightly.

“Hold on, you two! I didn’t agree to pay for drinks! I only wanted a race,” the athlete desperately tries to defend her position just as Applejack stretches her legs.

“Too late, sugarcube. You asked for a race and I gave ya the conditions. This is your last chance to back out.” Shortly after stretching, the cowgirl gets in position, looking at me for a moment to see if I was ready. Nodding to her, I pull up the timer on my phone, ready to hit the button at any moment.

“Ugh, fine. But only one drink,” Dash quickly retorts, getting into position as well. A small laugh escapes my lips, reacting to Dash’s clear reluctance for these conditions. Regardless, it’s fun to see it play out anyway. I’ll also get a drink out of this, so that’s a bonus. “Hey, Dagi? What’s your word for the die?” Dash asks me out of the blue, her eyes locked with Applejack’s.

“Um… Why do you want to know?” I ask her quietly, suddenly feeling unprepared for this race. If I said that question didn’t catch me off guard, I would be lying. Why does she want to know that…?

“Because AJ here will die from all the dust she’s about to inhale,” Dash taunts the cowgirl, only making the two of them seem more determined to win this race.

“The present and past tense of death are the same in my language. The word we used was zorehn,” I answer her with a smirk, almost amused that Dash wants to use another language to taunt her friend. Given, it’s my language, but I can’t help but find it amusing regardless.

“Then you will be zorehn when I’m done with you~” Dash taunts Applejack with a chuckle, making even the cowgirl laugh a little at the teasing. After the two of them settle down, I make eye contact with both of them and hold out three fingers.

“1… 2… 3!” Within a second of me counting down, the two women start sprinting away from me, my thumb hitting the timer button. It doesn’t take long for the two of them to get farther and farther away from me, nothing really being disturbed by their competition. If it was the fall, leaves would be flying all over the place, but the summer doesn’t provide that kind of “epic” accompanying visuals. At least, that’s what Rainbow Dash would call it.

“You sure do love ‘helping’ these friends of yours,” a dark voice surrounds my mind, echoing despite the open nature around us. My eyes instantly move away from the two women racing away from me and towards the siren in a dark red dress. Her red eyes still seem to glow in the bright day and her wings are honestly intimidating as ever. Despite the red pool at her feet, I just shake my head and roll my eyes at her entrance.

“What are you doing here? Wouldn’t you just take control of my body if you wanted something done?” At this point, she’s already been controlling my body for almost two years now. So far, nothing has been done to ruin my life, but she has been planning something.

“And why would I do that? You’re clearly having so much fun with your friends,” she taunts me, an evil smirk coming across her face.

“Bullshit,” I instantly retort, done with this little game of hers. “You’ve interrupted times where I was hanging out with friends before. You expect me to believe your intentions are benevolent? I can call your bluff.” The siren laughs at my response, amused with my behavior as if it’s some fucking joke. “You’ve always taken control before. Why not now? Clearly, you have some sort of plan. Usually, you take control to either further that plan or to stop something from getting in your way.”

“You’re right,” she whispers in a chilling tone, her eyes never leaving my own. In a way, it almost feels like she’s a real entity in this world. As if she could lunge out and strike me at any moment in time. “I am trying to protect my plan.”

“What in the world could be threatening your plan?” I let out in an exhausted sigh. “I’ve already kept your secret. I’ve put in a lot of work to keep your existence as secretive as possible. I lied to Sunset that you weren’t here anymore. How in the world is your plan being threatened when I’ve followed everything you’ve wanted me to do?!” The siren just claps as a response to my outburst, her evil chuckle sounding like she is right next to my ear, despite the distance from the projection of her image.

“There’s the anger I love to see~” she tells me in an almost sing-song tone to her voice. “It’s not your friends that are getting in the way. Instead, it’s the upcoming nuptials between you and your ‘love.’” Her lips emphasize the last word with a disgust in her voice, her eyes still not moving from my own.

“How is that getting in the way?” Honestly, my tone is a lot angrier than I mean it to be. Can I really be blamed…? Considering the events of the last couple of years, I have a lot of resentment for this demon in my mind. Now, she’s even threatening my marriage. That… is something I don’t think I can handle…

“Let’s just say that it is a pain in my side. In order for me to complete my plan, I will need the least amount of resistance possible. So, I will need you to push back the date of your marriage whenever it comes up. As long as I can do what I need to before your nuptials, then it will be fine.” Her eyes narrow slightly upon saying those words, anger behind them. She seems to be just as angry as me… Why should I care about her plan? She’s the one imposing herself in my life… “And if you marry your sweetheart before I can do what I must to better your life, then let’s just say you won’t have a very sweet marriage.”

“And what even is your plan?” I ask in frustration, throwing my arms out to my sides. “You keep talking about trying to help me! To show me the ‘correct path’ I’m supposed to go down. Yet you don’t even give me the chance to hear it out. Don’t you think it’s about time you tell me something? I’ve stuck my neck out for you for years. It’s about time I hear why.” The siren raises her eyebrow and chuckles slightly, nodding to my statement.

“Smart… Using my own words against me. I am indeed trying to help you.” Walking closer to me, the siren drags her finger across my cheek with a smirk, looking into my soul. “Fine. I’ll give you a part of my plan,” she tells me quietly, walking to my right and bringing one of her hands into the air. “Do you remember Equestria? And how powerful magic was in that world? If you haven’t let your friends completely rot away those memories, then you’ll probably remember where it all came from.” Magic and where it came from…? Wait… She can’t be talking about that, right?

“You’re delusional,” I tell her with a shake of my head, feeling shocked that she would even think that’s an option in this world. “You’re looking for a Nexus?! You would have to be insane to believe they exist in this world. A Nexus of magic may have been common in Equestria, but this is the human world. How in the world would you think they exist here?”

“It’s true that this world doesn’t have a lot of magic,” she whispers in a harsh tone, flashing me a look of anger. “But that is not always the case. As you heard from Sunset, magical occurrences have happened in this world. Magic may not be common here, but it exists nonetheless.” Taking a deep breath, she turns to look at me with a small smirk. “That is all I will say for now. But do think about the possibilities, Adagio. You never know when some miracle may happen. For good or for worse~”

Operation Snake Tooth

Author's Note

Author’s Note: Hello, everyone! I was meaning to get this chapter out sooner than this since the semester is done with now~ So, in my definition, this chapter is late. The reason why is because of a couple different reasons. First off, I burned my hand pretty badly and it’s been hard to actually do anything recently. To add a little more salt to the wound, I ended up falling down the stairs right before I got sick with c*vid. So, it’s been quite a week for me, but hey! I was able to write in the last couple of days and I’m starting to feel better now~ In better news, A Dazzling World has received 96 kudos on AO3, which has made me pretty happy~ I hope everyone is staying warm and safe out there!

Operation Snake Tooth

Chapter III: Operation Snake Tooth

“Why do we have to call this Operation Snake Tooth?” Honestly, I’m not even sure how I am in this situation. While it’s true that Apple Bloom and I are friends, I’m always dragged into weird adventures by her. Why does she always come up with the weirdest ideas and why am I always the person she goes to for help? Well, besides Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, I’m the one she always asks. Why do we even have to call our adventures operation codenames in general? Probably because Apple Bloom likes them, despite the fact that she’s sixteen. She really hasn’t changed a bit since the moment I met her a few years ago.

“Because Diamond Tiara always snaps at me when I try to help her out,” Apple Bloom tells me while rolling her eyes, dragging her wagon along behind her. Her wagon’s wheels squeak slightly and the painted Cutie Mark Crusaders symbol shines in the light. There are a couple other symbols on it as well that her big sister helped to paint on the red exterior. “I swear, she acts like a brat half the time. But I kind of expected that. It’s still fun to hang out with her though.” With a deep breath, Apple Bloom looks at me with a smile, seemingly hopeful about something. “Her room has been so dark and depressing ever since I started going over there. So, I was thinking that she could benefit from a little light, you know?”

Nodding my head slightly, I can’t help but wonder what kind of conversations the two girls have. It’s ironic that Apple Bloom calls Diamond Tiara a snake because she snaps at her. That’s exactly what happened between Sunset and I after I got out of the hospital. I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t want her to take care of me, so Sunset started calling me Alligator. “So, what’s your plan exactly? Like how are you going to ‘light up’ her room?” I ask Apple Bloom with a curious tone. I still have no idea why I’m here in general.

“Well, I was thinking of getting her some flowers for her windowsill and maybe buying a book. I know there’s one book she’s been wanting to read for a couple months now, but she hasn’t had the chance to buy it or such.” Apple Bloom has a hopeful smile on her face as she says this, making me feel a little… proud of her. Is it weird of me to feel proud of my friend? That she’s doing such a kind deed for someone else? I mean, it is a little weird coming from me. A former siren…

“What’s this book she wants to read?” My question hangs in the air for a moment, both of us just listening to the wind and the sound of the occasional car passing by. Apple Bloom shrugs slightly to herself, spinning some of her hair around her finger.

“It’s a book about a detective back in the 1800s. I forget the name of it exactly, but I know I will recognize what it is when I see it. Apparently, it’s a pretty large series,” Apple Bloom states with a small wave of her hand and wide eyes, telling me she’s just as confused about it as I am. Before I have the chance to respond, Apple Bloom quickly motions for us to cross the street. It doesn’t take me long to realize just what caught her attention. A flower stand with dozens of bouquets stands right next to a sandwich deli. Apple Bloom and I quickly walk across the road, a look of anticipation on her face. “Mind if ya pay for this one? I’m kinda trying to save the money I brought for that book.”

Despite the fact that I don’t normally cover the bill for others, Apple Bloom has done a lot for me over the years. Even recently, she’s helped me study for this GED test. If anything I owe her a lot more than I like to admit. “Sure, I can buy the flowers,” I reassure Apple Bloom, walking up to the flower stand. After she points to one of the bouquets that she wants, I reach into my bag and put down the money for the flowers. The bouquet she chose included pink, purple and white flowers, matching the colors of Diamond Tiara. A part of me really wonders if Apple Bloom is right about this. Would I feel better if someone gave me flowers to light up my room? I guess it really depends on the person…

Handing the flowers to Apple Bloom, I can’t help but smile at Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm. I guess it would make me feel better to receive flowers, even if it is just a sign of good faith. That’s something Apple Bloom’s friend could use right about now.

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

In my spare time, I often read books to pass the time. I’m not the kind of person to watch television shows or even movies. The only reason I love to watch films is because it’s a nice tradition between Sunset and me. I love to watch them with her because we always get to eat some nice snacks, laugh at the same jokes and cuddle a bit on our couch. But if I’m alone, I usually read a book. Although, I haven’t really had the time to get invested in a book recently with all the planning for our wedding and moving into our new house…

It’d be nice to find some new book to read, wouldn’t it? Tracing my finger across the spines of each book, I look at the titles, trying to find something that sticks out to me. I’ve already looked through the whole horror section and the slice-of-life section. Now, I’m here, searching through romance novels. Apple Bloom is somewhere in the store, looking for that one book Diamond Tiara wants to read. At some point, she figured out the name of the book, but I forget if she actually told me about it. I’m not even sure why I’m here with her when I’m not doing that much to help her. Maybe she just wanted company while she did this.

The funniest part about coming along for this little adventure is that Apple Bloom wasn’t allowed to bring her wagon into the book store. What did she do to make sure it’s safe? She tied it to a cop car. An actual cop car… I have no idea why she would think that is a sane plan, but she told me that cops would keep her stuff safe. Why do I doubt that? She also put a very detailed and vague threat on a note attached to her wagon that would make anyone feel a little squeamish. Essentially, she said that bad things would happen to someone who steals her wagon. One part of her very graphic threat said that she would “make Saw look like a kiddie movie.” What the hell goes on in that head of hers? I know for a fact that she’s strong enough to manhandle anyone she wants, so it’s a very ominous threat.

“Ya done looking at the lovey dovey stuff?” a southern voice asks me, making me look over at Apple Bloom. I still get surprised to see that she’s almost at my height. When we first started hanging out, she was almost fourteen and she was quite a bit shorter than me. Now, she’s almost as tall as her older sister. Not to mention that she’s become slightly more mature in her approach to plans. Only slightly… She’s still pretty childish in general, but I guess that’s charming in a sense.

In her arms is a cardboard box absolutely filled to the brim with books, making me raise my eyebrow. “Um, Apple Bloom. What is all this?” I ask her in an amused tone, swirling my finger above the box.

“These are all the books in the series Diamond likes. I ain’t got a clue which ones she has, but I figured I’d get them just in case, ya know?” Apple Bloom shrugs her shoulders as much as she can with a box in her arms. For a moment, her expression shifts to a solemn smile, looking down towards the ground with a slow shake of her head. “Adagio? Do ya mind if I ask ya a question? You’re like one of my closest friends and you’re the only one who would give me an unbiased opinion from an adult’s point of view.” Apple Bloom’s question instantly intrigues me. Honestly, it feels nice that she still considers me one of her closest friends. I would assume that would change as she gets older. Of course I’d always be here to give her insight if she asks for it.

“Sure, Apple Bloom. What’s on your mind?” I ask her in a quiet tone, rubbing her shoulder slowly. Her eyes look up at me, showing a level of insecurity I haven’t seen in the teenager for a long time now.

“Do ya… Do ya think she will like this? Am I going overboard? It’s just that I wanna help her feel better and I haven’t had a lot of practice helping someone who’s sick.” Her expression instantly gets a little darker upon hearing her own words, shaking her head. “Well, except my Granny Smith. But… there ain’t much hope of her getting better. It’s a little different with Diamond, you know?” Nodding my head, I pat her shoulder, leading her away from the bookshelf.

“In all the hundreds of years I’ve been alive, I can say confidently that I haven’t had a lot of experience taking care of others. But I will say that I think your friend will enjoy this. Some people may say you’re going overboard…” Locking my eyes with hers, I try to give her the kindest smile I can, reassuring her of her choice. “Sometimes, it isn’t a bad idea to go overboard though. It just shows how much you care.” It’s inspiring that Apple Bloom has become friends with the person she used to hate the most in the world. At this point, Diamond Tiara could really use a sign of affection from someone else. It sounds like her mother isn’t in the picture that much and her father has a hard time being truthful with his emotions. Even with his own daughter.

“Thanks, Adagio. I… I really needed to hear that,” Apple Bloom tells me with a smile nodding to herself. Despite how much she’s grown, Apple Bloom still needs help understanding her emotions and the world around her. You may be resilient on the outside, Apple Bloom, but never let yourself think you’re a bad person.

Pulling out my wallet, I can’t help but chuckle to myself. There’s no way she brought enough money to buy all those books. Thankfully, each of them should only be around five dollars~

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

The birds sing as the automatic water sprinklers activate, making me roll my eyes slightly. I forgot how flashy Filthy Rich is… Is it wrong of me to think his theatrics are overdone? If you really want to show how you’re better than someone else, you need to be more direct. Not subtle. Show them that you are above them. Break them down and make them realize there’s little to no way to actually overcome the obstacles you have set in front of them… I… I shouldn’t think that… That’s the seduction of power… It makes you think of strategies to make others bow. To submit…

“So, you’ve been here more than I have. How long does it usually take you to get inside?” I ask Apple Bloom hesitantly, not exactly keen on waiting for a long time. Looking over at the cowgirl, her head is almost buried in the box of books, making sure each book was still accounted for. The box rests inside the wagon that was, thankfully, not stolen. When we got outside the bookstore, we actually found a cop who had untied the wagon, but he looked pale upon handing it over to us. The note was in his hand and I can’t help but find it funny that Apple Bloom’s threat was enough to make the cop sick. He was sick enough that he didn’t even scold her for tying her wagon to his car. That is pretty damn impressive.

“Usually a few seconds~ Let’s just say I’ve made friends with the lady who answers the gate.” Without elaborating much more, Apple Bloom takes a couple steps and closes the distance between her and the button outside the gate. Pressing it, a bright smile comes to her face as static plays for a few moments. This static is quickly replaced with a feminine voice clearing her throat.

“This is the Rich residence. How may I-”

“Hiya, Claire~ I’m back,” Apple Bloom states, interrupting the speaker and calling her by name. An audible sigh of exhaustion can be heard right after Apple Bloom’s statement. It seems Apple Bloom’s natural tendency to either befriend others or annoy them into submission has succeeded once again.

“Oh god… You’re back to see Diamond Tiara, I assume?” the woman asks slowly, sounding like she’s rolling her eyes on the other end.

“You bet!” Apple Bloom tells her with a happy nod. Without saying another word, the speaker goes silent and the gate slowly opens in front of us. Apple Bloom picks up the handle to her wagon and quickly walks forward before looking back at me, seemingly confused. “Ya coming or not?” Chuckling to myself, I follow her inside the property with a smile.

I am not needed here at all, but Apple Bloom asked me to accompany her in general. Apple Bloom never left me hanging when I asked for her support, so why should I leave now? Regardless, it can be a bit awkward going back here after about two years. The last time I came here, I was getting ready to head to Appleloosa to settle a score with Rich. Now, I have no more scores to settle.

Getting closer to the staircase in front of the door to the mansion, I see a few people walk outside, grabbing Apple Bloom’s wagon when she gets close enough. Surprisingly, she’s not resistant to this. Instead, she lets them carry the wagon up the steps with a nod. Looking up towards the front door, a familiar face smiles down at the both of us. He may be wearing a black suit this time, but he wears the exact same red tie he’s had for years now.

“Apple Bloom! I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Filthy Rich tells the teenager with a happy smile shaking her hand.

“Heya, Mr. Rich! I just wanted to stop by to see Diamond again~ I got some gifts that I think will really lighten up her room!” After Apple Bloom tells him this, Rich’s expression drops slightly, looking at the contents of the wagon. Nodding slowly, he pats her shoulder, seemingly unsure of what to say.

“I really appreciate it. Do try and keep your visit short this time. She’s not feeling the best today, so I wouldn’t want her to overdo it. You understand?” Filthy Rich asks Apple Bloom in a kinder tone than I have ever heard him use with others. I guess that’s because Apple Bloom is just a teenager, but something tells me the deeper reason is because of her connection to Diamond Tiara.

Looking over to me, Rich nods and I return the gesture, still afraid he might ask me for another favor. “Hey, Rich. How are you doing?” I ask him out of courtesy, trying to keep the conversation short. Apple Bloom walks past Rich and walks inside the mansion with the people carrying her wagon walking behind her.

“I’m fine. A little scatter-brained involving some new legislation, but that’s to be expected when you’re the mayor,” he tells me with a prideful look, straightening his tie. He’s been mayor for two years now and honestly? I wish he wasn’t elected. It’s highly likely he will be elected for a second term after his current term ends. “I will admit, Dazzle. Your proposal has certainly gotten me busy. But I am a man of my word.”

Proposal…? Looking over to Rich, I can’t help but feel an anxious feeling overcome my mind. What the hell does he mean by that? He and I haven’t talked in close to two years… I never made a proposal! He can’t mean… Right? “Um… Remind me what you’re talking about?” I ask him hesitantly, clenching my fist silently. Please tell me I heard him wrong…

“The deal you made with me a month ago. I can’t go into details out here, of course, but don’t act oblivious, Dazzle. You were the one who came to me. I’m hardly the type of man to take jokes like these favorably.” Turning around, Rich walks back inside the building, leaving me standing at the bottom of the stairs. What deal…? What deal is he talking about?! She didn’t… She… Did she go to him? Why? What is she up to!

Running up the stairs, I zip inside the doors, looking around the main foyer. Apple Bloom can wait… I’ll talk to her afterward. Brushing past the servants of the mansion, I run down the main hallway, finding the main bathroom of the first floor and slamming it shut behind me. With a slight flicker, the light comes on, revealing a checker pattern floor and gold handles for the toilet paper and towels. Rushing over to the mirror, I look at my panicked reflection, gulping the air quickly.

“Alright, bitch! You always show up when you want to. Now throw me a bone and come here when I want you to!” I almost yell at my reflection, bearing my teeth and gripping the granite surrounding the sink. Come on… You always inconvenience me, showing up whenever you think it’s best. Now that I’m summoning you, are you too cowardly to show yourself? I’m not scared of you.

Slowly, the color in the reflection starts to fade and my hands get a little numb, causing me to grip the counter harder. I don’t think so… I’m not letting you have control. You will talk to me, but you won’t take control. Within a second, all of the reflection’s colors disappear, only showing a pure black pane of glass in front of me. For some reason, I can almost feel a sense of anger… If she’s mad at me, too bad.

Red eyes appear out of the black void, a gem of the same color slowly illuminating the reflection once more. Now, standing in front of the darkness is a blood-stained siren, staring back at me with an anger equivalent to a thousand stars. Her shadowy figure is illuminated just enough that I can tell what kind of expression she has. Her stare may be enough to send a shiver up my spine most days, but right now? I need to have some answers…

“What makes you think you can tell me what to do, Adagio?” she asks me with a harsh whisper, sounding like it’s right inside my ear. Her mouth opens again, but before she can say a thing, I chuckle in response to her question.

“You have dictated when we talk to each other every single time you’ve wanted to. Now, you’re going to listen to me,” I hiss right back at her, straightening my back. The siren rears back almost like I had insulted her, but I interrupt her again, taking a deep breath. “What the hell was Rich talking about? What did YOU do?” I ask her quickly, my eyebrows furrowing in response to my anger. How could I not be angry? She made a bargain with Rich after all I did to pay off my debts to him. The siren lets out a malicious laugh, shaking her head at me. Does she find this funny?

“Adagio, don’t tell me you already forgot what I told you days ago,” she tells me with a smirk, her eyes glowing a little brighter. Every snicker of hers only serves to provoke me even more. She loves pushing my buttons…

“How in the world can a Nexus be involved with Rich?! He’s a mortal man in this human world! He wouldn’t know about anything related to that!” I yell at the siren, slamming my fist against the countertop with a grimace. If she told Rich about magic… He’d surely try to use it for his own good. Probably to heal his daughter and then increase his empire.

“He isn’t related to a Nexus at all.” The siren’s voice snaps at me as if she is insulted by the mere idea. “He has a lot of resources. Resources that will help us find one, whether you like it or not.” Her eyes narrow, staring at me with a condescending tone in her glare. What kind of resources is she talking about…? How could Rich help her find a Nexus? This has completely gone off the rails and I can’t seem to get it back on track. “Poor Adagio… So much anger and yet, you won’t follow my advice,” she snickers, making me take a step away from the mirror. “All will become clear in due time. But, if you want to learn what I have planned, you could always give up on your useless life with friends.” Her evil stare looks right into my soul, knowing I would never take her up on that offer. Why does her plan have to elude me every step of the way?

“No thanks… I’ll stop you somehow. You can bet on that,” I tell her as quickly as I can, walking towards the door and opening it. The color of the world around me has returned to normal at this point, but in no way do I feel better… What kind of deal did she make with Rich? And why do I feel like it’s going to cost me…?

Shaking my head, I quicken my pace, walking towards the main foyer again to get to the stairs. I’ll talk to Rich afterward. I’ll get the information about this new deal from him, but for now, I just need to check up on Apple Bloom and stay with her until she leaves. Why does that damned demon have to make everything so difficult? Walking up the stairs to the second floor, I disregard the environment, quickly making my way through the lobby area. Diamond Tiara’s room is down the hallway, so all I have to do is stick around until Apple Bloom is done with her visit and then I can make my own visit with Tiara’s father…

Making my way down the hall, I stop at the first door that’s open to my left, peering inside to see a dimly lit room. Inside, a red wagon sits at the foot of the bed, holding a box of books. Apple Bloom sits right beside the bed with an open book in her hands, reading to a pale and skinny Diamond Tiara. The girl looks like she hasn’t slept in a few days, but Apple Bloom said she always looks rough… Is this really how she lives on a daily basis? Tied up to a heart monitor and an oxygen tank? I never knew it was this bad…

“All is quiet in the streets of London. She didn’t quite know what it was, but something told the young detective that this would be a very very long night,” Apple Bloom reads aloud, closing the book and looking at the pale teenager. Diamond Tiara smiles and nods, briefly trying to reach for her water before Apple Bloom grabs it, wrapping her bow around it and handing it to her. Wait… Why did she do that? Apple Bloom loves that bow to death. Did she do that to… protect Diamond Tiara’s hands from the cold?

“Thank you, Apple Bloom. I… This really means a lot to me,” she says quietly, looking at the bouquet of flowers beside her bed with a smile. Taking a step back, I lean my body against the hallway wall, trying to not interrupt their moment. I’m glad that Diamond Tiara enjoys this attempt to lighten up her room. Apple Bloom put a lot of work into it…

“Don’t mention it~ You’re my friend and it would be a shame if I didn’t try to make your situation a little better~” Apple Bloom laughs a little, getting a couple of giggles out of Diamond Tiara. Resting the book on the nightstand next to Tiara’s bed, Apple Bloom gently moves the blanket higher up to make sure the ill teenager stays warm. “I really hate to cut this visit short, but I kinda have to get back home. I promise I’ll stay here for a lot longer next time though~” Apple Bloom reassures her with a smile. Diamond Tiara nods slowly, a small frown dawning on her pale lips.

“Bring chocolates next time~ I only expect the best from-” Before Diamond Tiara can finish her taunt, she coughs a couple times, knocking the breath out of her. Her situation is so… horrible. Diamond Tiara keeps trying to compose herself by taking a breath only to cough again shortly after.

“Are ya alright?” Apple Bloom asks gently, placing her hand on Tiara’s. Nodding to Apple Bloom’s question, Tiara tries to take a deep breath, coughing again. Her coughs get harder and wilder without a breath in between, taking much longer than a normal coughing fit. Tiara’s hard coughs barely give her time to breathe in as her heart monitor starts to beep faster. This isn’t a normal cough, right…? “Diamond?” Apple Bloom quickly asks, holding her hand as Tiara’s frail body shakes with each faster and harder cough. “Diamond?” she calls out urgently, her eyes frantically looking out the door, locking with mine. Different machines beep wildly just as multiple people come rushing down the hallway towards us. Taking a step away from the wall, I try to look inside, past the multiple servants attending to Tiara. Tears stream down Apple Bloom’s cheeks, trying to hold onto Diamond Tiara. “Please help her!”

The Way Forward

Author's Note

Author's Notes: Hello, everyone! So, I know this chapter is kind of short, but I wanted to go ahead and update the story rather than make this chapter even bigger. I have a lot to do since Christmas is on the horizon and since I'm just now better from c*vid, I think I will take it easy~ Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please tell me what you think of the story so far! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Stay special out there!

The Way Forward

Chapter IV: The Way Forward

I’ve never really liked the setting of a hospital. Everything feels so… restricted. All colors except for white are drained from the environment and everyone is waiting for an ill friend or family member, so no one is waiting for a party exactly. All the emotions here are either negative or absent… The last time I was here, I had fallen down some icy stairs. Needless to say, I don’t like remembering that instance or the dream I had here…

Pushing my body against all the buttons of the vending machine, a quiet beep repeats every couple of seconds. If I remember correctly, I just have to count to five slowly before I can go to the next step. Taking a deep breath, I kick the bottom of the machine before letting go of the buttons, taking a step away from it. Looking at the options, I can’t seem to decide what drink I would want. Maybe it’s not the decision that is evading me… If anything, maybe it’s the fact that I’m stuck here in a hospital. I don’t like waiting here, but I wouldn’t just abandon Apple Bloom here. She’s going through something not a lot of people have to do when it comes to their friends… She’s watching her friend go through an illness over the course of years, without being able to do a thing about it.

Sighing, I put in the code for a bottle of water. Within a moment, the machine spurs to life, selecting my drink and dropping it off at the bottom. Picking it up makes my hand feel pretty cold. Just like the rest of this waiting area. Despite my thoughts, I take a sip of the water and sit back down in the seat I’ve been waiting in for the last hour. I want to do something more, but I can’t really do anything but be here for her.

Every time someone gets close, my mind gets a little anxious, anticipating it to be Applejack. Countless times, I’ve looked up for that hope to not come true, but this time? The orange cowgirl walks down the hall towards me, making me stand up again right after I had sat down. “What’s the news?” I ask her hesitantly, hoping Apple Bloom is taking it alright.

“Well, from what I heard, Diamond Tiara is doing better now. It was a flair up, but with the right care, she’ll be back to normal soon,” Applejack tells me slowly, her expression briefly showing an awkward conflict. “Um… I mean as normal as she can get. Whatever her normal was before this. Anyway, Apple Bloom is gonna stay with her overnight. I was going to take her home but… I couldn’t really tell her no.” Applejack walks past me towards the exit, making me look back down the hall. A part of me still wants to stay here and wait for Apple Bloom, but I know she won’t back down. She’ll wait here all night, even if it means she has to fight the doctors themselves.

Catching up with Applejack, I take another sip of my water before we walk out of the hospital. “It’s a little weird. A part of me still sees her as the thirteen-year-old that befriended me a few years ago. I guess I feel a little sad to leave her alone because of that.” Applejack nods in agreement, patting my shoulder. Without effort, we both look both ways down the street before walking into the parking lot, away from the building.

“Yep. It’s hard to let her go since ya want to protect her. Imagine how hard it is for me. I still see her as a small child, learning how to ride a tractor in my lap.” Applejack smiles for a moment, taking a deep breath. “Don’t worry. She’ll be fine. If she needs help, she’ll call for it. I admit that she’s better at that than I am. I’m too stubborn to ask for help sometimes.” The statement sounds a little solemn coming out of her mouth. Honestly, I can’t help but agree with it. Despite the fact that I haven’t been her friend for as long as Rainbow Dash has, I can realize that Applejack can be pretty stubborn. “I actually have something to talk about with ya,” she tells me quietly, both of us passing through the parked cars.

“What is it? If it’s about Apple Bloom, I had no part in her plan,” I respond in a slightly defensive expression, causing Applejack to laugh slightly.

“Nah, it ain’t nothing like that. I was wanting to talk to ya about your situation with Sunset.” My situation? Huh… A small part of me gets a little worried that Sunset told her about my idea to buy the music studio, but… I know Sunset wouldn’t do that to me. I wanted to tell everyone else myself, so that really leaves two different things we could talk about. The house or our engagement…

Taking a deep breath, my hand comes up to the scarf around my neck, feeling the soft fabric between my thumb and my index finger. Even though Applejack and I are friends now, she was the last one to actually trust me fully. Maybe this is about the engagement… Just because we’re friends now doesn’t mean she would fully be on board with us getting married. Maybe because she thinks it is too soon? Applejack is right to have her hesitations. She’s usually the one who speaks her mind when it comes to these things.

“Is this about Sunset and my engagement?” I ask her slowly, my steps losing their speed. Applejack is one of my closest friends, so if she does object to it, I would feel really conflicted… It wasn’t that long ago when she was against my friendship with Sunset in general.

“Well, sorta. I just wanted to say that I am… I’m real proud of ya both. Just know I’m really happy for you two and I will always be here for ya.” Patting my shoulder, Applejack gives me a smile just as we make it to the back of her truck. “I mean it. Whatever ya need, I will always be there in a heartbeat~” Her eyes look into mine and I can’t help but feel that she is telling me the truth. If anything, I thought she would be telling me how she has doubts considering our marriage, but she surprised me by congratulating me. “Come on. Get in. I’ll drive ya,” she tells me with a smile, going around to the driver’s side of her truck.

Getting in the passenger seat, I close the door, smelling some dirt and the scent of apples. Despite its age, her truck isn’t uncomfortable. It’s a cozy little vehicle. Actually, the word “little” doesn’t describe it at all. “Where are we going?” I ask her, locking my seatbelt just as she puts the vehicle into reverse.

“I called the girls and they all agreed to get some pizza with us. I figured we could use it after what’s happened to that poor girl,” Applejack refers to Diamond Tiara, looking over her back to make sure she doesn’t back into anyone. Getting some pizza with everyone sounds nice, but…

“Could you drop me off by my house first? I kind of want to change before we go there.” It may seem stupid to change before we hang out with our friends, but… there’s a pair of boots that I’ve been wanting to try on. Sunset gave them to me for our first anniversary and I still haven’t worn them yet. The reason why is because they remind me a lot of… my past. Who I was when I first met Sunset. But I guess that’s why she gave them to me. Because it was nostalgic for her. If I really can’t wear the clothes that are similar to my previous fashion sense, have I really changed? It’s time to prove I have changed… Fully.

“Sure, that isn’t a problem~” she tells me just as honestly as ever, driving away from the previous parking spot. For a few moments, nothing but the sound of the engine fills the air. I guess the reason why is because it’s difficult to think of something to talk about…

“So, you really have no problem with my engagement to Sunset?” I clarify with a hesitant tone, unsure if that was the end of our conversation.

“Not at all, sugarcube. In fact, I think it’s great that you two are tying the knot,” Applejack states with a nod, looking over at me briefly. Her statements about my relationship with Sunset really make me curious…

“How is your relationship with Rarity? It’s surprising that the two of you haven’t gotten married, considering that you have been in a relationship a lot longer than Sunset and I.” My question makes Applejack shrug slightly, a lack of a response making me feel like there’s something to be said.

“Yeah, I admit we have been together for a long time. I guess the two of us like where we’re at, that’s all,” Applejack admits with a slight tone of guilt. Or longing…?

“Are you happy where you’re at?” Is it wrong of me to feel a little… confused? Her tones and her body language contradict what she’s telling me, so it obviously makes this whole conversation feel a little fake. Applejack takes a deep breath and shrugs again, seemingly trying to think of a way to answer my question.

“To be honest, I guess not. Rares and I have been thinking about marriage for a while now, but a lot of questions get raised when that happens. She ain’t exactly looking for that since the fashion industry doesn’t look at a young designer favorably when she is already committed to someone.” A slow sigh exits her lips just as we stop at a red light. Applejack really puts a lot of thought into this situation and how it would affect Rarity, huh? I guess I’m lucky in that way. Sunset and I getting married isn’t a problem for either of us… “But I am tired of living in separate places. And I was raised with the ideas of a traditional marriage, so I guess it would be nice to actually tie the knot someday.” Stepping on the acceleration, the vehicle slowly starts to move forward back to its original speed. Applejack’s expression doesn’t change that much, so it’s hard for me to actually tell what she’s thinking. “The major thought in my head is that no one is getting any younger. I mean, let’s face it. My little sister is almost an adult now. My Granny Smith isn’t going to get any better and her memory is only going to get worse. So, I suppose it is conflicting. In no way would I ever break up with Rares. She and I love each other way too much for that. Though, we have tried before.”

Looking over at Applejack, I can’t help but feel surprised at her statement. For some reason, I’ve always looked at the two of them as the ideal model for a relationship. I’ve never been in one before and I had to learn the appropriate ways to care for another creature. I was a greedy siren, so learning friendship itself was hard for me. Not to mention romantic feelings of love… “You two tried breaking up before…?” I hesitantly ask the cowgirl, still in disbelief at the simple statement.

“Sure we have. Twice in fact. One time, we thought we were way too young and the other? Well, Rarity didn’t want to smother me and believed it would be best if we went our separate ways.” Applejack giggles to herself with a slight shake of her head. I have no idea why she would find the memory humorous, but it’s better than crying nonetheless. “It never worked though. We love each other way too much to leave the other alone. If I remember correctly, she brought me a tin of muffins to try and apologize a month later. They were horrible, but she tried to do one of those cheesy apologies from a love movie. She’s a hopeless romantic, but I can’t resist her~” Applejack dawns a big smile again, the simple memory of her loved one making her unbelievably happy. “Don’t worry about us though, sugarcube. We still talk about getting married every now and then. We just need to figure out a solution.”

Patting my shoulder again, Applejack chuckles to herself, pointing to a small picture hanging from the rearview mirror. In the picture, Applejack stands with all of her family, including Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder how it is for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. They’re almost sisters-in-law at this point. If their sisters actually get married, it would be official. Sunset and I don’t have that kind of family. The only ones I would consider close enough would be Aria and Sonata… We aren’t actual sisters though… I don’t even think I will see them again in general.

“It’s nice that both of you have family that can support your decision.” Looking out the window, I can’t help but feel a little conflicted. Is family really that important? I guess I’d like to think not, but here I am, admiring the fact that Applejack has such a big family. All Sunset and I have are friends. Sunset knew her parents, but she has it worse than me. She barely got along with them and I didn’t even know my own parents.

“Ah, sugarcube. You are family~ You’re close enough to me and the girls that we’re all practically a family, ya know? I’m always here to support your marriage with Sunset~” The buildings outside the car zip by and the colors only serve to remind me just what I’m fighting for. I want to spend the rest of my life with Sunset and I will do just that. I won’t let that siren stop all that. “Speaking of which, do ya know what your wedding is going to be like?” Applejack asks me with a curious tone to her voice. Honestly, the question is one I can’t help but feel anxious about. I knew she would ask something like this eventually, but the thing I need to focus on is sorting out this situation with that siren before I get married.

“Sunset and I know where we want to get married, but we don’t know when we will arrange it. We also know that we want it to be kind of small. Just our immediate friends and a couple of plus-one’s.” My biggest fear is that our friends may want to bring their extended family with them. I don’t really want a whole bunch of people I don’t know at our wedding. Getting married is a big enough deal for a siren who has had little to no concept of commitment before, so I wouldn’t want the day to be filled with first impressions and all.

“Who qualifies as your immediate friends? Does that include someone who initially gave ya a hard time?” Applejack teases me with a chuckle, shaking her head slightly. While it’s true that she did give me a hard time before, Applejack is one of my best friends now.

“Of course you’re included, you stubborn moron,” I respond with a fake sigh, rolling my eyes to add to the effect. “Why wouldn’t you be? You’re one of my closest friends.” I spend time with all the girls in a roughly equal manner as of late. They all have their own unique flair and personality, so I often hang out with each of them for different reasons. Whenever I spend my time with Rarity, I’m usually looking for a more tame and relaxed session as compared to my time with Rainbow Dash. She usually wants to do something weird and it will probably involve more energy. As for Apple Bloom? She’s a mystery box. She’s even more random when it comes to the things she wants to do than Pinkie Pie. That’s one hell of an achievement.

“I was just asking, that’s all~ It’s been a while since I’ve been to a wedding, so I’ll have to see if one of my formal dresses still fits. God knows that if they don’t, Rarity will make adjustments or she will just make me a new one.” Rarity does tend to do that… When it came to my first anniversary with Sunset, Rarity went above and beyond, making me a new dress for the occasion, free of charge. I didn’t even ask for one, but she made sure I had a dress that fit me in all aspects. She didn’t want me looking like anything but my very best. “That is if y’all want me to wear a dress. I could wear something else if that’s not to your liking.”

“I’m sure a dress would be fine~ Sunset would probably be fine with it and I don’t care what you wear, honestly. As long as it’s clean and all.” The last thing I would want is someone coming to our wedding caked in mud or dirt, making the only part of the memory be about how bad someone smelled.

My eyes widen slowly, noticing that we’re getting closer to my house. Applejack turns onto my street, making me look down the road towards my house. What can I say? I’m still not used to calling it my own place. It feels… nice. Owning a house and all. No more apartments. No more cramped spaces. Just my own place with the love of my life. “Excited?” Applejack asks me with a small laugh, my mind just now noticing how I’m leaning forward in my seat.

“It’s just not normal for me to call it my house. I kind of can’t believe I own it with Sunset, you know?” Applejack slows the truck to a stop right in front of my driveway, putting it in park.

“Go inside your house and change~ I’ll wait right here,” she teases me with a slight giggle, prompting me to step out. Closing her door, I quickly walk towards the porch and the front door. Reaching inside my bag, I pull out my keys, hesitating only for a moment before sliding one of them into the lock. Right now, Sunset shouldn’t be here. She should be getting out of her noon class and from what Applejack said, she’s probably at the pizza place now. Opening the door, I quickly close it behind me, walking up the stairs with a slow breath.

Even though I’m not changing much, I think Sunset will appreciate seeing me wear these boots. I haven’t worn them at all before and I think she probably feels bad about that. She hasn’t said anything about it, but I would surely feel bad in her position. I just… feel nervous. Wearing something so similar to my past outfits during our high school years. Regardless, seeing Sunset smile would be really nice today after everything that happened with Diamond Tiara earlier. Her smile is… always nice to see. I love her to death and back, so being able to share happy moments with her makes my life feel fulfilled. That’s why I’m so sure I want to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her.

Opening our room’s door, I quickly go to the closet, opening it with a small breath. It doesn’t take long for my eyes to connect with the shoebox at the bottom of the closet, resting underneath my clothes. Sunset’s side is a lot more crowded compared to my own, but I get new outfits and pieces of clothing as time goes on. Eventually, both sides of the closet will probably look the same. Especially if Rarity keeps up her trend of giving someone clothes she designed for each special event.

Taking out the box, I quickly take off my shoes, taking a deep breath before I open it. The bright purple boots instantly have a sheen in the light from the overhead fan, making me admire the appearance of them. Despite how beautiful they look, I still feel a little hesitant to actually put them on. Come on, Adagio… Use them. You know how tempting it is. They look beautiful and they capture exactly the type of fashion I would wear back then. All it would need are spikes.

Pulling on the boots, I take a deep breath and close my eyes, afraid to look down. This innocuous act has a large impact on me and only me. No one else in the whole world could understand why this is such a big thing and a part of me still feels like it’s a mistake. Looking down at the boots, my eyes instantly widen, noticing just how nice they look. They feel really comfortable and I can’t help but… love them. God, am I really that same siren I was? No… No, I’m not. But damn, does it feel nice to wear something this beautiful. Sunset was right to buy me this. And I feel like she will like it just as much as I do~

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

Stepping into the restaurant, the door gives a small ring, swinging shut behind Applejack and I. Locating our friends is not a difficult task in the slightest since Pinkie Pie is already yelling across the restaurant to grab our attention, much to the dismay of the other patrons. A knowing look of understanding comes from Applejack before we finally walk towards the back of the establishment, our friends sitting at a large circular table. Sunset’s gaze turns towards us, giving me the warmest smile of all. It doesn’t take her long before she notices my shoes, her eyes aiming downward within a moment. Instantly, I can see the joy in her eyes upon seeing me wearing the boots she bought me, her gaze reconnecting with mine with watery eyes. I just hope she doesn’t cry about this since all our friends would make a big deal out of this. Still, it’s really nice to see her happy~

“You’re wearing them~” Sunset happily whispers to me when I finally get close enough, taking my hand in hers and kissing my cheek when I sit down next to her. With a slow nod, I return her kiss with a slight blush, feeling a little flustered at the public display of affection.

“They’re great,” I whisper in response before turning my attention to the rest of our friends. Applejack unsurprisingly sits next to Rarity with Pinkie Pie to her left.

“Gosh, you two took a while~” Pinkie Pie tells us with a physical gesture, trying to show us just how long it took us to get here.

“I was beginning to worry,” Fluttershy quietly pitches in, a small smile appearing on her face. As much as I would expect her to have that horrid rabbit with her, she surprisingly sits alone this time. No dog or cat either. The only companionship she has is Rarity and Twilight sitting to both of her sides.

“We had a slight situation to take care of and all. It involved Apple Bloom, but we’re fine now,” Applejack reassures them with a quick and straight-to-the-point tone. “Sorry about that. What were y’all talking about?”

“Well, I was mentioning how we could all maybe go camping together~ I have a new tent warmer I’ve been meaning to test out,” Twilight explains with a bright look in her eye, seemingly excited to share this bit of knowledge. Although, as soon as she says this, Rainbow Dash and I instantly look at each other with a knowing look. I won’t say anything, so I’m just hoping she doesn’t make some lewd joke-

“I’m just hoping it isn’t TOO loud either~ We wouldn’t want ALL of us staying awake the entire night.” Rainbow Dash instantly starts laughing upon saying her stupid joke, making me roll my eyes. Both Pinkie Pie and Twilight seem confused at the joke for different reasons, the former trying to find out why it’s funny and the latter trying to understand why Dash would think her device would be loud.

“Well, it’s not too loud? It’s kinda just a soft hum? If you want, I could give you an example~” Rainbow Dash almost spits out her drink when Twilight responds to her, only adding to the humor of the situation. Honestly, Dash kind of deserved it… A bad joke calls for a little embarrassment.

“U-uh… No thanks. I’m good,” Rainbow Dash responds with a shake of her head. Both of us know that Twilight is being completely innocent with her request, but the innuendos only make the situation a little more nerve wracking. Funny nonetheless.

“Camping, huh? That would be a bit fun,” Applejack interjects, trying to cut through the tension with a chuckle. Rarity, on the other hand, looks less than enthused.

“Eh… Camping hasn’t really been… one of my favorites. Though, if you girls want to, I shall prevail,” she tells us with a slight flick of her hair, hugging Applejack’s arm. I have no doubt that Rarity would be fine if we went camping. She wouldn’t really have to worry about a thing. Applejack would always be there to help start a fire, pitch a tent or otherwise keep her warm and dry. In a sense, that sometimes makes me question what she offers the cowgirl in return, but I suppose both of them have their skillsets. Rarity’s better at social situations and making first impressions and she can make clothes just as naturally as breathing. They’re perfect for each other.

“W-well, I was kind of wanting to, but you don’t have to force yourself,” Fluttershy admits with a guilty expression, causing the fashionista to shake her head and pats her friend’s shoulder.

“No no~ If you want to, I think we will all have a lot of fun~ As long as it doesn’t rain. Or get muddy.” Rarity’s brow furrows for a moment, seemingly angry at natural phenomena in the world. This look of anger is instantly calmed by Applejack kissing the fashionista’s cheek.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep ya dry,” Applejack tells her with a casual tone as if she’s used to reassuring Rarity in this way. “I’m sure we’ll all have fun, we would just need to plan for it.”

“Can I plan it?!” Pinkie Pie pitches in, an excited look on her face. For some reason, I feel a little scared as to what Pinkie Pie could plan for this, but she’s earned my trust as my friend. So, I just have to trust that she will make something fun rather than annoying. “I’ve been camping a lot of times~ I can make a whole list of things we should bring and all!” Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm for this camping trip idea actually makes it sound like she knows what to do. I mean, let’s face it. One of Pinkie’s strengths is planning for activities. Not just for parties. It’s surprising that someone as random as Pinkie Pie is good at planning.

“I have no problem with it. As long as you don’t put confetti in my tent,” I tell the party machine, making her turn her attention to me.

“Well, duh! Of course I wouldn’t put it in your tent. That stuff gets everywhere. Besides, I almost suffocated when I inhaled one in my sleep before, so I’d never want that to happen!” The way that Pinkie casually states that she almost died due to her own actions makes me feel a little unsettled, but she does this kind of stuff all the time. She should really keep her own safety in mind…

Rainbow Dash opens her mouth to speak, but before she has the chance to do so, I place my hands on the table and clear my throat. “Actually, before we talk anymore about camping, could I say something. I have… another announcement to say.” Everyone turns their attention to me, Rainbow Dash clearly confused and Fluttershy dawning a curious look that fits a dog. I’ve already made quite a few announcements to everyone during the last few months as it is. We talked about my engagement to Sunset and the house we bought, so it seems a little… selfish. Making another announcement. “I’m not trying to monopolize our time together, but… I’ve decided to try and complete my GED.” Up to now, only Apple Bloom and Sunset knew, so… it feels nice to finally say it out loud.

The girls look pretty surprised. All except for Applejack who seems to not be affected by the news. Huh… Apple Bloom probably told her about it already, right? That’s the only thing I can imagine as to why she wouldn’t be surprised. “Wow~ That should give you some new opportunities~” Fluttershy tells me with a kind smile, Pinkie Pie standing up from the table. In one quick motion, the pink blur comes around to my side, hugging me almost as tight as Apple Bloom.

“This is amazing! We need to throw a party when you pass!” she tells me with the excitement of a child on their birthday.

“If I pass,” I correct her after our hug ends.

“If?! What do you mean if?! You’re one of the smartest people I know!” Rainbow Dash interjects, suddenly sitting straight up. “I mean, we’re all pretty smart, but you’re really cunning and wise when it comes to making plans. You soak up information and keep it without any struggle. Of course you’ll pass!” Rainbow’s attempt to reassure me is appreciated, but it’s hard for me to believe that myself.

“Still. It’s a pretty hard test. Regardless, if I pass, I’m planning on… buying the music studio.” Upon hearing my statement, everyone stays quiet for a moment, a surprised expression on all of their faces. Even Applejack looks like this is new information to her. I suppose Apple Bloom didn’t tell her that.

“The music studio I used to work at?” Rainbow Dash asks me with surprise, seemingly sitting on the edge of her seat.

“Oh my… That’s a really big undertaking,” Fluttershy mentions quietly, a thoughtful expression telling me she’s still thinking about it.

“So, you’d own the business? That’s… really impressive,” Twilight adds with a smile, nodding at my proposal. Rarity and Applejack have conflicted looks on their faces and Pinkie Pie brings her hand to her chin, seemingly thinking about the situation. It’s understandable that they would be skeptical about this venture…

“Hey, everyone? I don’t want you to think about the money or any of the figures. Adagio ran me through it and even at a lowball estimate, we should be making a profit from it within a year~” Sunset reassures everyone, holding my hand to tell me she supports me fully. Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie all own their own businesses, all covering different needs or wants. If I owned the music studio, that would mean I would own a business too. It’s understandable that they would be skeptical since they all probably know how hard it is to run your own business.

“Well, boy howdy~! I’m really proud of ya then~” Applejack states with a prideful look, giving me a thumbs up. Pinkie Pie nods ecstatically as a response, agreeing with our friend. Even though she works with the Cakes, Pinkie Pie still runs her own party planning gig on the side, so it’s still impressive.

“I know you can do a good job! The money may be a problem, but I’m sure you’ll do great!” Pinkie Pie tells me with a huge smile. Everyone seems genuinely happy for my bit of news, so I’m glad it came out like this. I was a little worried that maybe they wouldn’t support my idea.

“There is one more thing we need to talk about,” Sunset tells everyone with a soft sigh, her eyes connecting with my own for a moment. I can’t help but feel confused as to what Sunset is talking about… Is she talking about the other thing we talked about a few days ago…? The reason I postponed our marriage to begin with? “Adagio doesn’t exactly feel like she’s completely made up for her past actions. So, I sort of need your help.” Leaning forward in her seat, an incredibly serious demeanor takes hold of Sunset’s face, making her look at everyone else around us. “I had the luxury of apologizing to the people I hurt. The love of my life has tried countless times to be a better person, but she’s never gotten the chance to apologize to the people she hurt. I…” Grabbing my hand, a brave smile comes to her, nodding and taking a deep breath to make sure she’s ready. “I would really appreciate it if we could all help her with whatever she needs to move forward~” Sunset takes a deep breath, sounding like she anticipates some sort of bad news. This bad news doesn’t come though… Instead, all the girls look at us with understanding and nods of approval.

“Of course we will help, darling. Adagio is our friend just as much as you are,” Rarity tells Sunset with a nod.

“I guess that only really leaves one question,” Applejack adds right after Rarity’s statement, clearing her throat. “How do we go about this?”

An Innocuous Visit

Author's Note

Hello, everyone~ So, I hope you're all doing well~ I really wanted to go ahead and release one more chapter before my new semester at uni starts. Originally, I was going to not write any more Apple Bloom until the end of this story, but I couldn't help myself. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter~! :twilightsmile:

An Innocuous Visit

Chapter V: An Innocuous Visit

Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but find this whole situation ironic… I worked so hard to get out of this business a couple years ago, but here I am, standing at the bottom of these stairs once again. It’s her fault… The demon in my mind made this happen by striking up another deal with the crime boss I’ve gotten to know all too well. Filthy Rich shouldn’t get in my head this much, but he does… The worst combination is his ideas mixed with her ideas. She’s like the umbra of my shadow… The darkest part of me, still trying to gain power. Is she even a part of me…? I don’t like to think that she is…

Shaking my head slowly, I walk a couple steps up the stairs. Knowing Rich, this deal might be pretty disastrous for me… I don’t know what he will want in return, but whatever it is, I know it will require me to do a lot of work just to pay off whatever favor he’s doing for me. That… isn’t acceptable. I don’t want to owe him something when I don’t even know what deal was made. That’s why I’m here to begin with. I have to find out what’s going on before it gets any worse. Maybe I can even call it off before I owe him anything…

Stopping right in front of the door, I slowly shake my head, sighing quietly. No… That won’t work. If I interfere with her plans, she will make sure I regret it. If I dare to cancel her deal with Rich, she may hurt Sunset or our marriage… The best thing I can do is just observe what happens and try to prevent anything bad from happening. Yeah… Sounds easier than it will be.

Opening the front door of the mansion, it’s surprisingly quiet inside the estate aside from the occasional person walking past to do some chore. The front foyer presents staircases on either side of the main hallway leading up to the second floor. I can’t help but feel my throat go dry, thinking about what I will say to Rich. I can’t turn back now though… Quickly, I push forward, walking up the stairs without taking a second to admire the white walls or the impressive light fixtures.

It’s funny… I used to revel in wealth. I would seek out power above others and find luxury to be the best thing to strive for. Now? I can’t help but find this flaunting of wealth a bit pretentious. Sure, it’d be nice to be in the same shoes that Filthy Rich is in, but I would like to think I would use it for a better cause. Maybe to help my friends. The pure difference between my past viewpoint and my modern one is a bit ironic to me. It’s something I think about nearly every day…

If I could help my friends with money, what would I do? Not many of my friends are in need of money. Other than Rainbow Dash. She is still trying to get through her studies while working as an assistant to her university’s baseball coach. She lives with her parents and constantly complains about not having enough money to spend on some item she’d like. Other than Dash, I’d probably just invest in my friends’ businesses to give them a little more to work with. Regardless, that’s if I had the money. Who knows? If my ideas for the music studio pay off, maybe I’ll be able to fulfill that vision.

Quickly, I walk through the second floor lobby area and make my way down the hall, trying to ignore everything except getting to Rich’s office. Still, it’s hard for me to keep my eyes away from the one room to my left. Outside of Diamond Tiara’s room, a small board hangs right next to the nearly closed door. The board has a list of names of who is allowed inside her room and at the bottom of it is Apple Bloom’s name. Through the crack in the door, not much can be seen from inside Tiara’s room. It’s still pretty dim inside, but I can see the flashing of blue light, presumably from a television. Sitting right next to Diamond Tiara’s bed, a familiar girl with red hair laughs along with the ill teenager, both of them seemingly having a good time. I’m glad that Apple Bloom is still permitted to see Tiara after the coughing fit she had last time. I was almost sure her father would make it impossible for anyone who wasn’t necessary to see her. Maybe he does see Apple Bloom as necessary. I mean, let’s admit it. She is Diamond Tiara’s only friend right now and taking that away is going to break anyone’s spirit.

After a moment, Apple Bloom’s eyes turn towards the door, connecting with mine and subsequently reminding me just how long I’ve been standing here. Shaking my head, I quickly walk down the hallway towards the second set of stairs. The only reason I’m here is to negotiate and learn the terms of this new deal from Rich. Not to visit with her daughter. It’s just morbid curiosity that makes me want to check up on the girl, even if I don’t know her that well.

“Adagio!” Apple Bloom’s voice calls down the hall, making me look back towards Tiara’s room. The young cowgirl stands at the door giving me a wave before looking inside and telling her friend something. From the movement of her lips, I can partially tell that she is saying that she will be back in a moment. Regardless, Apple Bloom runs down the hall towards me, pulling her mask up and stopping just a few feet away from me. “How are ya doing? It’s been a couple days and the last time I saw ya, I was waiting for Tiara at the hospital.” Her mask blocks my view of her mouth and her nose, making me rely on her eyes to tell how she feels. “Sorry if I kept ya waiting and all… I didn’t want to leave Tiara alone at the hospital after all that she went through.”

“It’s fine. Your sister and I didn’t wait long actually. But why are you wearing your mask around me and not Diamond Tiara?” I ask her slowly, feeling a little put off by the behavior. Wouldn’t it be easier to wear her mask around Tiara instead of other people?

“Oh! Well, Tiara’s white blood cell count is really low right now, so I’m trying to not get her sick and all. But she also gets depressed when every person she sees has to wear a mask around her, so I’ve been sleeping over here the last couple of nights. Everyone could use a smile during a time like this, right?” From the movement of her cheeks, I can sort of tell that Apple Bloom is smiling under her mask. It’s still a weird plan and I can’t help but wonder if her family approved of this, but I suppose Apple Bloom is willing to go through those lengths to help someone. I know she went through some incredible hoops to help me when I desperately needed a friend. Even lying to Applejack just to make sure I got the help I needed.

“I see. That’s pretty impressive, short stuff.” The ironic part about my statement is the fact that Apple Bloom isn’t nearly as short as she used to be. She’s almost as tall as me, making the only discernible difference between us is our mannerisms. I act a lot older than most people in their twenties simply because… Well, I am older. By thousands of years. “Did Tiara like the collection you got for her? You know, the box of books we bought at the bookstore?”

Apple Bloom nods enthusiastically, giving me a thumbs up in the place of a smile. “Yep! She and I have been reading them for the past couple days now. We’re almost done with the first book~” Apple Bloom’s giggle ends slowly, leaving the air undisturbed for a few moments. “Hey, so… Before we talk about anything else, I need to tell you something,” Apple Bloom slowly explains, her eyes breaking away from mine to look towards the floor. An air of hesitancy rests around her, only making me feel more curious.

“What is it, Apple Bloom? You can tell me anything that’s on your mind.” Honestly, it never feels good when Apple Bloom is hesitant like this. It usually means she has something big to tell me. Whether that’s an emotional talk or some problem she’s going through is left to be decided. I still remember when she cried in my office, telling me that she really hoped I wouldn’t stop hanging out with her as soon as I became friends with Sunset.

“It’s going to take at least a week for Tiara’s immune system to get back where it was and all. I know you’re going to be taking the GED in a week and I… I just wanted to say I won’t really be able to help you study for it anymore.” A guilty tone comes to Apple Bloom’s eyes before bowing her head slightly. I can understand why she feels guilty, but I can also understand why she won’t be able to help. She shouldn’t feel bad about missing this when she has to help her sick friend. “I’m sorry. I just want you to know that I believe in you and I think Tiara needs me here more than you need me to study. I could ask my big sis to-”

“Apple Bloom. Stop, okay? Don’t blame yourself. I understand and I don’t feel angry at all~” Giving Apple Bloom a smile, I shake my head slowly with a chuckle, turning slightly away from her. “Stick by your friend, alright? I’ll tell you the results of the test afterward, but for now? Just do what you need to. I won’t be upset~” For a moment, not another word is said. The one thing I can compliment about this big mansion is that you can usually have privacy in moments like these depending on the time of day. Giving Apple Bloom a small wave, I smile at her, taking a step away. “I have my own things to do for a while~” Apple Bloom looks conflicted for a moment, but she waves back to me, turning around as well.

“Then I’ll see ya on the flipside!” Apple Bloom tells me before running back towards Tiara’s room, her bow bouncing along behind her. Chuckling to myself, I walk down the hall, ready to finally talk with Rich. The little conversation I had with Apple Bloom kind of calmed me down a little bit. Maybe that will help me accurately ask for details of the deal.

Quickly going up the second flight of stairs, I reach the third floor, only taking a moment to reach Rich’s office. Taking a deep breath, I knock my hand against the door.

“Come in,” a masculine voice comes from the other side of the door, prompting me to open the door. Sitting at his desk, Filthy Rich signs a couple of papers before looking up at me. “Ah, Dazzle. Here to talk more about the deal like you said on the phone, huh?” Without any hesitation, Rich offers me the seat in front of his desk. For privacy’s sake, I close the door behind me, sitting down in front of him.

“Yes, that’s exactly why I’m here,” I explain with an exhausted tone. Before I can say another thing, Rich holds up his hand to stop me. What does he have to say now?

“Before we go further, I can’t help but ask why are we talking about this again? Surely you aren’t trying to change the conditions of the deal on me now. Especially after I gave you such a good deal,” Rich remarks with a smirk, making my mind boil slightly. Is it really that wrong of me to assume that his deal wasn’t in my favor? He never makes a deal like that.

“It really depends on what the original deal was,” I tell him quietly without looking away, furrowing my eyebrows.

“Have you already forgotten what we agreed upon? You’re a bright young woman and I’m an older man. If anything, you should remember more than me,” Rich jokes with me, poking fun at my remark.

“Let’s just say that I fell and hit my head again, Rich. What was the original deal?” I ask him quickly and with a stern tone. All I want to do is find out what kind of deal we made and then do what I can to manage it. I’m not in the mood for this usual game… “And don’t lie to me. You know damn well that I can tell when you’re lying.”

Rich chuckles to himself, shaking his head slightly. For some reason, he finds my request humorous, but I wouldn’t be laughing if I was him… I’m serious about this. The usual game he plays won’t fly right now. “You’ve got to watch where you fall, Dazzle. You could get really hurt one of these days and then how would your dear fiancé react?” Within a moment, my heart seems to stop, my eyes widening. How in the world does he know that? Has he been stalking me? I… No, don’t let him get in your head. She probably told him about it, that’s all. He’s just pushing your buttons as usual. “Very well. About a month ago, you came in here just like today and asked me to do you a favor. You said it was possible you would need to leave the city for a bit in the next month or so. You requested that I get you a series of items that you might need. For what you might use all of these things, I am not sure. I hope you at least remember the reason why you asked for these.” Reaching inside his desk drawer, Rich pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to me, a look of indifference on his face.

Looking at the piece of paper, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow slightly. It is my handwriting, that’s for sure. The items on this list are pretty… random. Maps of pretty much any region in the country, access to a fake I.D. and even an energy reader. What the hell are you up to…? “Yeah, I remember why I needed these,” I lie through a whisper, handing the sheet of paper back to Rich. I need to find out why she would need these items and why she’s planning on going on a trip in my body. “Now. What did we agree was my end of the deal?” It would be stupid to leave here without that crucial bit of information. There’s always a price to using Rich’s vast resources.

Leaning back in his chair, Filthy Rich closes his eyes, a slightly annoyed smile coming to his face. I can only assume that he isn’t pleased about having to tell me all these details again, but I can’t leave without them. I know that she wouldn’t tell me the specifics even if I asked her… “Your end of the deal is simple, Dazzle. I want you to convince your friend, Apple Bloom, to… consider applying to the same college Diamond Tiara will be attending.” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t really take him seriously for a moment. Did he actually just say that? What kind of request is that? It sounds so simple, yet… Mysterious. Why would he want that?

“Okay, Rich. Let me ask. Why do you want that? Why are you invested in where Apple Bloom applies to college?” I understand that the two girls are friends, but I don’t completely get why he wants me to talk with Apple Bloom about this. What’s the damn catch?

“You’re right, Dazzle. Technically, I shouldn’t care at all what she does with her life.” Rich brings his hand to his forehead, sighing quietly to himself. Even though he admitted that it’s strange for him to pry into Apple Bloom’s life, something about his demeanor tells me this means a lot to him. The only things that mean this much to him are the things surrounding his daughter. Just like he said, Diamond Tiara is involved in this somehow, but I don’t know why yet. Though, I have my suspicions… “Look. Apple Bloom has been a blessing. Really. Diamond Tiara was always depressed and talking about death, but after she came around…” Rich takes a deep breath and shakes his head, looking down at the desk. For some reason, this gives the man a bigger sense of humanity than I’ve ever seen from him. “Tiara actually started to anticipate things. Like watching movies or playing games with Apple Bloom. Since the two of them are about to graduate high school within the next year, I don’t want that to disappear.”

Leaning back in my seat, I nod slowly, finally understanding Rich’s motive. “Rich. Just because they are graduating doesn’t mean their friendship will disappear. Apple Bloom isn’t like that,” I tell him quietly, thinking back on the young girl’s behavior. If anything, she would travel through hell to make sure her friends are doing alright. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, and others. She’d never give up on them.

“I know that, Dazzle,” Rich tells me in a frustrated tone, rubbing his forehead with a sigh. “Tiara wants to go to college and… she wants to do it alone. Without my constant surveillance and guidance. She wants to have a dorm room and ‘experience a normal college life.’ I promised her that I would let her if her health permits it, but… I’m too scared to let her go without someone there for her.” Rich reconnects our eyes with a determined look, seemingly the most serious he’s ever been. “Apple Bloom understands what she’s going through and what to be worried about. I was thinking that if she went to the same college, they could share a dorm room or apartment and-”

“She could be your eyes, right?” I interrupt with a raised eyebrow. Rich slowly nods, making me feel a little more annoyed. I shouldn’t be surprised, but the fact that he would go under his daughter’s nose and make sure she’s still monitored is annoying. And using Apple Bloom on top of that… Still, I guess he just wants what is best for his daughter. “Alright, Rich. I’ll try to talk to her. I can’t promise any results, but I will keep up my end of the bargain. That’s the deal, right?” Reaching my hand out, Rich takes it and we have a friendly handshake. Thankfully, this deal wasn’t too bad. Alright. One last bargain to fulfill.

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

Walking up the metal stairs, I can’t help but feel a little worried. Sunset is leading me to an apartment where two former Canterlot High students live, meaning that this is the first major time I’m apologizing to someone other than Sunset’s friends. This should be a cake walk, right? Considering that my problems with Sunset’s friends were much more severe. All I did was control the minds of these two individuals. Still, that was probably traumatic for them… But if I really want to prove that I am completely different and worthy of Sunset, I need to do this. Not just for them, but for me as well.

Sunset looks back at me, a warm smile coming from her. Her kind gaze only makes me feel fuzzy on the inside. I can’t help but get lost in those eyes, wondering what she’s thinking whenever she looks at me like this. “Are you nervous?” Sunset asks me with a caring tone to her voice, instantly reading me like a book. Sunset knows way too much about me.

“How can you do that? You always know what I’m thinking before I can say a word.” Sunset giggles at my statement, grabbing my hand to reassure me. I’m technically used to this gesture already, but every now and then, holding hands with her still makes me blush. What can I say? She’s really beautiful… Inside and out…

“You’re my future wife~ I know what you’re feeling because it’s my job to know~ That and I’ve been where you are. I can just tell when you’re feeling bad.” Gently laying her lips against my cheek, Sunset giggles quietly, making my blush only intensify. “It’s normal to know these sorts of things when you love someone like I love you~” Sure. Normal. I doubt that. Sunset is really smart and she picks up on the smallest things. She pays so much attention to me just to make sure she can be here for me and make my day better. I like to think that I do the same for her.

“Yeah. I am a little nervous, but I guess that comes with the territory. I’m just glad that I have you here with me,” I whisper, tightening my grip against her hand. When I apologized to our friends, I had to do it alone. Mostly, it was due to Sunset’s weird scheduling conflicts and my sense of pride, but now I can have the support of my friends to help me apologize. Having Sunset by my side makes my heart beat faster and this situation feels just a little more realistic instead of impossible.

“Well, I’m always going to have your back~ No matter what happens today, just remember you’re doing the right thing.” Again, Sunset gives me a kind smile that warms my heart, making me remember that one winter I fell in love with her. Before I can comprehend another thought, Sunset stops us in front of an apartment door, looking into my eyes. “Just so you know,” Sunset whispers, bringing her lips to mine with the confidence of a lion tamer. Her hands gently pull against my scarf, pulling me into the embrace regardless of my wishes. “Naytra ven tru~ Remember that.” Again, my cheeks flush at the words Sunset confidently states. It’s rare that she ever uses those words with me, but she’s remembered them for a year and a half now. Every time she says those words, I can’t help but feel flustered that she remembered something so small about my past.

“I love you too,” I whisper in response, returning the passionate kiss she just gave me. Every second feels like a minute… Her skin feels so soft and her lips feel warm. As much as I’d love to get drunk with this feeling, I can’t get too distracted now.

Breaking off the embrace, Sunset’s cheeks blush slightly before she knocks on the apartment door. In moments like these, it’s easy for anticipation to build up. The scary kind of anticipation… Every part of me wonders who I’m about to meet again and what they will say to me. Even if they reject my apology, I will still accept it. As long as I do it, then it will be fine. I guess this is my way of trying to make up for my past…

The door slowly opens with a loud creak, demonstrating how old the apartment is. Looking outside, a white woman with messy blue hair squints her eyes, scratching her head. Her purple sunglasses hide her eye color from my view, but I can still tell she was probably asleep moments prior. Her disheveled appearance isn’t the most surprising aspect though… The thing that instantly makes me feel uncomfortable is her clothing. The woman wears a loose tank top, socks and underwear… with no pants. I had heard of people answering the door like this, but I would never do it in a hundred years.

“Hiya. If you’re here for a petition, I ain’t the one to sign it,” a raspy voice tells us with a small wave.

“Hello, Vinyl~ I’m Sunset Shimmer. Remember me? We went to Canterlot High together? I knew Octavia a lot back then,” Sunset introduces herself with a smile, barely getting a nod from the woman.

“Eh? Huh. Tavi! Someone from high school wants to talk to you,” Vinyl yells into the apartment. Thankfully, the girl doesn’t seem to recognize me, but I wonder if that will change when I apologize. “Come on in,” Vinyl tells us, turning on the lights to the living room area. Walking inside slowly, Sunset seems familiar with the area as if she’s been here before. Vinyl walks over to the kitchen area, opening the fridge right as another woman enters the room. This stranger’s skin is a light gray with black hair, her violet eyes giving a nice contrast to her colorless appearance. The clothes she has on give a tidy and proper impression, showing that she cares about the way she dresses.

Looking over at Vinyl, the woman’s jaw practically hits the floor before an angry glare stares daggers at Vinyl’s head. “Vinyl! Have you no decency?! Get some pants on!” she angrily exclaims, only being shrugged off by the disheveled and tired woman.

“They were the ones who interrupted me in the middle of my evening nap,” Vinyl explains before rolling her eyes under her sunglasses. Octavia shakes her head, looking at Sunset and I. Her eyes stay on me for a few moments with a look of recognition on her face. So, she remembers me…

“Sunset~ To what do I owe the pleasure?” Octavia expresses with a smile, hugging my fiancé. To the best of her abilities, she tries to ignore my presence or her emotions surrounding me.

“Hi, Octavia~ It’s been a long time since we’ve talked, huh?” Both Sunset and Octavia chuckle to themselves right as Vinyl leaves the room, presumably to oblige Octavia’s request. “Well, my fiancé and I were in the neighborhood and I thought it would be nice to drop by and see how you and Vinyl are doing.”

“Fiancé?” Octavia asks in surprise, widening her eyes. It takes a moment for the proper woman to compose herself, but the shock doesn’t quite leave her face. “You mean that you’re engaged to…”

“Adagio Dazzle. That’s my name,” I state, interrupting Octavia as kindly as possible. Reaching my hand out, I do my best to offer a peaceful gesture, giving her a smile. Octavia takes my hand in hers, smiling back at me in an apologetic tone. Maybe it’s because she’s ashamed of herself for ignoring me this whole time.

“Erm… Right. Apologies. I… We met at Canterlot High, right? During the Battle of the Bands?” Octavia asks me, trying to be nice, but I can see that she remembers everything about me from that time.

“Yes. I was the person that took control of everyone’s minds,” I tell her quietly, still finding it hard to admit that. Octavia nods slowly, an uneasy look in her eyes, but she still seems understanding.

“Huh? Took control of people’s minds?” Vinyl asks, walking back into the room with a confused look on her face.

“Vinyl,” Octavia states in an exasperated tone, clearly tired of Vinyl’s cluelessness. “Don’t you remember what happened during the Battle of the Bands? You even helped Sunset defeat the Dazzlings,” Octavia scolds her with a shake of her head. Vinyl looks up at the ceiling in thought.

“Um… I guess? It’s been a few years, Tavi.” Vinyl shrugs her shoulders, making the usually composed Octavia angry in a comedic fashion.

“That’s something I wanted to talk about,” I speak up again, grabbing the attention of both women. Sunset holds onto my hand to reassure me of her presence. Despite how much I try to tell myself that I’m alright, this is still nerve-wracking. “Look. I’m really sorry about the Battle of the Bands. I know that what I did was wrong and over the years, I’ve tried to change. I know you two may not accept my apology, but I still wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.” Moving my gaze back towards the women, I see confusion on Vinyl’s face, clearly contrasting the conflicted understanding in Octavia’s eyes.

“Eh, it’s alright? I don’t really care anymore,” Vinyl tells me before plopping herself on the couch. As a result, Octavia gives her another angry glare.

“Well, I, for one, think that was very mature of you~ Your apology is accepted,” Octavia states with a smile, shaking my hand once more without hesitation. “I’m glad you have had such a life-changing journey~ Though, I must apologize for my wife.” Once again, Octavia looks down at the blue-haired woman, prompting Vinyl to raise her arms in confusion.

“What the hell did I do?” Vinyl asks in defense. “I opened the door, let them in, forgave her AND put on pants! What else do you want from me, Tavi?!” Octavia simply rolls her eyes in response to Vinyl’s question, making it hard for me to resist the urge to laugh. For some reason, their interactions are pretty… humorous.

“Are you two going to stay around? We could catch up,” Octavia asks us with a kind smile, offering us a couple seats in the living room.

Nodding slowly, I can’t help but feel like we’ve overstayed our welcome. Maybe it’s because I’m still feeling awkward from apologizing. Regardless, it’s not a comfortable feeling. “Actually, I think we should-”

“We can stay for a few minutes if it’s not a problem,” Sunset responds with a chuckle, interrupting my statement.

“Great! I’ll make us some tea~ Vinyl, how would you like yours?” Octavia asks in her usual smooth and composed voice. Vinyl simply raises her hand and makes her fingers look like a gun. “The usual then,” Octavia responds to the gesture with a nod, walking over to their kitchen area. For the life of me, I can’t understand how a gun gesture would relate to tea… What the fuck…? I guess people understand each other like that after a while. Sunset and I certainly have our fair share of weird tricks.

Sitting down on one of the chairs, Sunset has a happy smile on her face. She seems to enjoy staying here for a bit, even though I’m anxious about it. Sitting down next to Sunset, I can’t help but feel out of place here. Sunset wants to visit with them for a bit, but I’m not even sure what to talk about.

“So, Sunset. What did you do after high school?” Vinyl asks in a whisper, rubbing her eyes quietly. From the tone in her voice, it sounds like Vinyl is bored and she would rather go back to sleep.

“Oh? Well, I’m working through my college classes to become a psychologist~ I also have an internship where I work under some pretty credible doctors and all,” Sunset tells Vinyl pridefully. She only has a year left of this routine before she actually graduates. Regardless, it’s an impressive achievement.

“That’s nice. Tavi and I make music. Sometimes we even make it together. Though, it’s hard to find a place that would agree to let us record with no strings attached.” Vinyl rolls her eyes, seemingly annoyed by her current situation.

“Unfortunately, that is a struggle,” Octavia agrees with her partner’s words, putting down the teacups in front of us. Gently taking a sip of the tea, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow slightly. It’s not necessarily something I like, but it’s bearable… I’d prefer to have water, but I’m not going to reject their hospitality.

“A lot of musicians in the city complain about the same thing,” I say quietly, taking another sip of my tea.

“Do you make music too? I mean, I should have expected such. You were a great singer,” Octavia expresses with a slight wave of her hand, trying to show just how stupid she thought her own question was. Sunset looks at me with a smirk, seemingly smug that someone else says that I’m a good singer too.

“No, I don’t make music. I used to sing at a nightclub, but now I work at a music studio that prioritizes teaching the fundamentals of music. Things such as music and guitars. But I got to know some other musicians in the city and I heard the same complaints from them.” Stirring my tea with my finger, I try to find something else to say to appease my boredom. What else can be said? “The music industry in this city is pretty much engineered to favor the bigger artists. The only way you can be taken seriously is if you’re some big name or connected to other producers,” I say half-mindedly, looking at the spinning liquid in my cup. When I look up again, I see both Vinyl and Octavia look at me with wide eyes. “What?”

“That’s precisely what I said to Vinyl,” Octavia tells me, a happy smile on her face. Is she glad that someone else can understand their struggles? That they’re not alone in this hopeless industry?

“The only time I can make money is by being a DJ for a party. No one actually wants to produce my music into albums because they’re scared of taking a chance on me,” Vinyl vents with a shake of her head. “It’s even worse for Tavi! She barely gets any offers. Even for those parties that would want her classical type of music!”

“It’s alright, darling. There’s no reason to be so heated about it,” Octavia reassures her, brushing her hand through Vinyl’s hair. I can barely remember these two from Canterlot High, but it seems like Sunset knows them a lot better than I do. Their struggles make me feel pity for them.

“No, there is a reason to be heated. It’s just a fault of the city we live in, at the moment,” I speak up again, relating to their problems. If it was easier for artists to record their music, then they would actually stand a chance to be heard by others. To possibly be paid by some producer and make more albums.

“Actually, Adagio is thinking about buying the music studio she works at and implementing something that would solve that issue~” Sunset tells them in a chipper tone, nudging me slightly to give my pitch. I don’t know why she would want me to talk about it here… It’s just an idea that entirely depends on whether or not I pass the GED. Her eyes give me an encouraging look, telling me to go ahead. The other two seem interested as well…

“Well, if I pass my GED, I am going to try and buy the music studio and turn it into an establishment where musicians can record their music for a fee. They’d receive help in turning their music into albums and it would essentially give anyone the chance to make the music they want. It’s not definite, but it’s what I want to do.” Looking down at the table, I take a deep breath, still a little unsure in the plan. Music shouldn’t be reserved for the mighty. It should be a treasure shared with all life.

“That sounds… wonderful,” Octavia tells me with a tone of disbelief in her voice. Her eyes, however, tell me that she thinks it sounds like a dream come true. “Do you mind telling us more?”

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

Sunset cuts the engine of the motorcycle once we park inside the garage. Even though the garage is big enough for two cars, we mainly use the space to store some boxes and we sometimes hang out here to have a couple beers together. Regardless, it’s a pretty spacious place. Sunset was even thinking about getting a couple seats to put in here, but we still have to finish up everything inside the house before we think about decorating out here.

Closing the garage door, I get off the vehicle and take off my helmet with a deep breath. As much as I love riding with Sunset, the constant bumps in the road does make it difficult to relax after a ride. I swear that I can still feel the vibrations as if the world itself is shaking. Still. At least it’s a vehicle. One that Sunset loves a lot. Turning my gaze to her, I see that she’s already reaching inside the mini fridge, taking out a couple of beers.

“That was fantastic~” Sunset tells me with a big smile on her face. The whole time after we left their apartment, Sunset had a prideful look on her face. Is she really that proud of me for apologizing? “Not only did you successfully apologize to them, but you also got a couple of people who are interested in investing in your project~ God, I’m so proud of you, Alligator~” Sunset giggles from happiness before tossing one of the cans the short distance to me.

Catching the beverage, I can’t help but feel those same insecure thoughts come back to the forefront of my mind. She’s the only one I allow myself to be insecure with. “You’re really proud of me?” I ask her quietly, opening the can and taking a sip. Has it really been that long since I’ve heard her say that? No… Probably not. I just… love hearing her say that she admires me or that she’s proud of me. It makes me feel worthy of this bond I have with her.

“Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?” Sensing my doubt, Sunset walks over to me and cups my cheek, her warm smile returning once again. “Adagio, you know how far you’ve come? Lightyears from where you once were~” Gingerly dragging her finger down my neck, Sunset moves her hand to the shoulder of my coat. Her eyes carry a gentleness in them that I’ve never seen anywhere else. Maybe she only looks at me like that. “I am so proud of you, sweetheart~ Really~” Without saying another word, Sunset wraps her arm around me, pulling my lips into hers. The warmth coming from her feels wonderful… Without my permission, my cheeks blush once more as electricity runs down my back. This is the kind of thing she does to me… She electrifies my very being, making me feel like I’m in heaven. Without even saying the words, Sunset reassures me that she loves me just as much as I love her.

Another wave of electricity passes through me as Sunset moves her arm to the small of my back, holding me close to her. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to escape from her trap. My head begins to spin again, but that’s usual for moments like this. It’s usual to get lost in the moment. To get lost in her… I can’t help it. She’s my whole world. With a simple move, Sunset is able to take me away from this world and any memories that may haunt me. Every kiss reminds me how she and I weren’t destined to be friends in the first place. Despite everything, we worked through it. She’s here, giving me all of her love. I can’t be more fortunate than this.

Gently pulling herself away, Sunset leaves my lips with a sense of longing on them, wishing that it wasn’t the end already. “How about we bring this inside?” Sunset asks me in a quiet hum, whispering in my ear. I can’t help but nod to her request. I can’t refuse her sometimes. Maybe that’s a flaw of mine, but… I live for those smiles she gives me. I love her happiness and I wouldn’t get in the way of that for the world.

Quietly walking inside the house from the garage, we make sure to close the door behind us. The cool air inside makes me realize just how warm it is outside. Putting my drink down on the small table next to the door, I move my hands to take off my coat before Sunset stops me. Softly, Sunset bites my earlobe, sliding my coat off of me. The house is so quiet… It doesn’t take very long for Sunset to take my coat off of me as well, hanging both of them up on the rack next to the door. Before I can return the favor, I see Sunset take off her sweater by herself.

Wrapping my arms around her neck, I can’t help but smirk, both of us rocking our bodies slowly. “Are you really proud of me or was this just some ploy to make a nest? You could have just asked~” I whisper to her, pressing my nose against hers with a smile. Sunset giggles slightly to herself before kissing me again, holding me close in our dance, even though there’s no music playing.

“I really am proud of you~” Sunset whispers in response, kissing me again and again. Every second makes me feel even happier, being in her arms. It feels like home whenever I am locked in her embrace. She is my home. The one I love more than anything. “How many times do I have to say it before you believe it?” Sunset taunts me through mumbles between our kisses, gently pushing me down to the couch. Looking up at her, I can see Sunset hesitate, gently biting her lip.

“I don’t know. Maybe you’ll have to show me before I believe it.” Even though my statement was said as a taunt, a part of me meant it as the truth. Part of me anticipates what my summer mist would do. No one else is in this house… It’s just us.

Sunset lowers herself down onto my lap, once again connecting our lips. Her hands gently feel my white t-shirt, touching my breasts as gently as she can. Even now, she still seems super careful to not hurt me. “I’ll buy you a new one,” Sunset whispers into my ear with a deep desire in her voice. What does she mean by that…? Buy me a new what-

Sunset’s hands grab a hold of my shirt, pulling against me as she bites my neck. Within a moment, I can feel the thin fabric rip against my back, making my eyes widen. Everything in me feels like it’s on fire, seeing just how much she wants me. In one simple move, she claimed me as hers and made me fall for her even more. All she had to do was rip my shirt off of me… She better keep that promise.

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

The tweeting of birds can barely be heard from outside. The first light of morning comes in through the kitchen window and I can’t help but be thankful that our house has a lot of insulation. Not only for heat, but for sounds as well. We can barely hear sounds coming from outside and people can hardly hear us. Gives us some privacy and it lets me sleep for longer than those birds would like.

Stirring my coffee, I take a deep breath, taking in the early morning atmosphere. I have to go to work in a couple hours, but for some reason, I woke up now. It’s probably because of the nightmare I had dreamt… Even though Sunset and I had a great night, my mind gave me an awful dream of the siren queen that has been haunting my life for a couple years now. A heavy sigh exits my lips before I take a sip of my coffee, looking out the window of the kitchen. Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me, but I keep dreading what the future holds. As much as I’m looking forward to my marriage with Sunset, the siren made sure to threaten me to keep our nuptials prolonged until her plan is done with. I don’t even know what her plan is fully… I just know she wants to find a Nexus for some reason. In Equestria, a Nexus was pretty easy to find, but hard to control. In this world, who knows how different that could be.

The light sound of footsteps on the stairs makes me walk into the living room, looking up at the descending figure. Walking down towards me, Sunset barely has her eyes open, her hair messy all over. All she has on are a pair of underwear and a shirt that is pretty wrinkly. Overall, it looks like she should still be asleep.

“What are you doing awake?” I ask her with a small laugh, making Sunset groggily shrug. She walks past me into the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee for herself.

“I felt lonely. Realized you weren’t there,” Sunset tells me quietly with a tired tone to her voice, somehow making her seem even cuter. Why does she have to be so goddamn cute?

“Aw~ You missed me?” I ask her in a slightly teasing tone, giggling before messing with her hair. Sunset groggily nods, taking a sip of her coffee.

“How could I not? You’re warm and you’re my world,” Sunset tells me with a casual smirk, her hand gently holding my chin in place before kissing my cheek. “So, I thought if you were up, I might as well be with you~ Unless you want to be alone?” The thought that Sunset was lonely without me and she missed me makes me feel so… warm inside. She’s so precious and cute at the same time, yet she’s so strong and determined. Sunset is so weird… But she’s my weirdo. She’s my one and only. With one statement, she’s able to make all of my dread disappear, replacing it with anticipation for the upcoming day.

“As long as it is with you, I never want to be alone~”

A Silly Day

Chapter VI: A Silly Day

Walking out of the music studio, I reach inside my bag and pull out an alligator-themed hoodie. It was one of the presents that Sunset gave me for our first anniversary and I haven’t had a lot of chances to wear it. In fact, I’m also wearing the purple boots she gave me for that anniversary. I didn’t mean for that coincidence to happen, but it’s fun nonetheless. My outfit surely looks weird to the other people on the sidewalk. I’m wearing an alligator hoodie, stylish purple boots and a soft scarf, despite the fact that it’s summer. I don’t particularly care what other people think though… Pinkie Pie asked me to wear something that’s brighter and more fun than my usual black leather coat. Again, that was another present from Sunset.

Even though I haven’t spent as much time with Pinkie as compared to everyone else, I still consider her a friend. She and I have hung out on a couple of occasions, but I do wish I could spend more time with her. She’s genuinely fun to be around, despite the randomness she embodies. There was one time I helped her bake a cake. Though, help is a strong word. All I did was ask questions on what we should do next. She is the master of parties and sweets, so I don’t really question her when she tells me to do something differently. Regardless, it’s always interesting to spend time with her, hearing her opinions on life.

Most of the time, her opinions are strictly regulated towards fun things. Not the serious parts about life. I don’t know what she thinks about politics or topics such as death. She usually just talks about balloons or parties. Sometimes, I wonder what she really thinks about life behind the mask of smiles and jokes. Is it even a mask? Or is that her actual personality?

Shaking my head, I quickly walk down the sidewalk, rehearsing the way to Sugarcube Corner in my mind. That’s where Pinkie wanted to meet me. I have only been there a couple of times before. The first time I went there, I found out it was run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake and thankfully, Mr. Cake let me call Pinkie on his phone. That didn’t turn out for the best, but still. The treats offered at the shop are pretty nice overall. I even went there with Sunset a few months ago just to have a fun little date. Although, I still sometimes wonder why Pinkie works at Sugarcube Corner if she manages her own party planning business. She works two jobs, both of which she’s incredibly good at.

Turning the corner, I see the brightly decorated storefront that represents Sugarcube Corner. Remembering the first time I went there almost makes me stop in my tracks. Of course, my relationship with Pinkie has improved a lot since then, but those memories still make me… anxious. I’m just glad that Pinkie sees me in a better light now.

Making my way inside the bakery, the scents of sugary treats instantly hits me, being more overwhelming than the sounds of the patrons. It almost smells too sweet in a sense… I’ve always had a sensitive sense of smell… I hate strong smelling perfumes, foods or even people. Maybe that’s why I love Sunset so much. She smells so… nice. Gentle. Subtle. Damn it. Everything reminds me of her. No matter what it is, I can’t help but think of Sunset and her kind eyes. Even if the only reason I’m here is to meet Pinkie, I still think of her. I suppose that happens when you love someone with all your heart.

When you’re engaged to them…

Walking up to the counter, I only have to wait a couple seconds before one of the waitresses walks to the end I’m standing at, giving me a smile. “Hello, Miss~ How may I help you?” she asks me in the socially acceptable kind tone, yet still feeling hollow.

“I’m waiting for one of your coworkers to get off the clock. Her name is-” before I can finish my statement, a pink blur causes all the loose paper around me to fly around, making the waitress jump slightly.

“Hi, Adagio!” Pinkie Pie exclaims before reaching over the counter, hugging me as quickly as she can. The hat and apron that Pinkie Pie has on reflect the colors of Sugarcube Corner with a couple of additional stains on it. Presumably, they were made by some sweets that Pinkie probably manhandled. Regardless, I make sure to keep myself and my clothes away from the stains as much as possible just in case they were made today. “I’m just clocking out now! Nice hoodie, by the way! I love the alligator print! Also, hold on.” Taking off her hat and apron, Pinkie Pie hands them over to the other waitress with a happy nod. “Do you mind taking these to the back? I’ll owe ya one~” Without much protest, her coworker just nods, quickly retreating to the back of the store.

With one quick motion, Pinkie Pie slides over the counter, hugging me again with a happy smile on her face. I can’t quite complain about her hugs. At least they’re not as tight as Apple Bloom’s. Maybe I’m saying that simply because I’m used to being crushed to death by the teenager… I shouldn’t be used to that. “Are you alway this silly? I mean, this is your place of work, yet you carelessly slide over the counter,” I tell her with a slight roll of my eyes, finding her action humorous. Pinkie, however, looks confused about my statement.

“What do you mean? I think it’s always nice to be a little silly~ Unless the situation forbids it.” Pinkie Pie simply smiles before grabbing my hand and happily walking towards the door. “I mean, being silly makes life so much better! Don’t you think?” Her statement makes me feel a little weird. What qualifies as being silly? And honestly, it’s surprising to hear that she knows some situations call for her silliness to be dialed down. I kind of thought she was oblivious to that.

“I suppose so. What would qualify as a situation where you can’t be silly?” I ask her quietly as she walks us through the exit, the sun hitting my skin once more. Again, the sound of cars reminds me just how busy this time of day is. I just got off work and now I’m going to go track down another member of Canterlot High with Pinkie Pie. Let’s just hope that we don’t get in any trouble on the way. I would prefer to be inside during this time of day, but it can’t be helped.

“Well, when someone’s sad, they don’t usually like random events. So, I tone it down. I try to tell some small jokes, but the best thing you can do when someone is in a bad place is be there for them.” Pinkie Pie nods slowly, but her smile doesn’t disappear from her face. “Whether it’s just listening to them or letting them cry on your shoulder. People need people. That’s life in a nutshell, really~” Pinkie gives me a smile as we walk down the sidewalk, seemingly not noticing just how wise her statement sounds. Especially coming from her of all people.

“Does that include all situations?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, finding her statement sort of… questionable. As wise as it sounds, it does raise a few questions. One question that persistently picks at my mind is the reason why I feel comfortable alone. Especially when something drastic happens. My mind likes to corner itself off to think about what’s happened rather than to open up to others. In that case, does Pinkie’s logic still apply? If so, how?

“Not necessarily. Some people don’t need someone else in any circumstance. Some people would rather be alone when they’re sad,” Pinkie Pie tells me with a slight shrug, starting to walk backwards to keep eye contact with me. “You just have to know the individual. I mean, I don’t want anyone as a romantic life partner. I see all my friends as life partners and friends to the end~” Just as casually as she said this statement, Pinkie Pie ducks her head as soon as a low hanging sign comes up. Honestly, it makes me wonder just how much she knows about this city. I mean, we are pretty close to Sugarcube Corner, so I guess it makes sense that she would know the layout.

“You don’t have any romantic feelings at all?” I don’t know why her statement makes me feel confused. At one point, I was the exact same as her. I had no desire to form bonds much past friendship. My only real desire was my lust for power. I was in the same boat. The only one who I finally had feelings for was Sunset. Maybe my confusion is because it seems like everyone in this world props up love to be the best thing ever. It’s the number one thing many people strive for. It’s almost overrated. Almost… Sunset is the love of my life and if it wasn’t for my feelings for her, I would say it is overrated.

“Nope. I tried dating before, but… It’s just not for me. I love everyone. All my friends, acquaintances and family. It’s hard for me to not befriend someone and I don’t get the whole idea of loving one person above all else.” Once more, Pinkie shrugs her shoulders and gives me a small giggle. In one swift motion, Pinkie Pie pulls out a piece of gum from her pocket and throws it into her mouth before offering me one. All it takes is a small shake of my head for her to place the wrapped piece back in her pocket. “But I do see why others love people in that way~ I mean, take Rarity for example! Rarity is uptight, wound up by stress all the time, and a drama queen! But she craves having someone to be her anchor and give her affection when she needs it.”

Pinkie Pie motions her arms as if she’s hugging someone, despite the fact that no one is there besides thin air. Even though Pinkie Pie often makes fun of their displays of affection, her gestures seem surprisingly accurate and understanding. Her fingers gently stroke the air as if she was petting someone’s hair, a look of empathy in her eyes. Deep down, Pinkie does understand the desire to want someone else. The urge to be intimate with someone else, but she doesn’t want that for herself. Understanding and wanting are two different things.

“Now take Applejack,” Pinkie Pie talks once again, breaking the moment of silence as we walk. “Applejack was raised in a family dynamic that strives for love and compassion above all else, right? Even though she does enjoy profits and such, she wouldn’t push Rarity to keep stressing herself out just to finish a job. She would drop everything just to make sure she’s alright. That kind of relationship sounds nice and it benefits them.” Pinkie Pie giggles again, pulling a cowboy hat out of her hair to mimic her friend. I still can’t fathom how she does that, but she’s able to somehow. I learned to quit questioning it. “Sometimes, the best thing you can do to help someone is stop being silly and get them in touch with the ones they love the most. For Rarity, that’s Applejack and her sister. For me? I love all my friends. Even you. Not a singular person.”

Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but admire the amount of work Pinkie put into explaining her feelings to me. She goes to extraordinary lengths to make people laugh, but I didn’t realize how much thought she puts into other emotions like sadness. “That is understandable. Though, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you explain it in such detail? It sounded like you were trying to sell an idea,” I tell her with a slight chuckle, shaking my head. Pinkie doesn’t need to talk to me like that since I’m her friend. A simple few words can do.

“Oh? Well, um…” For the first time in a long time, I see a nervous look dawn on Pinkie Pie’s face, her eyes averting from my own in favor of looking at the ground. What about my question made her nervous? Did I insult her? The possibility of my curiosity upsetting Pinkie was not something I had thought of before I opened my mouth… “See, a lot of people say that I’m tone deaf. They think that I can’t tell when someone is sad or angry and accuse me of being stupid in that way. But I do see those things. It’s just that my plans to resolve them sometimes don't go the right way.” For a slight moment, I can almost swear that Pinkie’s curly hair shrinks and straightens, but as soon as I blink, it’s back to normal. “I am trying. I try to do my best with tense moments. It just sucks when people say that you’re less than them because you try to be happy as much as possible.”

“Pinkie, you’re not less than others. Don’t think that,” I quickly tell my friend in an attempt to reassure her, finding the fact that those words instinctually came out of my mouth surprising. Honestly, her statement instantly makes me feel… guilty. I kind of see her like that as well. In difficult situations, I’m usually the first to want her out of the room, worrying she will try to throw a party. Is that an assumption on my part due to her personality? I never really took the time to think that maybe Pinkie might realize it’s a difficult situation as well. Hell, maybe her solutions would be better than my own.

“Don’t worry! I don’t think I’m stupid or anything. I just try to prove that I can read emotions as well, despite my bubbly personality.” A thumbs up. That’s all Pinkie Pie gives me after her spoken words. Even though she’s walking backwards, her eye contact never wavers from mine. A sense of understanding is in her gaze and she smiles at me before once again pulling out a piece of gum. Offering it to me again, she simply throws it into her mouth after I shake my head once more. “But I guess my viewpoint on happiness and love is weird, huh? What about you? How do you see happiness, Adagio?” Pinkie asks me with an eager look in her eyes, seemingly curious to hear my opinion.

My view on happiness… Huh. That is one question I was not prepared to hear today. I’m usually not prepared for that type of question. When people ask me things like that, I can’t help but freeze. I can excuse it as being taken aback, but my real answer is that I don’t know. Being asked something like that in the moment makes me forget how I would define happiness or life’s goals. If I remember correctly, Fancy Pants asked me some pretty personal questions when he interviewed me as well.

“I guess I would define it as… a symphony.” Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but shake my head. “Defining it as a melody happens all the time, but that is pretty basic. A melody implies a harmonious tone, despite what makes it. It doesn’t even require much of a source. A single instrument can make a melody. A symphony implies that a lot of work goes into the music from many different people. Happiness and life are like that. It takes a lot of work to make it beautiful.” Looking up at the sky, I can’t help but hear the mass sounds of violins and horns that accompany a stunning performance. The music of life itself. “All it takes is a single note to disappear for the whole experience to change. Emotions. Life. It’s like that. So simple, yet complicated to actually pull off in a reassuring way.” When I finally look back at Pinkie Pie, I see that her curiosity is still as apparent as ever. “Sorry. I guess I’m saying that no matter how messy it gets, the notes can be put back in order and be called a masterpiece, despite the numerous times it got screwed up in the middle.”

A moment of silence passes between the two of us, letting my words sink in the air, permeating their presence on our minds. At least, it affects me like that. I have to believe that it can be turned into music. Even if something sounds like nothing but noise, you can infer it as an artistic expression as long as it turns into some kind of music. As ugly as jumbled notes sound, I have to believe that life can be fixed into a beautiful song. If it can’t, then how can my life end happily? Especially with all the screw ups that have happened…

“I like that~ Music as a metaphor. It’s nice,” Pinkie Pie tells me with a nod, turning back around to face the right way. Pinkie Pie opens her mouth to say something else, but she stops in her tracks and her eyes widen. From what I can see, the only thing I notice that could capture her attention is a park in front of us, a block ahead. “Ooh! We’re here!” Pinkie audibly gasps before grabbing my arm, pulling me along. Why do all of the people around Sunset disregard personal space? Even Rarity does it to an extent. I’m used to the feeling of being pulled along, but it isn’t fun.

Walking towards the park, I see Pinkie look inside excitedly. She sure seems to be taking this seriously. Honestly, I was surprised that the girls wanted to help me with this goal of mine. Apologizing to every member of Canterlot High is certainly not a reasonable goal, but all of my friends are taking it so seriously. It makes me feel pretty grateful. I don’t even know who we’re meeting here, but Pinkie Pie’s energy makes me feel a little more confident that this will be alright. I can’t help but wonder who we’re meeting though…

As soon as we walk inside the park, Pinkie’s eyes look over to a woman in the distance, tending to a box. The blonde-haired woman has dark gray clothes and a brown satchel over her shoulder, not really contrasting with her light gray skin. Almost instantly, I can feel myself be hit with a feeling of recognition as soon as I see her yellow eyes. They are aiming in different directions… I know I’ve seen her before. I don’t know from where, but… I know I have.

“Hey, Derpy!” Pinkie yells with an excited wave, prompting the woman to raise her hand and offer a wave in return. Pinkie quickly pulls me along, closing the distance between us in record time. My friend hugs the woman with a smile and I finally realize where I’ve seen her before. Derpy was the name of a girl who served Sunset and me snow cones. Apparently, she also attended Canterlot High while I was there. That was years ago at this point, but the scars of my actions still exist in some parts.

“Hiya, Pinkie! It was nice to hear from you,” Derpy tells her in an almost too innocent tone, but the smile on her face tells me it’s genuine. Upon further inspection, I can tell her outfit now resembles a mail carrier’s uniform. The last time I saw her, she was working at a snow cone stand, but now she delivers mail. “Hello~ My name’s Derpy. It’s nice to meet you,” she says gently while extending her hand to me, seemingly not recognizing me at all. I shouldn’t be surprised. I already had Vinyl forget me as well. Even though they can forget what I’ve done, I can’t. Ever…

“I’m Adagio Dazzle. We’ve actually met before, but I’m glad this is under better circumstances.” My words seem to confuse her, making her nervously scratch her head.

“Oh? I’m sorry. I’m pretty forgetful and I don’t remember faces that well. Where did we meet?” Derpy asks me cautiously, a worried expression on her face from my statement. Maybe she’s worried that she upset me before… “Did I fumble one of your packages? I’m really sorry if I did,” she apologizes in the same innocent tone, clearly thinking through every possibility that she can.

“No, silly~! You met her at Canterlot High!” Pinkie Pie interjects with a smile, giggling at Derpy’s forgetfulness. “She was-”

“I think I can handle this, Pinkie,” I quickly cut her off, clearing my throat. The last thing I want to happen is for someone else to explain my mistakes and apologize on my behalf… “We did meet at Canterlot High. I… I was part of the Dazzlings. The band that took over the Battle of the Bands.” Taking a deep breath, I find it hard to look Derpy in the eyes. Not because of her predicament with her opposite facing pupils, but because of my own guilt. “Do you remember that?”

A thoughtful expression comes to Derpy’s mind before her eyes widen, a look of realization appearing within a second. “Oh! Yeah, I remember that! You had some really good songs.” I feel caught off guard… Did she just… compliment me? If she remembers me, then why would she compliment me instead of focusing on my mind control or the other magic I used?

“That’s actually the reason why Pinkie called you here. I… I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for subjecting you to my ploys for power back then. I’ve tried my best to change and-”

“It’s alright,” Derpy interrupts me with a smile patting my shoulder as a friendly gesture. Again, I feel surprised at this change of events. Why would she instantly accept my apology? “You were a bully, but you weren’t the worst bully I had. In fact, you were one of the better ones. You actually complimented me and made me feel like I could take on the world, despite this whole situation,” Derpy tells me slowly, waving her fingers around her eyes to draw attention to it. “Yeah, you were manipulating me, but a lot of my other bullies focused on my appearance and broke me down. Instead, you built me up, so if anything, I wanna thank you.” Gently, the gray woman takes my hand in hers, a genuine smile appearing on her lips.

“You want to thank me…?” I ask her in disbelief, still wondering what the hell is going on. Why would she want to thank me? Even she admitted that I took advantage of her and manipulated her. Why would you want to thank someone like that? For a brief moment, I can almost swear I see a tear in her eye as she enthusiastically nods.

“Uh huh! See, a lot of people picked on me. I never really had the confidence to participate in competitions because of my eyes and my ditzy personality. I kind of thought no one liked me…” Derpy looks away slowly, taking a moment to collect her thoughts and leaving silence in between us. “But then you came along and convinced me to try! I had never wanted to try, but you told me I could do it. My mom always said that too before she died, so it was nice to hear that again~ Even if you were just using magic on me and all, I still appreciate your help in giving me the confidence I needed. I learned that it’s always best to give it a try.” Derpy shakes my hand before wiping away a tear, the biggest smile on her face. “I even won a science competition with my biology project, despite my poor grades in chemistry. So, thank you for making me believe in myself again~”

I helped her believe in herself again…? Despite how evil I was, my bad deed actually helped her gain some much needed confidence… How…? I never thought that would be the reaction I would get from her. If anything, I was expecting everyone from Canterlot High to hate my very existence, but I suppose I actually helped some feel a little confident. Even if it was only for a little while… “You’re welcome,” I tell her quietly, still in disbelief at her statement. This whole situation is so… bizarre. I can’t believe that she actually wanted to thank me. Throughout this whole interaction, Pinkie Pie has been surprisingly quiet. Looking over at her, I try to get some reassurance that this is actually happening. Fortunately, Pinkie Pie gives me a small nod with a smile, showing me that this is real.

“It’s good that you’re trying to change~ Sunset was in a really similar situation for a while,” Derpy tells me with a happy tone, comparing me to my lover. “Have you also apologized to her? I think she was more affected than me by a longshot~”

Chuckling to Derpy’s words, I can’t help but find her question humorous. “Yeah, about that… Sunset is my girlfriend.”

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

The seconds tick away on the clock. No matter how much I try to ignore it, the noise grinds on my mind. I honestly never listen to it whenever I am actually doing some work or texting with someone, but just waiting in my office makes me count the seconds that pass by. I technically don’t have any more lessons for the day, so I could go home. That is if I didn’t have one person to meet with. This meeting isn’t exactly going to be an easy one.

Just an hour ago, I asked Apple Bloom to come see me so that we could hang out for a bit. That is… not the truth. The real reason I want her here is to talk to her about the future. To hold up my end of a bargain… Filthy Rich wants me to talk to her about applying to the same college as Diamond Tiara. While I said I couldn’t make any guarantees, I do have to talk to her at the very least. This leaves a sour taste in my mouth since I hate the thought of Apple Bloom being used by Rich as a pair of eyes on his daughter, but at least it’s not worse. And she always has the opportunity to say no. Although, I don’t think that’s going to happen… Apple Bloom, being the chivalrous heart she is, would accept it regardless of her personal feelings on the matter. As long as it’s for a friend…

A loud knock on my door makes me look up from my desk, startling me for a moment. “Come in,” I state loudly before the door opens, revealing a familiar girl in the doorway. Her magenta bow is just as bright as ever, her eyes causing the atmosphere of the room to change almost instantly.

“Hi, Adagio! How are you feeling?” the teenager asks me before running towards me with her arms outstretched. Before she gets to me, she stops halfway with a sudden look of realization on her face, looking down at the ground to make sure she wasn’t too close. “Um… Sorry. I can’t hug ya just yet,” Apple Bloom mumbles under her mask, clearly annoyed. I don’t protest however. She’s keeping her mask on and staying away from others to try and keep herself healthy for her friend. All because Diamond Tiara needs a smile in her life.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ll make up for it once you can hug me. God knows how much you like to squeeze the life out of me,” I tease Apple Bloom with a chuckle before she sits down in front of my desk. “I’m doing pretty well actually. I memorized some more of the history flashcards, so I’m doing my best to study~” I conveniently leave out the part that Sunset was helping me study, but that’s besides the point. The main thing to focus on is that I’m trying, which is more than I can say of my past self a few years ago. “I apologized to another ex Canterlot High student. She actually thanked me for helping her gain some confidence.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes widen as soon as the words leave my mouth, her mask moving in a way to make it seem like she’s smiling underneath it. “Oh my gosh! That’s nice! I can actually sort of understand her viewpoint, now that I think about it,” Apple Bloom tells me with a nod, bringing her hand to her chin slowly. “I mean, yeah, you were evil, but you didn’t actually insult anyone other than Sunset and her friends. You actually built people up and used your charisma to make people do your bidding. If anything, you’d probably be able to start a cult, even without your magic.”

Raising my eyebrow, I lean back in my seat and smirk at her statement, shaking my head slowly. “You think I could start a cult without magic?” I ask her in a rhetorical tone, chuckling to myself. The idea of that is comical to me. I don’t think so highly of myself, but I’ve had two people today tell me that I would have been able to turn people to my side even as a normal human.

“I know that’s a scary thought, but think about it. Life beats most people down with so much negativity and insults, but if someone like you comes around and says ‘you can do it’, then some people will find it refreshing. That’s how some cults actually start. You didn’t actually bully people for their appearance, their likes or dislikes. You just convinced them to fight for your benefit.” Apple Bloom shrugs her shoulders, giving a plausibility that she could be wrong. Despite this, the tone in her voice told me that she legitimately believed I could do that. Whether she was afraid of that outcome or not is unknown to me. “Regardless, you were a breath of fresh air for some students. You gave them hope, despite the mind control.” Apple Bloom brings her finger up to her head, swirling it around to refer to the mental screws my magic messed with.

Chuckling at Apple Bloom’s words, I find the whole idea funny. Sardonically humorous. Being able to persuade others with just my charm. I doubt it at this point. “I’m glad you think that I could do that, but let’s move the conversation away from that. It brings back some bad memories. What about school? Is anything going on?” I ask her as innocently as possible, trying to circle the conversation back around to school. That’s where it needs to go anyway…

“It’s going alright! We were assigned a lot of homework for history, but I will be working with Diamond Tiara on it~ Although, she’s missed a lot of material, so I will probably be teaching her more of it.” Apple Bloom nervously giggles, seemingly worried about the upcoming study session. Regardless, she leans back in her seat and relaxes pretty quickly, despite the previous nervousness. “But school is going alright~ I’m doing better than last year, that’s for sure!” Apple Bloom’s giggles do little to reassure me… I’m not sure if I’m prepared to have this conversation with her, but it needs to be done either way. So, I might as well do it now…

“Speaking about Diamond Tiara,” I bring up quietly, clasping my hands together in an attempt to gather my thoughts, “I was wondering something. Has she mentioned that she’s going to college?” Apple Bloom raises an eyebrow at my question, a look of confusion dawning on her poor naive face. I wouldn’t expect her to understand why I’m asking this now after all.

“Well, she said that she would like to if her health permits it… Which I’m sure it will! I mean, one of us has to be optimistic, right? Why do you ask?” Leaning forward in her seat, a slightly concerned stare comes from Apple Bloom. She knows something is up and I can’t prolong it much longer.

“I know you’ve also told me you’ve thought about going to college and I was thinking…” My mouth stops talking before I can finish my sentence. I can’t lie to her… That’s not what I was thinking. It was Rich’s thought, not my own. God, she would know if I was lying. “Actually… That’s not the truth. Rich was thinking that maybe you could go to the same college as his daughter. You know, to make sure she stays on track.” I can’t help but regret saying those words in general. Now, she knows I didn’t call her here for a simple fun meeting. Instead, I decided to lure her here just to talk to her about her friend’s future. Apple Bloom’s eyes tell me just as much.

“So… Rich asked you to talk to me about this? I…” Apple Bloom’s mouth hangs open for a moment, trying to say something else, but unable to come up with it. “He doesn’t want me to tutor her. He just wants me to make sure she’s alright,” she tells me with a hurt look in her eyes, shaking her head with a sigh. “Diamond said that her father doesn’t trust her to go places alone. I thought that might change in college! But that’s not the case! Ugh, what does she have to do-” Apple Bloom stands up from her seat in anger, stopping mid sentence to bring her hands to her head. For a few moments, Apple Bloom tries to think of something to say while she seethes in anger. That is until she stops, taking a deep breath and sighing with a defeated breath. “Although… I do agree she isn’t the healthiest… I would probably try to protect her too.” Placing her hands on my desk, Apple Bloom looks down at the wood surface with a thoughtful expression, letting a couple of seconds pass by without a single sound. “I… Let me think about it, okay?”

Apple Bloom looks up at me with a gaze that almost asks for permission, conflict inside her eyes telling me just how difficult this situation is for her. Leaning back in my seat, I give her a kind smile and nod. “Of course, Apple Bloom. Do whatever you feel is right. That’s all we can do.”

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

“Apple Bloom even agreed with Derpy’s viewpoint. Honestly, this whole day has been pretty surprising for me,” I state with a wave of my hand before bringing the spoon back down to the pot, stirring the pasta. Two arms around my waist prevent much movement from me, a pair of lips gently kissing the nape of my neck. Each delicate kiss is a gift that sends shocks down my spine, but I try my best to stay composed throughout.

“I can see why~ But that’s normal. People have different opinions about your actions and you have to be prepared for that, honey,” Sunset whispers into my ear, gently kissing my cheek. Her arms gently rock me from side to side, humming as she rests her chin on my shoulder. Despite the fact that I act unaffected while I cook, every part of me enjoys this embrace that we’re in, wishing for it to last a bit longer. Every time our embrace could end, my mind begs for reality to let it last a few seconds longer. Just as long as I can hold onto her presence for a little longer.

“I love you,” I whisper, completely disregarding the past topic. “I love you for accepting me as I am. I love you for making me see the magic in life and I love you for persuading me to do all these things that have changed my life. You’re so… so…”

“Perfect?” Sunset asks me, interrupting my statement with a small chuckle. “You’re perfect for me too, Alligator~ You’re all that I want in this world,” Sunset whispers as quietly as she can, acting as if someone else could hear us. It doesn’t take her long to kiss my cheek again, sending flutters down my spine and making me blush from her words. Turning my head slowly, I lock my lips with hers as a thank you for her words of affirmation. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what I would be doing with my life… I don’t know where I would be. I don’t think I want to be anywhere else besides inside her arms.

A loud rhythm plays just as our kiss ends, alerting us to the doorbell. Rolling my eyes, I can’t help but feel annoyed that someone would interrupt us here and now. Regardless, I move away from the stove, giving Sunset the spoon. “Deal with the pasta and I’ll go see who is at the door,” I tell Sunset with a final parting kiss, Sunset’s hand not letting go of mine until I walk out of arm span.

“Hurry back,” Sunset whispers in response. Usually, she would tease me with words like that, but her tone tells me she’s unusually serious about those words. Walking past the couch, I can’t help but notice the white shreds of my t-shirt from the night before. Blushing, I quickly scoop up the pieces and throw them into the trash before approaching the front door, trying my best to avoid scenarios about someone else seeing those scraps. That would be really embarrassing… What would someone even think? That I ripped it by accident? Or would they connect the dots?

Taking a deep breath, I unlock the front door and open it, looking out to our front porch. Before I can even process what is happening, a person’s body falls onto mine, holding onto me. “What the-” I cut myself off, noticing the purple woman attached to me. She stains my shirt with tears, crying as she hugs me. What…? “Twilight?” I ask quietly, no response coming my way as Twilight wildly cries into me. Looking over to the kitchen, I see Sunset turn her gaze to us, her smile changing instantly to a look of concern as she sees our friend holding onto me as if her life depended on it.

“Twilight?” Sunset repeats me, quickly rushing over to me and placing her hand on her shoulder. Twilight cries even harder than before, making me hug her back as much as I can. At this point, her glasses had already fallen to the floor, but she didn’t seem to care at this point. Her hair is a mess and she’s only wearing her pajamas. Whatever is upsetting her must be really bad…

“Twilight, what’s wrong?” I ask her quietly, closing the door to hide her cries from the outside world. Twilight’s body shakes with each cry, but she’s able to stop herself from crying just long enough to choke out a single sentence.

“T-Timber broke up with m-me…”

Scorned Souls

Chapter VII: Scorned Souls

Steam slowly rises from the cup, giving the world a visual representation of the liquid’s temperature. Personally, tea has never been my favorite, but it’s decent enough to drink if someone offers it. I guess it really depends on the kind of tea. Regardless of the situation, humans seem to like tea. Sometimes to calm their nerves or just to drink for pleasure. This situation actually follows the former model…

Twilight slowly takes a sip of her cup, a nice big blanket wrapped around her body as well. Sunset sits beside her on the couch after making the tea for us. Thankfully, Twilight’s cries have dulled down to a couple whimpers every now and then, but she still hasn’t said much about what happened with Timber. Right now, I suppose it doesn’t really matter what happened. We just need to be here for her while we can. It’s just like Pinkie said. People need people.

“I hope it’s warm enough. I could also get you a couple pillows if you want,” Sunset offers, still concerned with our friend. As scared as I am for Twilight, I am mostly concerned about what happened to her and what I can do to fix it. I suppose I’ve always had that mindset… Fix it. Whenever something happens to Sunset, it’s so damn hard to just stand back and accept it rather than trying to get my hands dirty to fix the situation. For Twilight, that need is still in the back of my mind, but it’s not as strong as it is for Sunset. That’s normal though… Sunset is my soulmate and my one love. I’d do anything for her. Anytime, anywhere. Twilight is my friend, so I think I’m more capable of sitting back and listening than getting involved.

“I-it’s alright,” Twilight barely tells Sunset with a broken voice, letting out another sob before taking a shaky breath. Her glasses have long since been placed on the coffee table to avoid damage. Seeing the usually calm and collected scientist break down right in front of me is a bit hard. Crying hard enough that she needs to keep her glasses off. From what I’ve gathered from her appearance, she must not have wasted much time coming over here. She looks like she just got out of bed, despite it being the middle of the afternoon. In a way, I feel honored that she trusts us enough that she comes to us the moment something like this happens to her. On the other hand, I’m sorry that this ever had to happen in the first place.

“What exactly happened?” I ask her quietly, hoping that this is the right time to talk about it with her. I half expect Sunset to give me an angry glare, but she doesn’t do that this time. She looks like she’s just as curious as I am. Probably more worried than I am too.

Once again, Twilight takes a shaky breath, almost breaking down again upon hearing my question. Regardless, she pulls together all the strength she can, sipping her drink. Her purple hand slowly reaches out and grabs her glasses, trying her best to compose herself. Even though her attempts largely go in vain, it’s good to see her trying.

“I… I’m sorry… I d-don’t mean to be a problem,” Twilight barely whispers, trying to avoid crying even more. Tears still fall from her eyes, but she’s able to keep herself from sobbing.

“Twilight, you’re not a problem,” Sunset tells her as gently as possible, gently rubbing her friend’s shoulder in an attempt to reassure the broken woman. In no way do I feel that Twilight is a problem… Even though I was looking forward to some more time with Sunset, I wouldn’t want Twilight to suffer in silence. I’ve done that plenty of times, so I’m happy Sunset said what was on both of our minds.

“Timber and I… W-we were at his place,” Twilight slowly whispers, recounting the events of the day as cautiously as she can. Every word seems to hurt her regardless. “I was going to sleep over… I brought up how distant we’ve been and he told me that… That I can’t seem to understand him.” A small whimper comes from Twilight’s lips before she forces herself to stop, taking a breath. “He said that we never do the things that he wants because I’m controlling… I didn’t think that I-I was being controlling. Am I…?” Twilight looks down at her free hand, tears welling up in her eyes at the mere thought crossing her mind. She slowly places her forehead in her hand, shaking her head with a deep breath.

Taking a small drink, I close my eyes and let the silence fill my mind. Why is it always so hard to think in situations like these? It’s like my mind is too preoccupied wanting to fix whatever problem my friend is dealing with than actually thinking about the details of the argument. Placing my tea back down on the coffee table, I look up at Twilight and take a deep breath, knowing what I will say may not come off the best.

“It’s true that you’re sometimes… possessive for control of a situation. You hate chaos and I don't think anyone can fault you for that.” For a moment, Sunset’s eyes look towards me with a questionable stare before I give her a reassuring glance. “But it all depends on what’s going on between you two. Do you take time to listen to Timber’s suggestions?” I ask her quietly, trying to be the least judgmental as possible. Twilight looks up at me with a couple of tears in her eyes, still pulling together enough strength to take my question seriously.

“Um… I do listen to them. He doesn’t really tell me what he wants a lot though… He just does what I want and we have a good time and we’re happy.” Twilight seemingly looks off into space, probably thinking a bit more about the question I posed to her. As difficult as it may be to hear, there’s something else that needs to be said…

“But is he?” I ask her quietly, causing her to look at me in confusion, not really catching on to my point. Sunset, on the other hand, knows exactly what I’m saying and she looks hesitant to trust me to continue my point. Regardless, she lets me continue. “From the issues you’ve told us before, it sounds like Timber isn’t happy doing the things you want. Maybe he doesn’t talk about the things he wants to do because he’s afraid you won’t listen. Or that you won’t want to do them.” Leaning back in my chair, I see Sunset look at me with an accusatory glance, asking me why I did that with a look alone. Her glance changes however as soon as she sees Twilight’s stopped crying, an expression of realization on her face.

“I… I don’t. I don’t like doing some of the things he suggests like hiking or going to some big parade. It drains my social battery a lot, but… he understands that, right?” Twilight’s voice goes quiet as she ponders the situation a little more. “He probably doesn’t like all the things I want to do, but he still does it because… he likes seeing a smile on my face,” Twilight whispers, looking down at the coffee table with a sense of guilt overcoming her.

“It’s alright to not like some things. No one is saying you have to go hiking with him, but… Relationships are about compromise. As long as you do something to let him know you enjoy him for who he is and listen to his opinions, then that should be enough,” Sunset reassures Twilight quietly, rubbing her shoulder with the same kind smile she made me fall in love with. She always knows the right thing to say, even if it’s adding to the point I was making before. We really do work well as a team.

“Oh my god… I didn’t realize I was making him feel ignored by being controlling… I… I need to talk to him,” Twilight tells us with a sense of urgency in her voice, pulling out her phone. Her eyes widen upon looking at her phone’s screen, another tear sliding down her cheek. “It’s dead… Could you take me to his apartment?” she asks my lover with a begging tone in her voice.

“How about you wait a couple of days? Wouldn’t it be best to think this out before you talk to him?” I ask her before Sunset looks at me with a slight shake of her head.

“That might work in other situations, but they just broke up, sweetheart. This is urgent for her,” Sunset tells me in a kind explanation of Twilight’s feelings. Honestly, I can’t help but feel a little embarrassed at the fact that I didn’t think of Twilight’s emotions before speaking up. I always look at things so practically that I forget that sometimes, a logical solution doesn’t always work. Turning her gaze back to Twilight, she nods briefly, standing up from the couch. “Yes, I can, just let me get my driver’s license.” Twilight hugs Sunset for her kindness, nodding quickly. Sunset looks over at me with a slightly concerned expression, turning her body to me before she can get her bag. “You’ll be alright by yourself for a bit, right?” she asks me quietly, being protective over me once again.

I can’t help but notice Sunset’s hand briefly rub the bracelet around her hand. It’s the one I got her for our anniversary with the symbols of a red sun and a purple musical note. Seeing her touch it in a moment like this makes me feel even closer to her, knowing that she touches it to remind herself of me. Just like how I touch my scarf…

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Be safe, okay? I have some things to do anyway,” I tell Sunset with a nod, standing up and kissing Sunset quickly, making her smile despite the urgency of the situation.

“Stay safe for me too,” Sunset tells me quietly, gently dragging her fingers across my cheek before walking towards the garage door, grabbing her bag with Twilight following after her. Even though I don’t think this is the best idea for them, I just hope things go alright with them. I know that if Sunset and I broke up, I’d probably do the exact same thing.

The sound of the door closing reaffirms that I’m alone right before I hear the motorcycle start up and leave the garage. Picking up the cups of tea, I can’t help but wonder if I gave Twilight the best advice. The last thing I would want is for Twilight to be in a worse situation than before due to my advice. The best thing I can do is hope that it all works out. Sunset will be there as well. Even though she won’t be able to help Twilight with the actual task of making up with Timber, she can comfort Twilight through everything she’s going through.

Gently turning on the kitchen sink, I rinse out the cups before placing them to the side, rolling up my sleeves to wash the other dishes with a sigh. Even though it’s annoying, I only have myself to blame. I haven’t washed the dishes in a few days and I suppose that’s because I’ve been pretty busy. Between my job, studying and apologizing to previous members of Canterlot High, I haven’t had a lot of time to do anything else this week. Yesterday was pretty much the only time I got to relax with Sunset. Funnily enough, she decided to take that time to rip my shirt off. That was pretty… surprising.

I was looking forward to eating the pasta she and I were preparing before Twilight came in, but due to her situation, we had to put it in the fridge as soon as it was done. At least we have a lot of leftovers. That means we can save some money from buying some other foods. We will need every dollar if I am serious about buying the music studio… And if I fail the GED, then I suppose we can just put it into our savings.

Taking a deep breath, I gently grab a glass from the side of the sink. The feeling of the glass in between my fingers suddenly disappears, making me look towards my side right as an ear-splitting crash rings throughout my ears. My eyes squint shut and I can’t help but grimace at the headache brought on by the shattering glass.

“God damn it,” I whisper to myself, opening my eyes to look at the damage. Shards of glass are scattered all across the left side of the kitchen floor, glinting in the light as if it was taunting me. Of course I had to drop a glass… This is the first time I’ve ever broken one of the glasses Sunset and I own, making me feel stupid. Regardless, I hold myself still, not wanting to stab my feet with shards of glass. All I have on are some shorts and one of Sunset’s shirts since I hardly have reason to wear shoes in my home. Now, the kitchen acts as a minefield and I can’t help but shake my head. The glass blocks me from the exit of the kitchen, making it nearly impossible to move.

Nearly…

Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but let out a heavy sigh, finding it ridiculous that I’m about to do this. Moving the dishes to the sink, I lift myself up on top of the counter, quickly moving myself over towards the doorway. Today has really been a day of consequence hasn’t it…? Twilight’s day was broken just like the glass with just a simple interaction between her and Timber. Despite the fact that I thought it was a bad idea, she insisted on going out to talk to him one more time and Sunset backed her up. I guess it is a desperate time for her… Breaking up with someone is so confusing and hard to fix. I’d be desperate too…

Stopping in the middle of the counter, my mind arbitrarily focuses on that one thought. If I was in the same situation… What would I do? Why am I thinking so much about it? The mere thought of breaking up with Sunset hurts me so much, yet… I can’t stop thinking about it. Seeing just how hard it hurt Twilight, I know that I’d be even worse than she is. Let’s face it… All of my friends were Sunset’s friends first. Sunset means so much to me and I… I don’t want to think about losing her. I used to think I didn’t deserve her, but I love her so much that thinking about being without her makes me sure I would be living an empty life…

Looking towards the broken glass, the big shards shine from the light coming from the window, giving off a… terrifyingly beautiful image. Sure, Sunset and I have had our fights, but we work so well together. I wouldn’t be in Twilight’s position. Even the demon in my mind has no say in that. I’m sure of it. Sunset and I wouldn’t break up.

We love each other too much.

Shining Through

Chapter VIII: Shining Through

Closing my eyes, I focus on the smell of nothing but dust and cherries. It’s easy to feel bored out of your mind when it comes to things like this… Sitting in this room, I can’t help but sigh, placing the textbook down on the desk, one of the only objects in here. This room is the one that Sunset said I could do whatever I wanted with since she has her own little room to focus on her studies and internship. The only problem is that I have no idea what to do with this room. So far, there’s only a desk, a chair and a plate with a half eaten slice of cherry cheesecake. Then there’s the textbook, the thing that I have been focusing on for the past few hours with nothing but the material on the pages or the empty room to occupy my thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly pick up my fork, sliding it into the cheesecake with little effort. This is my favorite treat in the whole world, yet it doesn’t cure the churning in my stomach. In any world, I can’t help but love this food almost as much as Sunset herself, but today, even its magical taste can’t stop my overridden mind. Perhaps it’s due to the nerves… My test is in a couple of days and despite how much Sunset and Apple Bloom helped me study, I can’t help but feel like I know nothing. It doesn’t matter how many flashcards I memorize or how much I read. These damned books always make me learn something new, making me question whether I actually know anything.

Taking a bite of the cake, I chew it far past when I should have swallowed, scanning the page in front of me as closely as I can. I have to reread the same paragraph two or three times every so often… As sweet as the cake is, the nerves going through me make the taste nearly disappear. The cake might as well be a tasteless material I’m chewing on, fully taking away one of the only foods that comforts me during times like this. Why do I feel so nervous about a test of all things? Hardly anything used to cause me to be nervous in the past. I was a powerful siren who had the world in her grasp. Twice. I’m smart, charismatic, witty and perceptive. Yet a test of all things brings me down to such depths.

Let’s face it, Adagio. It’s probably due to the fact that this is one of the only things I still have control over. This music studio gave me a safe space to think whenever I needed to be away from everyone. It gave me a steady income and I actually like teaching others how to sing… Funny thing is that I was afraid to sing two years ago due to my fear that I would lose everything again. Maybe that is happening…

Sighing heavily, I look out one of the windows in the room, taking a moment to ignore the book. I used to be in control of my life. Now, I’m held captive by her. The one tormenting each of my moments with the threat that she can take it all away. That siren who thinks she knows what’s best for me. She’s even threatened my upcoming marriage if it gets in the way of her plans. How am I supposed to relax when something like that is looming over my head all the time? The idea of pre test nerves is minimal in comparison. I can’t even ask for help. I have to stay quiet. This music studio is one of the only things I can still control…

It all depends on this test. Whether I can buy the studio or not. If not, then I have to find a new job and hardly anyone is looking for someone of my background. How am I supposed to be a good wife for Sunset if I can’t even hold a job while she goes to college? I already can’t keep my mind stable, so this is the one thing I need to get right. I can’t afford to lose the studio. If I do, I lose a place that makes me happy, an income and my chances at being employed in general…

It all depends on this test. This one test. Maybe that’s why I’m so wound tight. Combined with the fact that Twilight hasn’t answered my texts, the siren hasn’t shown herself and that Rich is going to use Apple Bloom as his eyes makes everything feel wrong. Twilight’s breakdown was just yesterday and to think that she hasn’t responded to me is an ominous sign. I hoped that everything would be alright, but maybe hoping isn’t enough. Maybe that’s why some people look at religion as a comfort. They believe that if they are good enough, their prayers will be answered. I have no idea if there is some deity judging us from above. But if there is, who would they judge? Me or the siren in my mind? Is she really me and I’m just pretending…? Is that the cycle of my life? My chances of prospering are ruined by her misdeeds…?

Placing my hand on the desk, I take a deep breath and shake my head. This is what happens when I overthink. I end up spiraling into a panic and every bad possibility comes to life in my mind. It’s not a good habit, but it’s hard to not have some form of control over my life. It’s so hard to keep quiet about all this, especially due to what happened the last time I lied to Sunset…

A knock emanates from the door to the empty room, making me look back down at the book. In a way, the knock brought me back down to reality… “Come in,” I request the person outside without looking away from the textbook. There’s not much to do in here, so there’s no reason to knock as of yet. Regardless, the door opens slowly, the sound of a couple of footsteps coming from the floorboards.

“It must be pretty lonely in here. It’s so empty,” Sunset tells me with a hum, walking over to my chair and gently resting her hand on my shoulder. “You’re studying pretty hard, huh? It’s a lot of work,” Sunset whispers, looking down at the pages with a slight shake of her head. Leaning down, she gently wraps her hands around me, her hands rubbing my stomach as tenderly as possible. Despite the silence, I can tell both of us enjoy this moment. Her fingers tickle my stomach with a slight chuckle from Sunset, kissing my cheek delicately. “You should really… take a break,” she whispers into my ear before biting my ear lobe, sending an electric shock down my spine.

Without saying another word, Sunset’s hand burrows under my shirt, feeling my bare stomach as delicately as she can. Every time she drags her fingers across my skin, it tickles me. My cheeks blush and I can’t help but enjoy this showcase of affection. I should really focus on the textbook, but that’s hard to do with or without Sunset’s distraction… My eyes widen as soon as Sunset moves her hands lower towards my waist, making me question exactly what’s going on.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to just relax? With me?” Sunset whispers again right as her hands start to push the waistband of my shorts down…

Grabbing Sunset’s hands, I stop her from going further with a small sigh, much to the confusion of my summer breeze. “I… I’m sorry, Sunset. I can’t right now. I’m not in the right headspace,” I mutter out as a response, feeling slightly guilty that I had to stop her. As good as it may feel to go to bed with her right now, I just know that I wouldn’t be able to… I’d just get her hopes up before all of my walls crash down again.

“Hey, honey. Don’t feel bad about that,” Sunset reassures me with a kind tone, walking around my chair to face me. Gingerly placing her hand on my cheek, Sunset gives me a warm smile with an understanding nod. “It’s alright~ Really. I just thought it might help you relax a bit, but you don’t have to be in the mood for it right now~” Sunset’s fingers wrap around my hand, reassuring me she isn’t going to leave me because of my rejection of her advances.

“You know I would normally love to. I just… I feel too wound up right now and I would end up crying.” Averting my gaze from hers, I look towards the barren floor with a sigh, the feeling of guilt not leaving me. Sunset’s hand grips mine a little tighter… Why does she have to be so kind and understanding? It’s like she always makes me feel bad for feeling bad. If I feel guilty, she reassures me that everything is fine and I am allowed to feel certain emotions. I love her so much…

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sunset asks me quietly, sitting on my desk next to my textbook. Connecting my eyes with hers, I feel a knot form in my throat. Everything on my mind is begging to come out in one moment, but I know I can’t tell her… I can’t tell her all of it. I’m stuck in this bind, no matter what I do.

“It’s just stress. About the test,” I tell her quietly, briefly looking back at the damn book. The feeling of her thumb rubbing the back of my hand makes it hard for me to look at her. I already know that my walls are cracked. “What will happen if I fail the test?” I ask her quietly, tracing my finger across the page of the textbook. I already know what will happen, but a part of me hopes that Sunset will say something else… Something different. She always has something to give me hope, but it’s hard to feel hopeful.

“Then you’ll get right back up and we will find a way to go on,” Sunset responds just as quietly as me, her kind tone letting me know she’s telling me the truth. At least, what she believes is the truth.

“Would we…?” My lips part in an attempt to say something else, but nothing comes out. Everything feels so scrambled… It’s all a mess and I can’t seem to fix it. “What will happen if I fail? Not just the test, but you as well.” The lump in my throat grows bigger just as a tear forms in my eye. Maybe I’m being irrational, but it just feels so… ominous. The future…

“What do you mean, sweetheart? How would you fail me?” Sunset asks me quietly, bringing her hand to my cheek to force me to look her in the eyes once again. Her eyes look into my very soul, cracking my walls irreparably. Tears form so easily in her presence. Why is it so hard to put what I’m thinking into words?

“What if I’m not good enough…?” I ask her quietly, my voice failing me as a couple of the tears slide down my cheek. The thought of that is so… daunting. “I-I want to be the best wife I can be. F-for you. But every time something like this comes up…” I can’t find the strength to continue my sentence, placing my hand on the textbook in an attempt to communicate without words. “I f-feel like I’m going to fail you, Sunset…” It’s so hard to talk normally… I can only whisper. Why does it feel so shameful to cry? To admit my insecurities about the future? I don’t want to fail her…

“Adagio,” she whispers in a soft hum, pulling me into a hug from her standing position. Her body feels so warm… So soft and inviting that the thought of failing her makes me crumble completely. I can’t help but lose it… I-it’s so hard not to cry. “Honey, you’re not going to fail me. You’re so kind and loving and you work so hard to make sure I’m alright. I know it’s really stressful, but don’t think that you will fail me.” Hearing her words, my arms wrap around her and keep her as close as possible. My tears fall even harder and I can’t hold back the cries. I-I love her so much. “Oh, sweetheart. You work so hard. Sometimes, you have to let me take care of you too.” Her fingers run through my hair, bringing back so many memories instantly. So many moments of happiness that I never want to give up.

“T-Twilight was so alone yesterday… Everything happened so fast. I remember how i-it is to be alone,” I am barely able to choke out, my breaking voice betraying me more than I can admit. “If it happened to us, I… I don’t know how I’d go on. I-I need you.” Holding onto her as tightly as I can, my cries get harder, leaving me with no control. Everything tends to be out of control… The intrusive thoughts telling me what would happen if Sunset and I went through the same ordeal is what scares me the most. What if…?

“Adagio, I need you too,” Sunset whispers in the most genuine tone I’ve heard, her fingers still stroking my head. “I love you so much, Adagio. So much. What happened to Twilight was her business. It doesn’t mean we will go through the same thing, sweetheart~” Leaning down, Sunset breaks our embrace and looks into my eyes, making it harder to hide my cries. Her hands cup my cheeks and all she does is smile at me. A really warm smile filled with kindness… “I don’t know what I’d do without my siren either, but let’s not think about that, okay? I love you. For now and always. You won’t lose me and I won’t lose you~” Her hand gently closes the book on the desk, wiping away the tears from my cheek with her warm finger. “Come on~ Let’s go to bed. Not like what I was suggesting before. You need a break and I think some rest will really help you. Especially if it’s with me.” Sunset smiles a little more as her thumb rubs my cheek softly. She always knows the exact right thing to say…

Barely nodding, I try my best to hold back more of my tears. Sunset gently pulls me up from my seat, hugging me once more. Her warmth lets me know that she’s here and that she doesn’t plan on leaving. One of Sunset’s hands moves down to my leg, but before I can react, her arms force me off my feet. With one simple action, Sunset is now carrying me above the ground with the same kind smile on her face.

Kissing my forehead, Sunset nuzzles against my head with a small giggle, holding me as close as possible. “I love you so much, Alligator~”

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

The motorcycle comes to a stop right in front of an imposing building. My hands don’t let go of Sunset for a moment, my instincts telling me to run away from here. No matter how much I may want to disappear, I have to do this. I have studied so much for this day and I’m not going to back down now because of a few nerves. It doesn’t matter how scary it is. I have to do this…

Getting off the vehicle, I take off my helmet and look at the building with my own eyes instead of through a visor. Sunset seems surprisingly relaxed about this whole ordeal, but I suppose that’s because she’s not the one about to take a test. She keeps telling me she believes in me. That’s hard to believe though… With something like this, it feels so daunting and my mind wants to scream from the stress building up inside of me. Sighing to myself, I hand Sunset the helmet slowly, looking through my bag one more time to make sure I have everything I need. The one thing that would have screwed me over was the lack of a government issued ID, but thankfully, one of the items that the siren bargained for out of Rich was an ID. It’s not fake either. He legit pulled strings to get me an ID. This is the only thing I’m glad about in terms of our new deal.

“Are you ready?” Sunset asks me, still sitting on the motorcycle. Her helmet rests in her lap, but she doesn’t get off the vehicle due to how long my test will last.

“Barely,” I tell her with a deep breath, content with looking through my bag for the twentieth time today. It doesn’t matter how many times I rehearse the flashcards or look through my supplies. Nothing would be able to make me excited to take this test.

“You’ll do great, Adagio~ I believe in you,” she reassures me again, holding my hand with a bright smile. This must be the hundredth time she’s told me that exact same thing today. I know her intentions are just, but honestly? It makes me feel more stressed out every time she says it. “How long is the test again?” she asks me with a hum, checking her phone’s time. Presumably, she wants to know how long she has before she can come pick me up.

“Seven and a half hours,” I respond with a deep sigh, wishing that I didn’t have to say that. It’s noon now, so the fact that this test will take so long is kind of depressing. “I’ll get out around eight, so we could go get dinner afterward if you want.” Even though my request is largely rhetorical, I can’t help but hope she will agree with it. I know that dinner would help me feel better after the exam. Especially if it’s with my Sunset.

“Of course we can~ You deserve it after all you’ve done recently,” Sunset hums, her thumb gently rubbing my hand before cupping my cheek in a loving gesture. Looking her in the eyes, I can tell that Sunset is really hopeful and optimistic about this, her gaze filled with love. No matter what it is, we’re always here for each other. “Would you like a good luck kiss before you go?” Sunset asks me in a teasing tone, but a part of it is as truthful as possible. The wind blows between us, being the only sound interrupting this moment. Her eyes don’t leave mine for a second… If this was a test to see if she would be here for me as long as I need her, then she would have passed long ago.

“I’d really like that,” I answer honestly with a nod. Even though I would usually play along with the joke and tease her back, I can’t help but feel too stressed out to be in a joking mood. Sunset simply giggles at my answer, leaning up and locking our lips together. The warmth of our embrace feels so… nice… The passion shared between the two of us almost makes me believe that I can do this. She’s always here for me. In many ways, I don’t deserve her, but god I love her. Just as quickly as the kiss was initiated, it ends all too quickly, Sunset rubbing my cheek gently. “Good luck, Alligator~” God knows I will need it…

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

The sounds of patrons talking amongst themselves is one of many stimuli in this place. If you focus on it, you can count dozens of different things happening at the exact same time. Most people ignore it all, but it’s interesting to look at these things closely. The smell of freshly cooked bread adds to the atmosphere of the place as well. Traditionally slow and romantic music plays over speakers from the ceiling. The elderly couple in the corner are laughing to some inside joke and the stain on one of the waiter’s shirts is presumably from spilled wine due to the smell. The curtains beside the windows are drawn closed to keep people from realizing just how late it is, subsequently buying more food. The table has a couple of scratches on it, barely visible but still present nonetheless. All these things add to the atmosphere of the restaurant but most of them go unnoticed.

It’s possible that the only reason I am noticing them now is because I am trying to avoid reality. As we wait for our food to arrive, Sunset constantly looks at her phone, refreshing the page she’s on multiple times. Ordinarily, she’s not so invested in her phone, but tonight is different. It’s… too hard. It’s way too hard for me to constantly check my email for the results of my test, only to see no new notifications every time I look at it. So, I gave my login to Sunset and asked her if she could look at it for me. The sheer amount of stress related to opening the upcoming email is killing me, so it would be better if she just reads it to me when we get the results.

“What is taking them so long?” I ask myself quietly, resting my head in my hands. All the different stimuli of the restaurant make it almost too much to bear. I’m expected to just sit here and not be worried about the results, despite the fact that it pretty much determines if I have a job or not.

“They’re probably still baking it~” Sunset whispers with a smile, clearly referring to our food. We already ate our dinner and now we’re just waiting for our dessert. It’s already been two hours since I got out and I can’t get my mind off of it. So, we decided to order each other’s dessert as a surprise to help distract me. It was a momentary distraction at best…

“You know very well that’s not what I was talking about,” I state with a slight roll of my eyes, prompting a chuckle from my lover. I’m glad she’s able to find the situation humorous. There’s no way I can…

“Well, I’m sure you did a great job. You seemed to remember a fair amount of the material from what you’ve told me~ Let’s just try to relax for a bit,” Sunset tells me before turning off her phone and placing it on the table. Instantly, my anxiety levels rise, thinking about the possibility of the results being sent right now. As scary as it is to reveal the results, it’s scarier to not know…

“What are you doing?” My question comes out quickly and I feel slightly panicked, wondering whether or not they emailed me yet.

“Ten minutes. We’re going to wait ten minutes before we look again. Meaning neither of us can look at our phones during that time.” Sunset raises her eyebrow before leaning back, nudging my leg with her foot. “Think you can do that? Breathe for ten minutes instead of worrying the whole time?”

“Har har,” I respond with a sigh, looking down at the table. “It’s hard to not worry. You know how big this is for me.”

“I know, but if you worry much more, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack. Especially with how stressed you’ve been lately,” Sunset says with a small chuckle, pointing out the obvious amount of turmoil going on in my mind. Someone would have to be absolutely tone deaf to not see that I’m stressed. The only problem with Sunset’s little plan is that I don’t know how I’m supposed to calm down. “Instead, you and I are going to play a little game~” she whispers, leaning forward with a smirk painted across her face. Anyone would feel curious upon seeing that smirk. What idea is she planning?

“What game?” I ask her cautiously with a raised eyebrow, finding this shift in demeanor concerning. Well… Confusing to say the least.

“I’m going to say a word and you will tell me the first word that comes to your mind. Then I will respond to your word with the one that comes to my mind and so on and so forth.” The idea is childish in nature, but still intriguing nonetheless… “We will do this until our desserts get here~ Then I can check your email again. Does that sound alright?” Thinking about it for a moment, I reluctantly nod my head, knowing there’s no way Sunset would let me check my email unless I comply with her game. Hopefully, the desserts will get here soon… “Great~ Now, let me think of a word.” After a couple moments of silence, an idea seems to come to her, making itself known through her smile. “Music,” she tells me with a smirk, seemingly curious to see what comes to my mind.

“Symphony,” I respond quietly, finding the idea of this game getting less annoying.

“Instruments.” Sunset simply smiles, nodding to me to tell me it’s my turn in this quick game. There’s no real winner or loser here. It’s just a game to see what the other person will think of.

“Muse.” Looking into Sunset’s eyes, I can see she’s surprised by my answer. She looks curious about it… There’s no real reason why I answered with that word. I just thought of it while looking at her. Probably because she is my muse. The person inspiring each of my actions and pushing me forward in life. If it wasn’t for her, life would go on without me as I wait in a pool of my own doubt.

“Art,” Sunset answers with a prideful nod. Art… I suppose art is related to muse in a creative sense. What does that word make me think of?

“Subjective,” I say quietly, wondering what her next word might be. At this point, the sounds of the restaurant might as well have disappeared. All of my attention is focused on her, whether I like it or not. It’s strangely calming… Just playing this simple game with her.

“Objective.” Sunset carefully rests her head in the palm of her hand, reaching over and grabbing mine with her other hand.

“Truth.” The word leaves my lips quietly, lingering in the air between us. Even though this game is just a fun experiment between two people, I can’t help but find myself wanting to say more than just one word. Some of these words she gives me makes me think of a sentence rather than just one singular word.

“Life,” Sunset responds in the same tone as my previous word, her eyes not breaking our shared gaze.

“Love.” The word leaves my mouth as soon as I think about it, not a single second of hesitancy impacting my speech. Before Sunset can say another word, our waiter walks up to our table with a tray in his hand. He sets down a plate with a chocolate cake in front of Sunset, some of the frosting portraying her initials. I’m still surprised that the restaurant allowed that much customization of food items. Sunset looks even more surprised than me before giving me a genuine smile, happy with the dessert I chose for her.

The waiter finally sets my plate down as well, giving us his best wishes before going to serve some other patrons. On my plate, a slice of cherry cheesecake cut in the shape of a heart rests in front of me, making my heart skip a beat. This is really thoughtful of her… Looking back up at her, Sunset simply smiles at me, nodding slowly.

“You~” she whispers a singular word, continuing our game for a little longer and making me flush in one single syllable.

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

The door to our house unlocks much easier than our past apartment, allowing us into our home effortlessly. Our desserts were great, but only one thing remains on my mind. The last thing I want to do before bed is find out the results of that damned test. If they haven’t sent the email by now, I don’t know if I will even be able to sleep tonight… Closing the door behind Sunset, I can’t help but feel that the silence in our house is unbearable. It’s too damn quiet…

“Well? Is it there yet?” I ask Sunset anxiously, seeing her eyes look down at her phone. Every second, I keep wishing for it to be here already, but Sunset doesn’t seem to find it.

“Hold on, I’m logging in right now,” Sunset tells me in a reassuring tone, trying to give me a calming smile, but I doubt anything could calm me right now. Every second feels like torture and my body is hyper aware of any annoying stimulant, as if it’s trying to eliminate everything that could be a problem.

Taking off my coat, I try to find anything to do that can distract me from the results. Pulling off my purple boots, I sigh heavily to myself, knowing damn well that nothing I do can distract me. There’s a constant little reminder going off every few minutes in my head, ringing loud and clear that I need to find out my results. It’s moronic that so much of my life can change due to a few numbers on a screen… I sat in that building for nearly eight hours, testing myself over everything that I’ve been studying over. All I want is for that effort to pay off.

Looking over at Sunset, I freeze in my tracks as I see Sunset’s expression, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar… Instantly, all the hopes inside me come falling down and I know exactly what news we got… All those hours were for nothing. All that stress led to nothing in the end, huh? It’s awfully ironic… It always-

“Adagio,” Sunset barely calls out my name, her eyes locking with mine. Tears form in her gaze and I can’t help but feel guilty, making her go through this. I wish- “You passed.”

…

I… Did I hear her correctly?

Is it my mind playing tricks on me? Did I actually hear those two words? Everything inside me doesn’t want to believe it, as much as I was hoping for that news.

“Could you repeat that…?” I ask her in disbelief, feeling lightheaded from the possibility that I heard her correctly.

“You passed, Adagio,” Sunset tells me with the biggest smile, a couple of tears falling down her cheeks. “Oh my god, I’m so proud of you!” Within a moment, Sunset pulls me into a tight hug, letting out a couple cries of happiness as she holds onto me. I… I can’t believe it… I actually passed? I did it? All that stress paid off?

Wrapping my arms around Sunset, I can’t help but feel a few tears of my own fall down my face, the news she gave me making me feel ecstatic. “I did it. We did it,” I’m barely able to stammer out, the emotions coming over me. “I-I can actually buy the music studio. I didn’t fail. I… It worked out,” I tell her with a big smile painted across my lips. Leaning away from her, I look into her eyes, a proud look on her face.

“I knew you could do it, Alligator~” Without wasting another second, Sunset presses her lips against mine. Despite how dark it is in our home, everything feels so bright. The warmth that’s shared between us enters my heart and everything feels so… perfect. Everything is so perfect right here in her arms. I did it.

I couldn’t have done it without her~

Business as Usual

Chapter IX: Business as Usual

“So, why did you want to meet me today, Miss Dazzle?” Fancy Pants asks me as soon as we’re done exchanging pleasantries, cutting straight to the point. Even though Fancy is sometimes vague and plays around with conversation as if it is a game, he isn’t so quick to do that this time. Probably because I asked to meet with him pretty much right before the studio closes. That way, everyone else is out of the studio, leaving just me and him.

“No time for chit-chat, Mr. Pants?” I ask him with a raised eyebrow, only slightly teasing my boss. “I suppose we’re all dying to get out of here and go rest at home, huh?” Leaning back in my chair, I look around Fancy Pants’ office, taking a deep breath in. “The last time we met formally, you told me you wanted to sell the music studio. That’s why I’m here. Just like I told you then, I want to buy the studio.” My eyes never leave his, making sure to let him know I am deathly serious about this. It’s not some joke to me. So much rides on this and it all depends on if he will sell to me.

“I see,” Fancy Pants tells me in an understanding tone, nodding his head slightly. “I take it that you finished your GED test?”

“You assume correctly,” I answer calmly, pulling out a piece of paper from my bag. The contents of the page show that I now have the equivalent of a high school education, something I worked for a lot in the past month. I didn’t want anyone else to have a chance to buy this place before I could put in an offer at least.

Fancy looks at the piece of paper closely, examining seemingly every aspect of it. It’s understandable, but the silence kills me at points… I convinced Sunset to invest pretty much all our savings into this, so I would really like this to not be in vain. His eyebrow raises slightly, putting the piece of paper down on the desk. He nods his head in thought, prolonging the silence between us and only increasing my anxiety about the situation.

“I realize that you’ve been one of my most loyal employees, Miss Dazzle, but I must ask… Why should I sell to you?” he asks me without breaking eye contact. His question sounds so… idiosyncratic. Why would he ask me that…? “There are individuals who are better qualified than you with more experience. I want to know what makes you stand out.” Every word that comes out of his mouth is infuriating. It’s like he’s interviewing me all over again when the value of my actions the last two and a half years should have said something.

“You really need to ask me these things, Fancy?” I ask him blatantly, standing up from my seated position. “You remember what you asked me when you hired me? You asked me to uphold the qualities of this studio by teaching everyone I can with no bias. I have done that. God, can’t you see that I am the one who is the most attached to this studio?” Putting my hand down on his desk, I look down at him, not seeing my boss. I only see someone who seems to be backing down from his initial deal with me… Within a second, my hand feels numb and the sense of control in it begins to go away. No… I can handle this. Not her. “Fancy, I am the one who sees the potential of this place. The potential to give everyone a voice. Not even you see the lengths it can go…”

After a few moments of silence, Fancy chuckles to himself, leaning forward in his seat. Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but wonder what he thinks is humorous about this situation… “That’s… all I wanted to hear,” Fancy tells me with a smile, seemingly happy with my statement. “You’re truly a dreamer like I once said about myself. While I don’t have much hope for this establishment myself, I do wish for your own hopes to come to fruition. So, if you’re still up for it, the studio is yours.” Fancy pulls out a document from the drawer of his desk, a pen in one hand.

“Of course I’m still up for it,” I answer with a nod, sitting down in front of his desk again. Fancy signs his own name before moving the pen to another blank spot on the page, looking up at me curiously.

“Do you remember how much I wanted for this place?” he asks me quietly, making me remember just how much of an investment I’m putting into this place. With all of our savings, Sunset and I are still a couple thousand off the initial asking price. Still… I don’t want to leave her empty-handed.

“I have most of it. I only lack two thousand off your price,” I tell him calmly, not breaking our eye contact. “But I’m sure you know that your asking price was a lot to begin with, so getting this much is a blessing. Signing off your debt on to me and getting a hefty sum on top of it.” Even though I manipulate my words to try and make him accept, it doesn’t seem like I needed to do that. Fancy nods to himself, a thoughtful look on his face before writing down the amount.

“You’re sure about this, knowing that you’ll take on the debt of the studio?” he asks me carefully, returning his eye contact to me. Something about his gaze tells me he’s trying to look out for my best interests, but I don’t need his worry. I’ll be fine.

“I’m sure,” I tell him with a nod, my mind anxious for the paper to be given to me. I’ve already read this same paper a dozen times, so I know what I’m getting myself into. For a few moments, Fancy looks over the document one more time before handing it to me. His hand holds the pen outward to me, acting as the final obstacle before this studio is mine…

Taking the pen, I can’t help but feel a little nervous, knowing just how close I am. All the possibilities of failure run through my mind, but I can’t let those thoughts dictate what I do. I’ve come too far to lose hope now. Sunset always tells me there needs to be a little hope…

Bringing the pen down to the paper, I quickly write my signature on the line, completing the document. Fancy Pants nods at my decision and all the emotions of owning this place hits me at once. “Congratulations, Adagio Dazzle,” Fancy tells me, standing up and shaking my hand. “You’re now the new owner of Daytime Choir.”

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

Walking into the pastel building, the smells of soaps and candles hit my nostrils like a truck, almost making me nauseous. I’ve never been able to handle strong smells… Maybe it’s different today because it’s hard to think about anything but what happened at the studio. My studio… I own that establishment now and my mind can’t stop thinking about the ideas I’ve had to increase the success of the place. Most of my ideas will be slow to implement but the first thing to go is the name. Daytime Choir. As nostalgic as that name is, the studio is going in a different direction and thus, the name must change as well.

For now, I need to focus. The spa is supposed to be a place of relaxation, but how am I supposed to relax when it’s just so… invigorating. Exciting. God, have I ever felt this excited about something other than something involving Sunset? I can’t really say I have. To think I’m excited to live a mortal life with Sunset when just a few years ago, I wanted to rule the world.

Shaking my head, I sigh at myself. Again, I can’t help but think about all the possibilities. I’m here to meet with Rarity, not to daydream about the future of the studio. Of course Rarity would want to meet at the spa. She goes here at least once a week. Usually, it’s with Fluttershy as well, but surprisingly, she isn’t here today. The spa is relaxing and I love some of the things you can do here, but it’s hard to relax when something is taking up your thoughts like this.

Walking up to the counter, I take a deep breath and shake my head once more, trying to focus as much as I can. “Hi. Do you know if Rarity is here yet?” I ask the pink woman at the counter. Even though I wouldn’t normally assume that the employee would know who I am talking about, I know Rarity is pretty popular with this spa’s workers. They would know who Rarity is by sheer personality alone.

“Oh, she’s already inside. You must be the friend she’s expecting, yes?” she asks me with a small nod, looking at her sheet for just a moment. So, Rarity told them she was expecting a friend. Why am I not surprised? I guess it makes this process easier, but it still feels weird when someone mentions me to someone else that I don’t know. “She’s right this way,” she tells me with a kind tone before walking out from behind the counter, leading me further into the spa. Behind the doorway, a large room with multiple pieces of equipment for different spa procedures. I can’t pretend to know what half of this stuff is. I usually just resort to a massage and a mud bath to relax. That’s assuming I have the money to spend on a spa day. Luxury, as nice as it feels, is pricey.

Walking over to one of the mud baths, I notice a woman with cucumber slices on her eyes resting as much as she can. Even though a lot of her face is covered, it’s clear that she’s Rarity from the purple hair and the marshmallow white ears. After leading me to Rarity, the woman leaves us to our own company for the moment, though she will probably be back to ask if we need anything.

“You look comfortable,” I tell my friend with a slight chuckle, causing the fashionista to lift one of the cucumbers to look at me.

“Oh, darling~ I’m glad you could make it! Care for a mud bath this time?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. I didn’t really bring the right clothes for that. Wouldn’t want to get this beautiful scarf dirty, would we?” With a small flick of my finger, I draw her attention to the purple scarf Sunset had given me years ago, causing both of us to giggle to ourselves. If it wasn’t for Rarity’s help, this scarf would be nothing but dumpster trash after it was torn.

“You could change out of those, but I shall accept your joke nonetheless,” Rarity tells me with a slight roll of her eyes, clearly teasing me. Placing the cucumber back down, Rarity lets out a relaxed sigh. “I can come with you to get a massage in just a second. Do you mind staying with me until I’m done?” I quietly nod to her question, subsequently feeling stupid that I would do that when she can’t see me.

“Yes, I can.” Pulling a chair over, I sit down beside Rarity and relax my shoulders as much as I can. My back has been so tense for a week now… All the stress related to studying for the test and the anxiety surrounding the studio purchase has taken a toll on me. Maybe I really need this spa day… It’d be nice to get some of that tension out of my shoulders and feel a bit more relaxed. “What is new with your life, Rarity? It has been a little while since we’ve talked.” The last time I talked to Rarity was technically in some text messages before I visited Filthy Rich. I had asked her how Sweetie Belle was doing and if she would be down to have a spa day together after my test. Mainly, I asked about her sister since Apple Bloom wasn’t really talking to her or Scootaloo as of late.

“I’m almost done with a new line of coats that I plan to sell for the fall. Unfortunately, Opal has been quite sick for a week now, so I need to bring her to the vet tomorrow.” Rarity barely moves her head from left to right as to avoid the cucumber slices falling off her face. “Other than those two things? Nothing major has happened as of yet. Applejack did ask me about something peculiar though.” Rarity’s voice leaves the statement with an air of confusion, her lips giving off an expression of conflict.

“What did the cowgirl ask you?” Even though I’m clearly teasing her girlfriend, my tone lets her know that I am curious to know what happened between them. What kind of question would Applejack ask her?

“I’m not sure if I should be talking about this, but… she asked me about our living situation.” A deep breath comes from Rarity’s lips, leaving the air between us full of questions. Mainly, questions about her thoughts. I can’t help but ask myself what Rarity thinks of this situation. She wouldn’t bring it up unless it was interesting in some way to the young fashion designer. “She wanted to talk to me about living in the same place. Basically, she didn’t ask for a concrete answer, but she wanted to open that conversation up again.”

Nodding slowly to myself, I remember what Applejack told me the other day. Could this be due to our conversation in her truck? I know Applejack wants to live in the same house as Rarity, but she’s pretty understanding of her girlfriend’s wants. “‘Again’ makes it sound like this conversation has been discussed before,” I state quietly, continuing the topic under the false pretense that I know nothing about this. I already knew all of this, but knowing how dramatic Rarity can be, I’m unsure how she would feel if she knew that Applejack talked to me about this before.

“It has,” Rarity admits slowly, just taking a deep breath without moving from her spot in her mud bath. “See… Applejack and I have talked about living in the same house before, but it’s complicated for me. The thought of getting married and settling down only reminds me that the industry I work for is very cut throat.” The tone in which she says those last few words is very dramatic, but I can still tell she means every word. In a way, I can sort of understand that. In the music industry, musicians are often valued for their youthful appearances and how their songs catch on with teenagers. Especially women. In many fields, women are expected to look their best and do three times the work with barely the same amount of pay. It wasn’t like this in Equestria. Ponies didn’t put so much emphasis on appearance. Neither did sirens.

“Something tells me that isn’t the whole picture,” I respond to her statement slowly, thinking about her words more carefully. Even though it is a daunting idea that she may be cut short for settling down, Rarity wouldn’t let that be the only reason that causes her to avoid marrying her love. She’s too loyal for that. In an industry where they value women who are still bachelorettes and willing to move around a lot, Rarity would still have no problem going against the grain if it meant that she could be happier with Applejack.

“Well, there’s also Sweetie Belle…” The air left after her statement is filled with doubt and uncertainty… What does she mean by that exactly? Why does Sweetie Belle factor into all of this? “She’s already seventeen. The Cutie Mark Crusaders will be graduating in a few months and honestly? I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on her. Moving to a new place. We both know that I would have to sell my home since the farm means too much to Applejack.” A small sigh escapes Rarity’s lips with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Clearly, the current subject of conversation is stressful for her, but she probably needs to let it out… “I guess those aren’t even the big issues. I think… I think the real reason I am hesitating is selfish…”

Looking over at Rarity, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at her words. Even though she can’t see me, it’s hard to not feel confused when she just leaves off a statement like that. I know Rarity is a dramatic person, but what does that mean? “Selfish… What makes you say that?” I ask her as carefully as I can, hoping that she will tell me her true reason for hesitating.

“I… Every time I think about it, it feels… way too soon. It almost feels like I’m admitting I’m no longer youthful and that passion has left me in favor of something quiet… Settling down.” Rarity’s lips turn to a frown, her head tilting slightly downward in shame. “I know that sounds wrong, but… It’s depressing. To think that I’m only getting older and maybe my time of relevance is coming to an end much sooner than I thought.” Rarity, an early twenties fashion designer, is afraid of growing older… I mean, I can sort of see her viewpoint, but I’ve lived for thousands of years. If anything, I’ve lived long enough. But her? She is a passionate and energetic person who has dreams for the future. In a way, she’s scared that those dreams won’t come true if she shows any sign of slowing down. Settling down with her girlfriend or pursuing her dreams…

In a way, this almost feels like a mid-life crisis. Except that she’s pretty young. She says this desire is selfish… Honestly, that just reminds me of all the times I told Sunset that it’s okay to be selfish sometimes. And how she reminded me of that too… “Rarity, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to be selfish,” I tell her quietly, closing my eyes to think of my next words. “Your situation is tricky, but I’d say you should follow your heart. Whatever that decision may be, I’m sure Applejack would be right beside you.” It feels so weird to talk about decisions of the heart. Usually, Sunset is the one to talk about things in such an emotional way. I usually just give the best advice I can. Usually my advice for friendship is actually recycled from Sunset.

Rarity slowly nods, taking the cucumber slices off her eyes. Looking up at me, Rarity gives me a genuine smile. It’s apparent that her conflicted emotions haven’t left her, but she tries her best to accept my advice. “Thank you for those kind words, Adagio dear. It’s something I will have to think about some more.” Rarity’s lips form a small smirk as she looks at me, seemingly finding something humorous. “But that’s enough about me. If I remember correctly, you’re the one who should be sharing information with me~ Especially due to that test.”

Shaking my head, I chuckle quietly at her request. It had slipped my mind that I told her I would be taking the test before this spa day. “Well, if you must know, I passed that exam,” I tell my friend in a teasing tone, giggling at how curious she is. “And I just got off my shift at the music studio. Let’s just say…” Reaching into my bag, I pull out a ring with multiple keys attached to it, showing it to Rarity. “The studio is under new management~”

Rarity’s eyes widen at the sight of the keys before looking back up at me, full of excitement. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Adagio! I must congratulate you with some type of gift. I take it that Sunset was really proud of you too?” Looking back down at the keys, I smile slightly to myself. Once again, my thoughts center around the studio, what I could do with it, and the woman that helped me through every second of it. Feeling my scarf, I nod to Rarity’s question with a smile painted across my face.

“She’s always proud of me~”

One Achievement Follows Another

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Setting the Stage

Chapter XI: Setting the Stage

“Sweetheart. What in the sam hell are ya talking about?” Applejack asks me with a confused look on her face, clearly wondering what I meant. The sound of birds chirping accompanies the orange light of the dawn. Honestly, I feel a little bad for waking everyone up so early to meet at Garden Hooves Park, but at least Sunset supports this decision. Everyone is here except for Rainbow Dash… The last time any of us heard from her was back at the party at my music studio a couple weeks ago. Well, except for Fluttershy. She’s apparently still in touch with Dash and she tells us she is fine, but I still worry about her…

“I’ll tell you more once Dash gets here, but just know that Sunset and I will be gone for a little while,” I respond with a calm voice, knowing that Applejack is probably a little grumpy that she doesn’t know what is going on. Fluttershy said that Rainbow Dash would be here soon… By all means, I don’t want to push Dash if she is going through a rough time, but I don’t know how much longer I can prolong this.

“You can’t just expect me to wait quietly when ya say you’re leaving. I mean, it’s fine to go on a trip, but from the tone of your voice, this sounds serious. What is going on?” Applejack asks again, her arms crossed. Rarity gently brings her hand to Applejack’s chin, shushing her lover.

“Darling. I’m sure they have their reasons. We should hear them out at their own pace,” Rarity says quietly in an attempt to persuade the cowgirl. For now, Applejack seems to slow down, shaking her head.

“If something bad is going on, I really want to know about it here and now.” Applejack sits down on a bench that is pretty much in the center of the park. Everyone else opts to stand however.

“I don’t think it sounds bad~ A trip would be a lot of fun,” Pinkie Pie tells our friend with a bright smile, bouncing in place. “Every time I travel back home to the rock farm, I have such a blast! Traveling gives a lot of opportunities for adventure after all.” Without saying another word, Pinkie Pie pulls out a gummy shaped like a car from her hair, promptly driving it in the middle of the air before throwing it into her mouth. First off, how? Secondly, do I even want to know…? Wouldn’t the car get stuck in her hair? I… Wha…

“Well, it really depends on the context of the trip,” Fluttershy responds with a thoughtful expression, bringing her index finger to her chin. “If the trip is to go visit an ill family member, then you probably wouldn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the scenery, huh?”

Sunset smiles and nods at Fluttershy’s statement, leaning against me slightly. “Yeah, that would be sad. There are so many places in this world that I would like to go to. Places that have those breathtaking views.” Without wasting a second, Sunset presses her lips against my cheek, giggling to herself. “Besides this one right beside me~” Honestly, why am I surprised? She does this sort of thing all the time. If anything, I should be used to this, but the unprompted flattery still makes me blush.

“Actually, I’d argue that there’s only one real breathtaking view on this planet,” Twilight pitches in, putting her phone back into her pocket. “That one being the view from the bottom of the ocean~” After a moment of silence, Fluttershy begins to laugh, making me feel surprised. It’s not often that Fluttershy full on laughs at a joke. She usually just giggles.

“Because there’s no oxygen under the ocean?” Fluttershy asks Twilight in between laughs, making the scientist join in the laughter. Twilight seems happy that at least someone found her joke funny. Sunset also giggles at the joke, but for me? I… honestly find it a little depressing to think about. When I was a siren, I didn’t need to breathe outside of the water, so now that I can’t do that, it makes me feel a little nostalgic.

“Wouldn’t that also qualify outer space though?” Pinkie asks quietly, looking up at the sky.

“Notice how she said ‘on this planet,’” Sunset responds with a wink, looking up at the sky as well. “If you’re in space, you wouldn’t be on this planet.” Sunset’s quick wit has always made me feel a little jealous. I have a pretty quick mind to begin with, but Sunset almost seems a step ahead of me at some points. Though, there’s not much reason to be jealous of her now since we’re on the same side. Tilting my head over, I gently nuzzle Sunset’s cheek in response to her flirtatious advance earlier. A bright smile appears on her lips, accompanying a blush that only adds to her cuteness.

Just as it starts to get quiet between us, Pinkie Pie perks up with her eyes aimed towards the entrance to the park. “Hey! There’s Rainbow Dash! HI, RAINBOW DASH!” Pinkie yells with an enthusiastic wave. Turning my gaze to where Pinkie is looking, I see Rainbow Dash walking down the sidewalk slowly. Instead of her usual cocky demeanor, Dash doesn’t even acknowledge Pinkie’s yell. Instead, Dash just looks down towards the ground, wearing only a hoodie and some jeans. By the time Dash gets to us, she pulls out her earbuds and pushes them into her pocket, presumably where her phone is.

“Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late,” Dash tells us with a deflated tone, barely any spark of emotion in her voice. Ever since she stormed out of my studio, I knew something was wrong, but she never told us what it is that is bothering her. Looking up at me, Dash makes eye contact with me, only further cementing the fact that she isn’t going to smile. “What’s going on, Dagi? You asked for us to meet because you had something to tell us.” Dash simply puts her hands into her hoodie’s pockets, seemingly unenthusiastic about this meeting. Applejack seems to notice this as well. Her eyebrow raises to Dash’s off putting behavior. I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees this.

“Rainbow, are ya doing alright? We haven’t seen ya in a couple weeks and now you’re acting like-” Before Applejack can finish her sentence, Dash shoots her a glare without any hint of fear. Only a withdrawn stare comes from her, clearly not in the mood to talk.

“Not now, Applejack. Not now,” Dash mentions quietly, turning her gaze back to me. Despite her worrisome expression, Applejack obliges by Rainbow Dash’s request. Rarity opens her mouth for a second before Applejack grabs her hand, shaking her head gently. If Applejack had no luck getting Dash to talk, I doubt I would either… What is going on with her exactly?

“Alright. Now that everyone is here, Sunset and I have something to say,” I state after clearing my throat, breaking myself from Sunset’s side. My throat threatens to form a lump as everyone looks towards me with curious eyes. Honestly, I don’t know how I am going to approach this subject. It took them a long time to accept me, so how would they react to this? Technically, I should have more faith in my friends, but I don’t know what they will think of me trying to find them…

“So, I just want to say thank you to all of you for helping my fiancée apologize to mostly everyone from Canterlot High. It was a big step for her. I think the last month has been a lot of big steps for her, honestly,” Sunset tells our friends with a big smile, slightly bowing her head before taking my hand in hers. “The only people we couldn’t get in touch with were people out of town, so we should feel proud of how far we have come. That’s kind of why we wanted to talk to you today. We have one more big step we need to take before we get married~” Sunset turns her body to me, pressing her lips against my cheek. A small wink tells me that it is my turn to explain ourselves. Here we go…

“I should be happy with the amount of people I’ve apologized to, but I’m not. That’s simply because there are a couple of people I hurt more than everyone else.” Taking a deep breath, I can feel my fingers tremble slightly. It took them forever to forgive me. I just hope they don’t judge me for this decision… The whole reason I’m doing this is to prove I have changed. To prove that demon wrong. I’m not the same power-hungry siren as before… “For me to believe I’ve changed fully, I need to apologize to… Aria and Sonata.” Stopping myself, I let a small moment of silence pass us by. Nearly everyone’s eyes widen to my statement with Rarity looking the most surprised. Rainbow Dash’s expression barely changes at all. Pinkie Pie’s mouth opens with a curious expression before Applejack covers her mouth.

“Let her finish her statement, Sugarcube. We should hear her out before asking questions,” the cowgirl tells Pinkie Pie with a more calm tone than I expected. Nodding to Applejack, I take a small breath, parting my lips again.

“I’m sure you all have some questions, but let me explain so that you don’t have to waste your breath. Aria and Sonata were… my best friends. I wouldn’t have admitted it back then, but they were the closest thing I had to family. Ever since I was a child…” Lowering my gaze towards the sidewalk, I can’t help but sigh to myself. Memories of how I treated the two of them flood my mind, making me feel ashamed of myself. “I was not the best person to them. I treated them like filth and often talked down to them to keep them under my control. I did that for centuries… The last thing I want to do before I marry Sunset is to apologize to them. In no way will it make up for what I did to them, but… maybe it can help them heal.”

Looking up at my friends, I can see that their wide stares are now replaced with looks of confusion and curiosity. “We can answer any questions you have now,” Sunset tells them with a small nod, tightening her grip on my hand. That small gesture easily reassures me that she’s here for me, no matter what.

Rarity looks at everyone to make sure she can talk first, clearing her throat. “As admirable as that is, I am curious to know how you will find them. Do you know where they are? Do you know how you would get to them, considering you only have a motorcycle at your disposal?” Rarity’s question makes me feel taken aback. That is not the type of question I was expecting. If anything, I was expecting more judgment or ridicule. I guess I should not have worried so much over their reactions.

“Honestly, that is not what I was expecting you to say, but those are good questions. Currently, I do not know where they are, but I do have some old postcards from them that I was hoping would be of use. It’s a long shot, but yeah.” Looking towards Sunset, she gives me another nod of encouragement. “In terms of travel, we were thinking of renting a car if we actually track them down. It’s not exactly the most favorable outcome, but-”

“Tell me about your magical abilities again,” Twilight’s voice speaks up, interrupting me. Everyone looks at the nerdy woman, her hand holding onto her chin as her eyes look towards the ground. Seeing her so deep in thought makes me feel oddly worried, wondering what she could be thinking about. “I mean your old magic. Obviously you’re just a mortal now, but when it comes to your old magical abilities, was there any way you could contact them?”

“So, like a magical text message,” Rainbow Dash responds to Twilight with a quiet tone to her voice. Surprisingly, Twilight shakes her head at Dash's statement.

“I was meaning something like a radar signal of some kind. Something that would tell Adagio where they are in case they split up. A text message wouldn’t lead us to them.” A signal? Us? Where exactly is Twilight going with this?

“Actually, yeah. If we were separated, there was a spell I could use to tell where they were. But my magic is long gone. Also, what do you mean by us?” Twilight doesn’t answer my question immediately after, opting to walk a little bit away from the group. Her actions do nothing but make me feel more antsy… What are you thinking about, Twi?

“Do you still have the pieces of your gem?” she asks me quietly, looking down at the grass. That same thoughtful look is stuck to her face… Clearly she has an idea, but what it is exactly remains a mystery. The only hint I have alludes to my previous magical capabilities…

“Yes, I do. Why are you asking this, Twilight?” The tone of my question is probably more rude than I intended it to be, but it is so nerve wracking to not know what she is thinking about.

“I was thinking that maybe we could use that spell… It’s only a small chance, but if I could put your gem back together momentarily, then maybe it could work.” Twilight’s statement leave a chilling silence in the air. Rarity opens her mouth with a look of opposition in her eyes.

“Are we sure that’s the best idea? Darling, I know you weren’t there when Adagio had her magic, but it wasn’t exactly the most pleasant evening,” Rarity tells Twilight in an attempt to persuade her to change her mind. Honestly, I can’t blame her…

“Rares, I know that it wasn’t fun back then, but that was years ago. Three and a half to be exact,” Applejack interjects, standing up from the bench. Her eyes look towards me with an odd sense of understanding in them. Is she… agreeing with Twilight? I thought Applejack would be the one to disagree the most with this whole idea. She was the hardest one to become friends with, but here she is, saying that it isn’t the worst idea. “Besides. I trust her. If we can give Adagio her magic back, I am sure she would only use it for the best of intentions.”

“As grateful as I am for your trust, it’s not possible,” I interrupt with a sigh, causing everyone to look towards me. “I’ve tried putting the pieces back together. That was the first thing I did after the Battle of the Bands. It didn’t give back my magic. I’m pretty sure it is lost forever.” Despite what the demon in my mind says, I don’t have that magic anymore. I’m just me… “I’m human now. That siren part of me is gone.”

“That is incorrect,” Twilight responds as soon as the words finish leaving my mouth, turning to us with a smile. “Remember that blood sample you gave me a couple years ago? I guess I never told you, but you also have an anomaly in your blood. One that is pretty similar to the anomaly in Sunset’s sample.” Twilight walks towards us, taking her phone out. Within a few moments, she pulls something up on her phone, showing us all a picture of complex results that I honestly don’t understand. “Biologically speaking, you are not human. I can’t say for certain that you are still a ‘siren’, but it is clear that you aren’t fully human. As for you putting the pieces together, you can’t keep them together enough to actually say it wouldn’t work. Practically nothing on this Earth can keep those pieces close enough together to see if there’s any magic left in them.” Every word that comes out of Twilight’s mouth only seems to make me feel even more confused… What is she getting at?

“Are you saying there is something that can hold them close enough?” Sunset asks for me, seemingly taking the words straight out of my mouth. Over time, Sunset and I have been able to predict what the other will say. I guess that comes with the territory. She and I have been together for a couple years now.

“Well, theoretically…” Twilight slowly reaches into her pocket, pulling out a necklace with a round purple gem. In the center of it lies a violet star, resembling the icon she puts on a lot of her clothes. That… looks a lot like the necklaces Sunset and Rainbow Dash have.

“You… are going to use that too?” Sunset asks with a hesitant look in her eyes. Holding her hand tighter, Sunset looks towards me with a worried stare. Giving her the best smile I can, I try to reassure her that I’m here for her. Remember what we talked about… If anyone can master magic in this world, it’s you. Don’t be afraid.

“Yeah. I was thinking my magic could hold the pieces together down to the molecular level. That way, we could see if there’s any of Adagio’s magic left.”

“Ooh! Like magic duct tape!” Pinkie interrupts with a smile, seemingly excited by this idea.

“That is an oversimplified explanation, but yes. That is how it would work.” Twilight chuckles slightly to Pinkie’s answer, shaking her head before looking at me. “If you get me those pieces, we could see if it still works. If it does, then we can be on our way~”

“Speaking about that, what do you mean ‘we?’” I ask her quietly, raising my eyebrow. “From your statements, you make it sound like you’re coming with Sunset and I.”

“Wasn’t that obvious?” Twilight asks me with a confused and innocent tone. “I mean… I know how much this means to you. I figured you would like at least a couple of your friends to tag along as well.” Suddenly, a sheepish look overcomes Twilight’s face, her cheeks blushing a bright pink. “Oh, wait. You didn’t even ask for that. I just assumed what you would like of us…” For a second, Twilight seems to feel really embarrassed of herself, awkwardly smiling at us. Sunset gives her a smile, letting go of my hand.

“I understand why you assumed that. I wouldn’t mind if you all tagged along, but since we would be renting a car, I don’t think we can afford a big enough vehicle for all of us. So, Adagio and I assumed that it would be just the two of us.” Sunset places her hand on Twilight’s shoulder, opening her mouth to say something else, but no words come out. Sunset’s speechless behavior causes her nervously smile, rubbing Twilight’s shoulder with a nod.

“Well, I think I can speak for me and Rares when I say that we wouldn’t really want to stay here and leave you alone. Especially with something this important to ya,” Applejack speaks up, crossing her arms. “Ain’t no way in hell am I abandoning you in this part of your journey.” Applejack looks around at everyone else with an expectant stare, seemingly curious to see who else would speak. “Does anyone else want to come with us?” she asks them as well as inviting herself without asking Sunset and I. Honestly, I can’t help but feel conflicted about that. As rude as it may be to invite yourself on someone else’s trip, it’s also admirable to see how much she trusts me and wants to help me.

“I would,” Fluttershy says with a soft tone to her voice, still somehow sounding confident in its own right. Even though Fluttershy’s demeanor is usually shy and timid, her hand raised high in the air shows just how sure she is in her answer.

“Ooh! Me! Me! I would love to go!” Pinkie states with an excited tone to her voice. “Just think about all the goodies we can get on a trip! Even if it is just a small trip! I’ll have to take off work though. Should I bring-”

“I… We really need to go this soon?” Rainbow Dash interrupts Pinkie Pie, dragging her foot with a small sigh. Something about her behavior tells me she’s hesitant to even talk about this. “Don’t get me wrong. I would love to support you, Dagi. But I have classes, my job, and… family issues. It’s not exactly the prime time to go on a trip.” Dash’s voice is more lively right now than it has been this whole encounter. It is just unfortunate that her voice is so… solemn and clearly upset.

“Rainbow. I know you are going through your troubles and all, but all of us are going to try and help them with this. It’s no shame if ya can’t make it. I understand more than anyone how family troubles can influence things. Everything with Granny Smith and whatnot…” Applejack’s face momentarily displays a deeply saddened expression, looking towards the ground before she takes a deep breath and looks over to the rest of us. “I guess that just leaves transportation. My family’s van can’t really hold eight people though… We could use two vehicles, I suppose?”

“What if we got a RV?” Fluttershy speaks up, a small flustered expression on her face regardless of the sure tone in her voice. Applejack stumbles with her words, clearly confused by Fluttershy’s request. Straightening her back, the cowgirl clears her throat.

“Um… That could work, but I don’t necessarily have the money for that, Sugarcube. I don’t think Sunset or Adagio have that kind of money either so-” Applejack stops in the middle of her sentence as Fluttershy pulls out a debit card from her purse, holding it in view of everyone.

“I didn’t say they needed to pay for it,” Fluttershy replies with a small smile, putting her card back into her purse once she got her point across. She can’t be serious… Why would Fluttershy do that? Those have to cost a fortune…

“Fluttershy. I can’t let you do that.” Shaking my head from side to side, I can’t help but feel this tug of guilt on my heart. It was hard enough to let her pay us when we had that housewarming party. It’s too difficult to see her pay for a RV just to help me find Sonata and Aria. “You’ve already done so much for us. It would be too much of a debt to let you do this too.”

“Please. Don’t think of it as a debt,” Fluttershy tells me with a slightly annoyed tone, taking me aback. I… am not used to her using that tone… Her eyes look at me with an almost desperate plea for me to listen to her. “Both you and Sunset mean a lot to me. Everyone here is a good friend of mine. I am doing this because I want to. I’m not expecting anything in return. All I want to do is help.”

“Flutters, you help all the time. That’s all you do. When will you realize you’re worthy of help too? You’re not just supposed to throw everything you have at OUR problems,” Rainbow Dash speaks up, her tone filled with annoyance as an angry sigh leaves her lips. Fluttershy doesn’t even bother to look at Rainbow Dash, ignoring her.

“I don’t care,” she slowly responds, finally acknowledging our friend. “I’m not budging on this.” Rainbow Dash opens her mouth to protest again, but the words that I expected to hear don’t come out. Not a single word comes from Dash, but the look of anger remains on her face… To be honest, I feel exactly the same way she does…

“I guess… I guess that would work then. Someone would still need to learn to drive it,” Applejack speaks up, cutting the tension as well as she can. “Ah, buck it. I’ll do it.” Applejack raises her hand with a shake of her head. “It’ll take a bit to learn, but I can do it.” Rarity hugs Applejack’s arm in response, kissing the cowgirl’s cheek.

“I think that’s a very honorable thing for you to do, Darling~” Rarity says out loud, holding onto her girlfriend as if she is boasting about her partner’s volunteer time.

“Before any of that happens, I would still like to see if Adagio’s gem works,” Twilight interjects, walking into the middle of the group. “Before we go anywhere, we need to see if we can track them down after all. By using my necklace-”

“Magic duct tape~” Pinkie interrupts with a giddy smile, making Twilight chuckle again.

“Yes. By using my ‘magic duct tape,’ I’m hoping that we can use that spell Adagio is talking about. So, let’s plan on actually going on this trip a couple weeks after we find a way to track down Aria and Sonata. With or without magic.” Twilight looks around at everyone with a hopeful smile, Applejack nodding to her plan. As much as I didn’t really want to involve them in my pursuit for Aria and Sonata, I’m glad they’re willing to help. The idea of using my magic again, however… A chill runs up my spine as I remember her… Everything will turn out fine… Hopefully.

“I can learn how to drive a RV in the meantime. I guess that just leaves us with a headcount of who is going,” Applejack mentions before raising her hand, noticing everyone else following her same movement. Everyone except Rainbow Dash… “Rainbow? Are ya in or not?”

Dash looks at the group with a conflicted expression on her face, her body aimed away from us. A moment of silence speaks a thousand words as Rainbow Dash slowly takes her hand out of her pocket. Sighing to herself, she raises her hand in the air, looking towards the ground.

“Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

Author's Note

I wonder what comes next~ ;)

Power Restored

Chapter XII: Power Restored

Gently pulling the shoebox from the top shelf, I can’t help but take a deep breath, knowing what I’m about to get into. A part of me hopes this doesn’t work… The reason I hid this box all the way up at the top of the closet was because it is filled with pretty personal things, but the one thing I never wanted to take out again was what Twilight wanted to see. Bringing the box to our bed, I place it down, gently dragging my fingers across the top of the lid. Am I even sure I want to go through with this idea…? What if it doesn’t work and it is all one big waste of time? No… That’s not what I’m scared of. I want this to fail. If anything, I’m scared of what might happen if this does work.

What if it does work…? What if I get my magic back, even if it is temporary? What will happen then? The thought of that reality scares me… Who am I to tell Sunset to stop being afraid of magic, yet here I am doing the same thing? How much of a hypocrite can I be? I was a hypocrite back when I had my magic as well. Have I even changed at this point or is it my hopeful denial? I’ve done so much to change, but it still feels like I’m at square one…

Gently letting my breath hit my lips, I guide my hands to the sides of the lid. If this does work… If it works, then I don’t know what will happen. I don’t have the answers and that scares me. I prefer to have the answers. I want to know what will happen and have a plan of action. Right now? I’m at the mercy of the future. I could rely on the postcards, but they never sent a postcard from the same place, so they often moved all over. This is… my only real way of finding them.

Lifting up on the lid, an image flashes in front of my eyes, making me jump slightly. An image of a broken TV… That was one of my first hallucinations of her… Trying to lift the lid again, more images of her flash in front of my eyes. God damn it. I’m so worried about what is going to happen that my mind is trying to convince me that… she will do something. Fuck off…

Pulling the lid off the shoebox, I take a deep breath and look down at the contents. Inside are a few postcards, a purple spiked headband, and… a glass container with shining red shards…The last time I looked at these was when that siren had taken them out to try and put them together herself. It’s funny. If she remembers everything I do like she claims, then why would she had tried that? I already did that years ago…

My fingers gingerly grab the container, pulling it out of the shoebox to look at the pieces in a better light. “1, 2, 3,” I whisper to myself, counting the pieces. The words leave my mouth without any real meaning. I know they’re all in there. I can tell from a single glance. I’m just prolonging the amount of time it takes for me to bring these to Twilight. Both Sunset and Twilight are waiting in the living room. As much as I don’t want to keep them waiting, I also don’t want to hurry downstairs…

After counting every single piece of the long since broken gem, I take a deep breath and look towards the door. If this works… I can only expect two different outcomes. I would be able to cast the spell and find Sonata and Aria or she might be in control once again. If that’s the case… I just have to have hope that Sunset’s magic is as strong as she says it is.

Walking out of the bedroom, I quickly make my way down the stairs, trying to compose myself so that I don’t seem afraid in front of them. Looking into the living room, I see Twilight, sitting in front of the coffee table, inspecting her necklace. Sunset is sitting down on the opposite side of the table, looking down at the cleared space with her arms crossed. As soon as we make eye contact, a hopeful look comes across Sunset’s face, but I can tell she’s a little scared too.

“Did you find it, Alligator?” Sunset asks me with a kind smile. Raising the container in the air, I shake it slightly. The sound of the shards clinking against the glass container seems to catch Twilight’s attention, her eyes looking up from her gem.

“Oh? It is more red than I imagined,” Twilight remarks, making me remember that she hasn’t seen this before. Sometimes, I can’t help but get the two versions of her mixed up. The other Twilight was less shy though. Socially awkward? Sure, but shy? Not really. Maybe that’s because she is a princess. “It looks beautiful though! I wasn’t trying to say it is bad or anything,” Twilight states with a slight blush, trying to recover from her mixup. Sighing to herself, she holds her hand out towards the table. “Just put the pieces down here and I’ll do my best once I get used to my magic again.” A look of apprehension comes from Sunset, clearly worried about this. Sitting down next to her, I do my best to reassure her by rubbing her shoulder. Her smile gets a little bigger from this, nodding for me to follow Twilight’s instructions.

Gently taking the top of the container off, I hesitantly spill out the contents onto the coffee table, making sure none of the shards fall to the ground. Twilight looks at them curiously before nodding to herself. After putting the necklace on, Twilight takes a deep breath. She carefully holds her hand out towards a cup of coffee beside Sunset, closing her eyes. If I’m not mistaken, I can almost swear I see a purple aura around her hand… Within a moment, the cup slowly floats into the air, making my eyes widen at the sight. I was told what Twilight could do, but actually seeing it in this world… It’s been years since I’ve seen magic in use, especially in this human world.

“Okay. I still know how to use my magic. That’s a good sign,” Twilight tells me with a smile in an attempt to reassure me. It doesn’t work though… She doesn’t know what I’m really afraid of. She thinks I’m afraid that this won’t work, but I can’t stop thinking about what will happen if it does… “These are all the pieces, right?” Lifting one piece into the air, Twilight rotates it to inspect every side of it before her eyes turn to me.

“Those are all of them.” Every single piece of the gem that broke three and a half years ago. A lump forms in my throat as I see a gleam of light shine off of the pieces. Even though it’s perfectly cool in this room, I feel like I’m about to sweat just by watching this.

“Okay. So, I’m going to put the pieces together as tightly as I can. If I’m correct, this should give you back your magic temporarily until I let go of the pieces again.” A gut-wrenching feeling takes over me as Twilight’s magic lifts all the pieces into the air, lining them up side by side. The red shine is all too familiar… Memories of a life long past fill my head. “Do you remember the spell?” Twilight asks me quietly, her eyes still focused on me. “You’ll need to cast it while I keep the pieces together. That is if this works.”

“I do,” I reassure her, the words coming to my mind without a moment of hesitation. I haven’t forgotten a single part of my magic. I honed it like a fine art. Above all else, I was the siren with the most ambition. I… had the most control over my magic. “Do it,” I tell her quietly, readying myself for what could be the first time in ages that I feel magic again.

Slowly, Twilight brings the pieces closer to one another. One piece connects to another… Every piece that is added begins to resemble the gem’s former glory even more. Three down… Another piece is added. Every time another piece is added, the red shine almost seems brighter. I can see my reflection in the pieces, splitting apart at the cracks. The moment this gem was broken, my whole identity broke. I have worked so hard to fix myself. To be someone new. Now, I have to face this again. After all, I’m still Adagio Dazzle. Nothing I do will change that…

My body freezes up as I see another piece added to the gem formation. The lump in my throat gets bigger. A part of me wants to tell Twilight to stop, but I know… this is the only one-hundred percent way to find them. Any other method is likely to lead us to dead ends. Sunset grabs a hold of my hand, but I barely notice it at all. Hell, the rest of the room becomes a blur. My eyes focus on the gem and nothing else… Only one piece is left. Twilight brings it closer to the rest of the formation, making me bite my tongue to stop me from saying anything I might regret. Finally, the last piece is brought to the gem, making it whole once again. To my surprise, nothing happens. The only thing I can see is my reflection. No sense of power… No magic. No-

Widening my eyes, I can’t help but take a sharp breath in. My reflection in the gem quickly changed to a different image of me. One of me kneeling down on an icy sidewalk… A gun is in my hand as tears fall down my cheeks. A failure of a siren crying right outside her apartment. Nothing left to lose… The reflection of me raises the gun to the roof of my mouth. I remember every single thought that was passing through my mind then… I truly had nothing. Nothing of importance. I had no reason to live anymore. That was… That was the night Sunset told me I could be happy too.

Before I can say anything, the image changes. Again, my face is present, but this time? I’m at the bowling alley. The image of Rainbow Dash laughing and Sunset smiling makes me remember what day this was. Why am I seeing this…? What significance does this have? I…

Again, the image changes. The pace of the images passing by is a lot faster now. Every image that is shown through the reflection is something that happened ever since Sunset came back into my life. The times I hung out with Apple Bloom. The day I realized I fell in love with Sunset… Valentine’s Day. My confession. The day we first made love. The Apple Family Reunion… They pass by so fast that it’s hard to recognize where each one of them is from before another image shows up.

Suddenly, two images show up in the reflection, parted by a crack in the gem. One of them is Sunset crying in the rain, making my heart ache for a moment. The other is a picture of Sunset standing in a beautiful orange dress, smiling as the sun shines down on her. Neither of these are… memories. What are they? How do they have anything to do with-

A green mist forms around the gem ever so slowly… Is that… Am I hallucinating or is this real? Gently, I reach out towards the gem. Touching the green mist, it happily runs along my arm, an all too familiar feeling entering my mind. All until my sight goes black.

This is my magic…

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

A dark tune fills my ears from a piano. Every note is so soft that I can barely hear it, but the absence of any other sound makes it easy to focus on. The feeling of water at my fingertips is so… confusing. Opening my eyes, I see nothing but a dark gray sky. What is happening…? The last thing that happened was me touching my magic again… Quickly getting up to a sitting position, I see that I’m in ankle deep water. Black water that goes on forever in every direction. Except for the dark cliffside in front of me…

The entrance to a cave is embedded in the wall of the cliff, nothing but the color black coming out of it. What is this…? Slowly getting up to my feet, I can’t help but feel anxious looking at the cliff. Its imposing size makes me feel small… Small pieces of rock fall to the water, yet no sound comes from the splashes. Only the sound of a distant piano can be heard… Why am I here? Is this some kind of dream? It is a lot more realistic than most dreams…

“What is that feeling? It feels so… familiar,” a dark whisper lingers in my mind, making me look up towards the top of the cliff. Standing above me is a shadow of myself, red eyes looking down at me. The gem around her neck shines a bright cherry red, giving a distinct contrast to the black and gray world around us. “Like the taste of a home cooked meal after a long trip or the feeling of looking at the sunrise after a series of stressful events.” A mischievous chuckle wraps around my mind, lighting the fire in my gut once again. Why does it have to be her…? “Is that the feeling of… magic?” she asks me with a giggle, bringing her hand to her chin. “Could it be that we actually feel magic again? Is this some kind of dream?”

“I was asking myself the same thing,” I respond with a hateful tone, staring up at her. Why am I here with her? I should be with Twilight and Sunset, experimenting with my magic… “What do you want?”

“Oh? Are you under the presumption that I brought you here?” she asks me curiously, laughing to herself. “Don’t blame me for your trepidatious assumptions. Even I haven’t the faintest idea why you are here. That is unrevealed to me.” Looking up towards the gray sky, the shadow laughs again, floating in place as if she is sitting on some throne. “The bigger mystery is just how that Twilight managed to do THIS. I thought it would be near impossible for that magic to come back, but here I am, proven wrong.”

“So, you are saying the magic brought me here? That is ridiculous,” I reply with a shake of my head. My magic never did that before… What even is this place?

“You misunderstand me, Adagio.” Steadily, she descends from the top of the cliff, gently placing her feet in the water. Her arms outstretched as if to taunt me that I’m here to begin with. “I was simply commenting that it is interesting that this happened to begin with, not that I knew why you’re here.” She takes a deep breath before making eye contact with me again, walking closer to me.

“What is this place?” I ask her outright, tired of not getting an answer from her. This dark place is… eerie. It’s cold, wet and most of all quiet…

“This? Oh, this is the part of your mind that you have long since rejected, Adagio,” she whispers with a small chuckle, making the nerves along my back fire up. “I apologize for how dead it looks. It used to be more active. That was until the Battle of the Bands.” She raises her hand into the air, snapping her fingers. Within a moment, a throne rises up from the water, providing her with a seat. The throne is made up of what seems to be obsidian with crimson red cushions.

“And what part would that be?” I ask her warily, trying to not be caught off guard by some sort of trick.

“Your instincts, of course. You think I’m lying, but it’s true. You’ve stopped listening to your instincts and this is what happened.” Her hand moves out in front of her, making a gesture towards the world around us. “And will you please rest your shoulders? Your stiffness is killing me. Then again, your discomfort is a bit rewarding, so I do not know which to choose.” My instincts… What in the hell does she mean by that? I have instinctual desires all the time. “This is the part of your mind that you split away from after you got hit by that ‘friendship’ magic.”

“Every word you say makes less sense than the one immediately preceding it. I’m done listening to your mind games.” Rolling my eyes, I look up towards the sky with a heavy sigh, wishing I could get out of here already. I don’t believe her. I don’t have any reason to believe her…

“Fine. If you wish to believe that I am full of lies, then do so. Although, if there is anything I would urge you to listen to, it is this.” Her expression that was once filled with amusement is now nothing but a solemn sign of anger. “Do not try to use that magic again. You won’t be able to master it until you do what I want,” she whispers with a small smile, resting her chin on the back of her hand.

“And what is it that you want to do? You never told me directly other than it involves a damned nexus.” Throwing my hand out to her, I can’t help but let out a little bit of the anger festering inside of me. As a result, she just laughs at me even more, making me feel frustrated at her.

“That’s just it, Adagio. I have told you what I want. Just indirectly. And as you’ve shown here and now, you wouldn’t listen to me, even if I told you what I want. After all,” she looks at me with a smirk, chuckling to herself even more, “I’m just full of lies, right?” My legs start to feel weak and my head feels dizzy… Trying to stand straight, I try to shake the feeling off, but it persists. What is she doing…? “Oh, and I sincerely hope that you find Aria and Sonata. They are important for the future~” What…? What does she mean by that? Even though I’m trying to keep my eyes open, my sight begins to black out once more.

What does she want with them…?

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

“Adagio?” a sweet voice calls out my name, ringing in my head. Every part of my body feels… drained. Slowly opening my eyes, a blinding light makes me squint and groan at the new sensation. Once I can finally see, I notice that the light came from an overhead light. Looking over to my right, I see beautiful blue eyes looking back at me, a warm smile making me feel alive again. The washcloth falls off my forehead, making me realize just how warm I feel. “Heya, Alligator~ Are you feeling alright?” she whispers with the kindest tone to her voice, her hand squeezing mine. Seeing her makes me feel like everything is alright, but I know it isn’t.

“What happened?” I ask her quietly, slowly moving my body up with her help. Looking around, I see the red shards on the coffee table, reassuring me that all of that did happen. Walking in from the kitchen, Twilight holds a cup and stirs the contents with a spoon.

“Oh? Adagio is awake?” she asks with curiosity, quickly putting her cup down and grabbing my wrist. “Her heartbeat is stable. And her eyes seem fine,” Twilight mentions as if I’m not here, placing her hand on my forehead. “And her fever is gone. How are you feeling, Adagio?” Blinking a couple of times, I push Twilight’s hand away from me with a raised eyebrow.

“I feel fine. I’m just wondering what is going on.” Looking at the red shards, my breathing stops. The images that flashed in that reflection come back to my mind. And what that demon said… Does her plan revolve around Sonata and Aria…?

“After Twilight put the gem together, you passed out. You had a big fever, so Twilight instantly took the gem apart. I… was really worried about you,” Sunset whispers, bringing her hand to my shoulder. Pressing my forehead against hers, I do my best to make her feel better.

“I’m alright. Really. It was just… the shock of feeling magic again, that’s all,” I tell her quietly, cupping her cheek in my hand. Looking back at the gem, I can’t help but feel conflicted. Should I even try to find them…? If she has a plan for them, would it be better for me to leave them alone?

Now that I know Twilight can give me my magic back, this situation might have gotten a lot more dangerous… She has already threatened Sunset’s safety and our marriage if I don’t follow her plan. She might make Twilight do this again if I just give it up… If I do this myself, there’s a chance I can keep tabs on her plan and form a plan to stop her.

“Okay, so now that we know what happened, I don’t think we should do that again. It is-”

“No,” I interrupt Twilight, shaking my head. Despite the fact she’s looking out for my health, I nod to the shards. “Put them together again.” A hesitant look dawns on both Twilight and Sunset’s faces, Sunset’s hand tightening her grip on my hand.

“Are you sure, sweetheart?” she asks me slowly, her eyes not breaking from my own. Her stare tells me just how worried she is to do this again, but… I have to do this. Nodding to her question, I turn my gaze to Twilight.

Twilight takes a deep breath and finally stands up, walking around to the other side of the table. “I don’t think this is a good idea,” she tells me with a wary stare, holding her hand out to the shards. “But if you insist, then I guess that’s your choice.” Lifting the pieces into the air once more, Twilight connects a couple of the pieces. “Just remember the spell. I WILL let go of this if you pass out again. If that’s the case, we probably shouldn’t try this again at all.” All I do is give her a simple nod as a reply, watching the pieces connect to each other. Sunset holds onto my hand as tightly as she can, hurting me slightly. I can’t blame her. This is a scary decision, but… it has to be done.

As soon as the last piece connects to the gem, the green mist falls towards me again. Taking a deep breath, I feel the overwhelming energy surrounding my body. The luster of magic… It feels so familiar. So… powerful. So good… The magic covers every part of me. I feel… connected to the universe itself. Every part of me that hurt before no longer aches. If anything, I feel… strong. Weightless. It feels as if I could fly.

I could fly if I wanted to. Every single spell comes to mind. All the memories of my life as a siren come flooding back to me. This is electrifying… Was I really this powerful before? Did I just take this feeling for granted? It feels like I have the world in my hand. Like I’m some sort of god… Every breath feels so fresh. It feels like everything is mine. This ambition. This drive. It feels so familiar, yet new.

“Adagio?” a voice asks for my attention, making me turn my gaze. Sunset’s eyes look at me, filled with worry. One glance at her face and I can instantly tell that I already have everything I want. She is everything I would ever need. This lust for power is exactly what blinded me to happiness before. I can’t let that happen again…

But god, it feels good.

Singing a single note, I can feel the magic leave my lips, filling the air around me. I had nearly forgotten what it felt like to use this magic. Stay on task, Adagio…

Opening my eyes, I hold my hand out to Twilight, telling her to stop. Within a moment, Twilight breaks the gem apart and the magic leaves my body. The magic was seductive, but… I was stronger than its appeal. God, I’m so proud of myself. That I could actually control it. I wasn’t a victim of ambition and power again.

“I know where they are…”

Author's Note

Big plot points are being revealed, just at a very slow pace. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter~ ;)

Behind the Wheel

Chapter XIII: Behind the Wheel

The smell of dirt and apples is ever present as Sunset and I walk down the road. Nothing but the trees surround us, reminding me just how far away by foot the Apple Family farm is. We could have taken the motorcycle, but the engine wouldn’t start today. I was willing to just sleep in, but Sunset promised that we could get ice cream on our way back home. It’s funny that she thought that was a bribe. It’s not the ice cream I’m tempted by. It’s the thought of her smile when she gets ice cream…

“If I knew the motorcycle wasn’t going to start, I would have set an alarm for earlier in the morning,” Sunset tells me cheerfully, nudging me with her shoulder.

“I wouldn’t have. I would have just slept on you some more,” I tease her with a roll of my eyes, chuckling at her statement. Honestly, I expect to hear Sunset giggle along with me, but I don’t hear it at all. Did I say a bad joke…? Raising my eyebrow, I look to my right. Within an instant, something is pressed against my lips, making my cheeks flush and my eyes open wider. Sunset pushes her mouth against mine with seemingly no shame at all, making my heart beat faster. My face feels so hot from just one action… Pulling away, Sunset gives me a cheeky smile, owning up to her kiss. I… I… “W-what was that for?” I barely ask, still trying to calm my nerves from the sudden embrace. That was quite the surprise…

“I just wanted to~” she tells me with a wink, grabbing my hand in hers. Honestly, I should have her figured out by now. She and I have been an item for a couple of years, but even now, her mysterious behavior is so hard to predict. She’s so hard to pin down and I can’t help but love that about her. That lively attitude with a new plan every day… It’s that same attitude I will probably rely on the most when it comes to this trip.

“Sunset?” I ask her quietly, looking ahead of us down the empty road. I can see Sunset’s gaze turn to me from my peripheral vision, but I keep my eyes forward. Without me even realizing it, my hand wandered up to my scarf, making me wonder how often that happens. This purple scarf has always been here with me, even when Sunset and I are separated. I guess it makes sense why it means so much to me… “You… don’t have to come with me, you know,” I tell her quietly, only the sounds of birds and our footsteps accompanying my words.

Sunset doesn’t say anything for a moment, looking down the road with a slight shrug. “It’s been a while since I have gone to the Apple Family farm. I don’t really see the harm in it,” she tells me with a chuckle, her hand still holding onto my own. For a second, I can’t help but find her misunderstanding humorous, looking at her with a small smile. However, my smile disappears just as quickly as it appeared.

“No, that’s not what I meant… I meant this whole trip. The whole goal is to find Aria and Sonata so I can finally apologize to them. Now that I know where they roughly are, you… don’t have to come along if you don’t want to.” Her expression slowly turns to a more solemn one as she nods to my statement, seemingly thinking it over. The last thing I want to do is to make her upset or sad. I guess the only reason I was thinking of that is because… I don’t want to inconvenience her. I hope this trip doesn’t inconvenience her in any way…

“Adagio,” She says quietly, looking over to me with a kind yet serious expression. She stops us in the middle of the road, making sure I give her my full attention. “When I said I’m here for you no matter what, I meant it. I will always support you. This is a big step for you, Alligator,” she tells me with an emphasis on the last part, holding my hands up to chest height. “And I will be here to hold your hand in this step and every one after it. So, yes. I want to come with you.” Sunset’s eyes have an overwhelming sense of truth behind them, giving me a beautiful smile of sincerity. When Sunset looks like this, it is hard to ignore her. It is so hard to not let her influence my thoughts.

“Why do you always do that?” I ask her with a small chuckle, staring into her eyes with wonder.

“Do what?” she asks me with a curious look replacing her previous sincere smile.

“Why do you always mean so much to me? Why do you always influence my thoughts?” Chuckling a little more, I can’t help but count myself lucky. Lucky to be here with her and to have her in my life. “Honestly, I sometimes feel like our relationship is unequal due to how much you influence me.” Sunset raises her eyebrow before gently laughing at my statement, pulling my hand along as we continue to walk down the road.

“You are a huge part of my life too, Adagio. Why do you think I get you surprise treats all the time? Or make such a big deal about special days?” Sunset nudges me with a smirk, kissing my cheek without any hint beforehand. My cheeks flush in response and I can’t do anything about it.

“Well, I’m glad I’m a big part of your life too. I love you so much, Sunset~” Pressing my shoulder against hers, I let myself feel vulnerable in her presence, dropping the confident persona and just letting myself be with her.

“I love you too, Alligator~” she gently whispers, a dreamy tone to her voice as our pace slows down. The Apple Family farm is still not in sight, but we will get there eventually. All I want to do is enjoy this moment with the one I lo-

“Well, this ain’t what I was expecting!” a young voice exclaims, making me jump. Sunset and I both look at the fence beside the road, seeing a teenager with yellow skin and a magenta bow laughing at us. Apple Bloom takes a bite of her farm’s signature fruit, giving us a smug look with a raised eyebrow. “Hiya! How are ya doing?” she asks us casually as if she hadn’t just been eavesdropping on us.

“Apple Bloom, why are you here?” I ask her with a slightly annoyed tone. Even though I didn’t want our moment to be interrupted, Sunset gives my hand a small squeeze to tell me it’s alright.

“I was looking for y’all actually. My big sis was wondering if you two would be showing up or not, so I offered to go look for ya.” Taking another bite of her treat, Apple Bloom quickly slides over the fence as if it is nothing. She’s too old to be this childish, but she doesn’t let anyone tell her that. It is one of her inspirational factors.

“Let me guess. Because you were bored?” A pout coming from Apple Bloom only confirms my suspicions, laughing at how predictable she is. Sunset looks at both of us and simply giggles along with me before Apple Bloom rolls her eyes.

“Like I can help it. All my big sis has been doing for a week now is trying to learn how to drive a RV. I don’t even know why.” Apple Bloom looks at me and gives me a small sigh of exhaustion, clearly annoyed. “I would take any excuse to get out of helping her with that. Even picking up all the branches in the orchard. If you know how difficult that is, then you would understand what kind of hell I’m talking about.”

“Thankfully, I don’t live on a farm. I live in a house,” I tease her with a chuckle, only causing Apple Bloom to stick her tongue out at me. The teenager quickly skips from our side to the road in front of us, walking backward to keep her eyes on us.

“I coulda done something else. Instead, I wanted to come see ya. Maybe my presence isn’t appreciated?” Apple Bloom asks me with a raised eyebrow, smirking at me. I have to admit, her question got me. If I say that she was interrupting our moment, then it would look bad on me. She got me and she knows it. It’s humorous, honestly.

“Your presence is usually appreciated,” I fire back with a laugh, making a confused expression come over her. Apple Bloom quickly laughs at my joke as well, taking the last bite of her apple into her mouth.

“Good one. Now fess up. Why is my big sis trying to learn how to drive a RV? All she said was that you would have to tell me.” Apple Bloom’s eyes look at me with a questioning stare, waiting for an answer to her inquiry. Honestly, I didn’t tell Apple Bloom because I had thought Applejack would have told her. Why did she wait for me to tell her…?

“Well, I’m going on a trip with Sunset, Applejack, and our friends. I-”

“So, like a vacation?” she interrupts me, her attitude increasingly inquisitive.

“I wish I could say it is one of pleasure. However, this trip is more of a personal matter.” My mouth stops moving after saying those words. I can’t seem to find the next words to get my point across. Even though Apple Bloom and Sunset are looking at me expectantly, I can’t find the words. Taking a deep breath, I look towards the sky. “Apple Bloom, remember how I’ve pretty much apologized to everyone I could from Canterlot High?” Well, everyone I could… Some people moved away from Canterlot City. Some of them weren’t open to meeting. But I apologized to as many people as I could.

“Yeah. I’m still proud of ya, by the way. What about it?” A cautious look dawns on her face, looking at me with a concerned expression. In no way do I want to worry her, so I do my best to think of my next few words as quickly as I can.

“Well, there are two more people I need to apologize to before I can truly move on and marry this sweetheart here,” I tell her while nodding my head to Sunset, causing my fiancée to roll her eyes with a humorous look on her face. “I need to find Aria and Sonata. I wronged them a lot before and-”

Before I can finish, Apple Bloom holds her hand up, nodding slowly. Her expression doesn’t reflect any solid emotion. Instead, it just looks like she is… thinking. “That’s really honorable of ya, Adagio,” she tells me quietly, staring at me with a prideful smile and a tear sliding down her cheek. “God, I am so proud of ya,” Apple Bloom whispers with a couple more tears falling down her cheeks. Did I do something to make her cry…?

“Apple-” Within a moment, Apple Bloom embraces me in a hug, forcing the air out of my lungs. I’m not sure why she started crying, but I accept her hug regardless, letting go of Sunset’s hand for the moment.

“You’ve changed a lot. Don’t let anyone tell ya what you can and can’t do,” Apple Bloom tells me with a chuckle, seemingly forcing herself to stop crying. Her head rests on my shoulder for a few seconds longer before breaking the hug, stepping back with a big smile. “Come on. We should get to everyone else~” Turning around, Apple Bloom leads the way down the road. Sunset simply chuckles at the situation, making me raise my eyebrow.

“You two are good friends,” Sunset whispers to me, pressing her shoulder against my own. I can’t help but roll my eyes, shaking my head. I can’t exactly help it. Apple Bloom is the one who started this friendship. Still though. I can’t exactly say I hate it. Apple Bloom is a good friend.

“Only by coincidence really.”

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

Applejack’s flashlight dashes around all of the luggage lined up, the little light reflecting off of her face. The RV is big and green, but I can’t really complain. Fluttershy is the one who bought it after all. For some reason, Applejack decided to park it in front of Rarity’s house and asked for us to meet at night. The moon shines down on us and I can’t help but tap my foot a little, hearing the only sound of crickets filling the night air.

“Rainbow. Where’s your luggage?” Applejack asks our friend with a pretty strict face, causing Rainbow Dash to raise her eyebrow. The suitcase beside her answers her question without any words being said.

“What? I was supposed to put it in that line?” Dash asks her with an annoyed tone, sighing before handing the suitcase to Applejack. Ever since she got here, Rainbow Dash has barely said a word. Again, she’s wearing the least flashy clothing possible and barely has anything more than a small frown on her face. Rarity, on the other hand, is the most flashy person here. Then again, I am a close second with my purple high heeled boots, leather jacket, spiked headband and my glittery belt on my jean shorts. The only part of my outfit that is more modest than everything else is my purple scarf. It doesn’t technically match with the rest of the look, but I wouldn’t go on this trip without it. Sunset gave me most of this outfit, but the scarf… It means a lot to me…

“Rares, ya can’t bring five bags. We’re going to be staying at each hotel for one or two nights at most. You’ll have to cut down your luggage,” Applejack tells her girlfriend with a deep sigh, sounding like she’s done this all before.

“Wha?! You can’t expect me to go on this trip without the essentials, darling! I have to look my best after all,” Rarity responds with surprise, throwing her hair back dramatically. Applejack simply raises her eyebrow without moving her lips an inch from the frown she’s had on her face. “Well, um… Maybe not all of it is absolutely ‘essential.’”

“Rarity, you have five bags. Everyone else has one or two at most. You can’t tell me that you need all of that,” Rainbow Dash cuts in with an annoyed tone before Applejack can say anything. Even though Dash would usually accompany her snide remark with a joke to ease the statement, no such joke comes this time around. Instead, Rarity only receives a stare that simply says that Dash is done with this. Done with the world itself. Whatever is on Dash’s mind is still eating away at me…

Raising my hand, I open my mouth to say something, but Sunset steps in front of me, walking over to Rarity’s bags.

“Could you try to lower the count to three? I think that would really help us,” Sunset asks Rarity with the same kind tone she’s always used. She’s really good at detecting when there’s tension in the air and solving whatever problem there is before it arises. In a way, that trait of hers makes me love her even more.

Rarity slowly nods and finally points at two of the bags that she had brought, much to her own disappointment. Applejack finally seems content with the bag count, looking at each bag for a few seconds. Quickly, she loads the bags into the storage compartment at the bottom of the RV, making sure to not damage anyone’s belongings.

“Before we do anything, let’s make sure we all have our affairs in order,” Applejack tells the group in a leading tone of voice. I can’t help but take the moment to step back from everyone else, knowing that I’ve already done everything I can to prepare for this trip. Still… It wouldn’t hurt to check. Opening my bag, I look throughout the contents, making sure I have everything. Sure enough, my fake I.D. is still there as well as the maps and the energy reader. All of which are gifts from Rich due to the deal that siren made. Was this her plan all along? To make a trip of some kind? And if her plan does involve Aria and Sonata, am I just playing into her hand?

Shaking my head, I dig deeper into my bag. The glass container with those familiar red shards always taunts me whenever I see it. For some reason, they don’t have as big of an impact as the revolver at the bottom of the bag. The shine of the trigger makes my heart beat just a little faster than the red gem ever could… Quickly taking my eyes off it, I make sure that everything else is in place, only serving as an excuse to compose myself.

“Alligator?” a gentle voice whispers in my ear, making me look back at the love of my life. Her caring gaze shows me that she’s worried about me. I don’t know why though… “Are you alright?” Sunset asks me, her hand gently resting on my shoulder. My eyes look towards the others, seeing Pinkie Pie going through her luggage like a wild animal. Bits and pieces of a “lost sock” make it to my ear. It seems that the party machine will keep everyone busy for a little bit…

“To be honest? No. I’m not,” I tell her quietly with a small sigh, pressing my forehead against the palm of my hand. “I’m used to being prepared. I try to have a plan whenever it is possible, but for this? I don’t have a plan. I can’t reliably guess what is going to happen, and you know something? That scares me. Maybe I’m just a control freak, but still. Sometimes, I don’t know how you can do it, Sunny. You know. Deal with the uncertainty.” Shaking my head, my eyes wander towards the ground, trying my best to keep up my confident exterior. Before I can say anything, Sunset wraps her arms around me, holding me in her warm embrace. No matter what happens, Sunset always seems to know exactly what to do. That is just one of the many reasons I admire her…

“Adagio, I know you like being in control. I know you hate uncertainty. You want to seem confident in yourself, but things like this always make that a bit more difficult.” Sunset’s fingers brush through my hair as gently as possible, making me want to melt in her touch. If we weren’t in the presence of our friends, I probably would have. “As much as I may want to tell you that this isn’t as scary as it seems, I would be lying. There is a lot of uncertainty and I can’t get rid of it. But I do want you to remember that I’m here with you. I’ll be with you for this whole journey, no matter what.” Pressing her lips against my cheek, Sunset gives me a smile, reassuring me the best way she can. Looking back at our friends, Sunset and I notice that they’re almost done checking with each other. Rarity makes some dramatic comment that she had to cancel her spa appointment for Friday, and Rainbow Dash looks at her phone before agreeing that she’s gotten everything taken care of in a monotone voice. “Looks like everyone is just about ready,” Sunset tells me quietly, connecting our hands with a nod. “Are you ready to go?”

My heart beats faster as I look at the RV, an anxious feeling rising in my chest. As soon as I step onto that vehicle, it’ll be too late to back down. All we need to do is get on and then we will be on our way to find Sonata and Aria. As nerve wracking as this is, I know I have to do this. I want to find them. Even if they are a part of her plan, I will have to find a way to stop that.

Taking a deep breath, I nod to Sunset’s question, holding her hand a little tighter.

“I’m ready.”

Author's Note

Well... It's been a while since I've updated this story. I figured I would go ahead and update this with the final bit of story right before we go on the main trip~ :raritywink: Yes, I used this chapter as an excuse to squeeze in one more scene with Apple Bloom, but can you blame me? It will be a while before we see her again. Actually, I have been thinking about writing a couple of chapters from Apple Bloom's point of view, taking place over this trip's time span. Obviously, this would happen in a different story entry as to not take away from the flow of this one, but yeah. Tell me what you think~ I hope you're all excited to see what Sonata and Aria have been up to~ :raritywink: I'd say in chapter... 18? Chapter 18? Yeah, chapter 18 sounds good.

The Third Wheel

Chapter XV: The Third Wheel

My body moves against my will, holding me hostage in my own mind. My legs move towards Sunset, walking as confidently as ever. I try my best to hold my body in place, but it doesn’t work at all. I just keep moving despite my best intentions. Sunset’s eyes widen, seeing me walk towards her.

“Hey, Alligator~ Did you find anything you’d like to buy here?” she asks me in the same gentle voice as always. Despite the fact that she asked me a question, my mouth doesn’t move at all. Instead, my hand moves to the side of her face, making my heart race quickly. Please don’t hurt her…

She pulls Sunset’s face closer to mine, planting my lips against hers in a passionate embrace. Everything about her movements projects a sense of confidence and gives me an aura of cockiness. Why is she… kissing MY fiancée?

“Other than you? Nothing,” she whispers in a sultry voice, kissing her again. Her hand slides around Sunset’s waist, holding her close to my body. I can’t fathom why I’m being forced to watch this… “You were in there for quite a while, Sunny. Why did you keep me waiting?” she asks, using my nickname for her in the sentence prior… Sunset’s face looks really embarrassed with all this attention centered on her. If I was the one giving it to her, I would enjoy her blushes, but right now? I can’t help but feel a pit of fire open inside of me…

“Oh? Did I really keep you waiting that long?” Sunset innocently asks me just as my body drags the back of my hand down her cheek. My finger twirls a strand of her hair seductively, keeping my eyes on hers.

“Every second apart from you is unbearable,” she whispers in a very low tone, kissing Sunset again to bite her lip. I… Did she just… Why am I being forced to watch every second of this? The pit of anger and hatred inside me isn’t exactly a new feeling, but… god, she makes me want to… kill.

“W-what is with all this attention, Adagio?” Sunset asks me in a flustered voice, pushing me off of her. Sunset’s palm presses against my chest, her eyes looking into my own carefully. Concern is written on her face, making me feel slightly better that she realizes something is off. I give her a lot of attention just like this when we’re alone, but in public…?

“Do you not like it, Shimmer?” she whispers with a chuckle, making Sunset blush even more. She barely has the chance to shake her head before she’s given another kiss, my arm dipping her slightly. Despite her previous reservations, Sunset seems to give into the kiss fully. Finally, my body lets go of her, pulling away with a smirk. “Could you possibly get us a couple of drinks, love? I would enjoy something for the road,” she whispers in the same low voice, forcing my own hand to cup her cheek. Sunset looks as surprised as ever, gently nodding her head with the brightest blush I have ever seen on her face. Against my consent, my body turns around to face Twilight again just as Sunset moves away from us. “Sparkle. Do you remember when you put my gem together?” she asks my friend, making my heart race once again. Please don’t do it, Twi. Don’t put it back together again for this… monster.

“U-um, yeah?” Twilight remarks in surprise, clearly still confused about the display of affection that she made Sunset go through.

“I was wondering how difficult that was for you. I know you have your own magic necklace, but how difficult was it for you to press the pieces so close together that it was practically whole again?” She makes my body take another step towards Twilight, my friend seemingly thinking about how to respond to this situation. I can’t help but pray that Twilight keeps this conversation brief.

“Honestly? It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. I was expecting a lot more resistance or such, but that kind of force never came. Right until you passed out though… Then the gem forced itself apart. That was the strangest part of that whole ordeal.” Twilight looks puzzled, as if she is trying to figure something out. My hand slowly reaches out to her and gives her back the bottle of melatonin.

“Strangest part? Do you mean when it forced itself apart?” my mouth asks her instantly. I can’t control my own lips, nor any other muscle in my body. As frustrating as this experience is, it frightens me more than anything else. She moves my body to stand beside Twilight once more.

“Yeah, that was pretty strange, honestly. It was like something else was pulling it apart while I was trying to keep it together. I can’t imagine what that is though.” Twilight shrugs her shoulders lightly, taking a bite of her beef jerky.

My arm moves into my bag, pulling out the container holding the red gem fragments. Oh no… Don’t do this. “Could you try to put them together again? We may need my magic again and if you can’t do it, I’d rather know it right now,” she whispers in a gentle tone, using my own lips and voice. Twilight is none the wiser, assuming every word that demon utters is from me… Her eyes look at me with a tone of confusion.

“Now? Um… Couldn’t we wait until after we get to a hotel or such?” Twilight asks me awkwardly.

“Sparkl- I mean, Twilight. Please. There’s a distinct possibility I may need to use my magic again once we get to Nevada or Louisiana. If… If you can’t put these pieces together again, I’d rather know now so that we can come up with a backup plan,” she tells Twilight quietly with the same peaceful tone I would use when trying to sound empathetic. My friend looks at the container quietly before observing our surroundings. Slowly, she nods before taking the container from me, pouring out the contents into her hand. The necklace she has on begins to glow very slightly just as the pieces float into the air. Twilight forces the pieces together with ease, a surge of power flowing through my body once more. No… No no no. I’m not in control this time. I can’t do anything to stop this! Twilight, please. Take the gem apart now.

“That feels so good,” she whispers through my lips, making Twilight raise her eyebrow. “Sorry. It is just the effects of the magic again. It got rid of the pain in my back,” she lies straight to her face, making my blood boil. Before Twilight can respond, the sound of a crash makes my head turn, both of us looking towards the source of the sound.

On the other side of the store, Pinkie Pie sits down on the ground as if she fell, candy bars and all kinds of sweets spilled out around her. Applejack stands beside her with an annoyed look on her face, visibly sighing. Rarity stands beside them with Fluttershy, looking at the mess.

“Oops! Sorry! I’ll buy all of these, don’t worry!” Pinkie Pie reassures the cashier, making Applejack jump in surprise.

“Uh, she doesn't mean that. Pinkie, we can’t bring along all of these sweets,” Applejack tells Pinkie Pie with a very uncomfortable look on her face.

“Nonsense! I’ll buy them, don’t worry!” Pinkie Pie tells Applejack with a smile, causing the cowgirl to grab her shoulder.

“Pinkie, I’m serious. I don’t think-” before she can finish her statement, Applejack almost loses her footing, a green mist surrounding the magical necklace around her neck. I was so distracted by Pinkie Pie that I didn’t even notice that the siren hummed the smallest tune. No… Don’t do this to Applejack. Leave them alone! Applejack’s face is full of exhaustion and no one seems to notice the mist other than me.

“Applejack, darling. Are you alright?” Rarity asks her, catching the attention of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

“Yeah. I guess I just… stayed out in the heat for too long. Just give me-” Applejack’s foot gives out from under her, causing her to fall to the ground. Rarity quickly rushes to her side, pulling the cowgirl to a sitting position.

“Darling! You’re burning up. I knew you should have taken a break from driving before now,” Rarity scolds Applejack, trying to act mad at her lover while a worried look overcomes her. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy try to help Applejack as well, but Rarity shakes her head, making them back up.

“Just… buy what ya want,” Applejack tells the two of them, catching her breath. “I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute.” The green mist dissipates from the air, finally letting me feel a moment of relief. She turns our gaze back to Twilight, the scientist still worried about our friend. Twilight finally notices our gaze, breaking the gem apart again.

“Gosh. I hope we can make more pit stops for Applejack’s sake,” Twilight mentions quietly, looking down at the gem. Twilight raises her eyebrow, holding the pieces closer to her face with an observant look in her eyes.

“Is something wrong?” my lips move to ask her that question, a kind tone coming out of my mouth despite what just happened to Applejack.

“I don’t know. For some reason, it almost feels like there were more pieces here before.” Twilight’s skeptical eyes inspect the gem fragments for a moment before finally giving them back to me. “Sorry, I’m probably just thinking things.” Twilight’s excuse isn’t as crazy as she thinks it is… As my hand moves to put the pieces back in the container, I notice the same thing that Twilight did. There are less pieces than before… specifically one is unaccounted for. Or rather, one of the pieces is bigger than before…

“It’s bound to happen. We’ve been on the road for a while now. How about you head towards the RV and we’ll meet you there in a minute,” my lips mutter with a sweet tone, playfully manipulating Twilight. I can’t do a thing to stop it… Twilight nods with a smile, patting my shoulder before turning towards the door. As soon as Twilight walks past the door and her purple ponytail is no longer in sight, my head looks towards the ground, a sinister chuckle escaping my lips, just quiet enough to make sure no one else can hear it. I can’t help but wonder what she’s doing now… All she’s doing is standing here, chuckling to herself while forcing me to watch every second of it.

She moves my head upwards to look at the rest of the store, seeing Sunset move towards the counter with Rarity still holding onto Applejack. Another low chuckle resonates through my vocal chords just as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy leave through the other entrance on the opposite side of the building. My hand moves up to brush hair out of my face, my body trying to withhold laughter. Why is she chuckling so much…?

“Poor little Adagio. You must be furious with me right about now,” she whispers through my lips, still trying to hold back her own laughter. “How did it make you feel to see Applejack collapse to the ground? I can’t imagine you liked it at all. But didn’t it feel great to have your magic back for those few moments?” she asks with a tone that sends chills through me. She focuses my eyes on the pendant that Applejack wears, humming to herself. “Sunny still hasn’t worn hers yet, huh? Everyone else has, but she is still afraid of what the magic might have in store for her. Your lover really is… boring.” Everyone agreed to wear their necklaces in case they would need to use their magic just like me. It was Rarity’s idea… She thought that if I’m sticking my neck out to use magic to find Sonata and Aria, then maybe everyone else should do the same… “But I have found something interesting you might want to know, Adagio. So, listen up. A Nexus of magic is extremely hard to find in this world, but I already know where seven of them are.”

Her words instantly make my heart stop. A part of her plan was to find one of them. How does she know where seven of them are…? Where are they? She… What does she want with a Nexus?

“Come on, Adagio. Use that intelligent brain of yours. Surely you can find out what I mean by that,” she tells me through a quiet laugh, watching everyone at the counter. She forces my eyes to focus on Sunset, then Applejack, the necklaces… I’ve been given so many clues as to what she’s trying to do, but I can’t seem to put them together. Magic. Power. A Nexus. This trip… All to find Aria and Sonata. What does it all-

Seven. She said she found seven of them. Looking at my friends, a concerning thought comes to my mind. One that makes my stomach churn… Twilight. One. Fluttershy. Two. Rainbow Dash. Three.

My eyes look over at the fashionista, hoping that I possibly misheard the number.

Rarity. Four.

Applejack. Five.

Pinkie Pie. Six.

Looking at the one I love, I see her bright smile from all the way over here, cheerfully buying the drinks she picked out for us. Her hair shines in the light…

Sunset… Seven…

One less piece of gem fragments wasn’t a coincidence at all.

“Ah, there we go,” she whispers with a sinister smile, once more trying to hold in laughter. “You finally got it. I was beginning to think you were an imbecile, but here you are, finally putting together the pieces. You’re finally using your brain, Adagio. You’ll see soon enough. You’ll see that I’m doing what is best for you.” With that, she forces my hand to open the door, quickly walking out of the establishment.

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

The door of the hotel opens in front of us, thankfully making it easy to carry our luggage in. The sun is setting on the horizon, yet Rarity barely convinced Applejack to stop the RV for the night. Pinkie Pie is the first one inside the hotel, leading Fluttershy with her. I would follow them, but… I can’t exactly move my legs… She can…

“Well, I guess we’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow,” Rainbow Dash mentions quietly, picking up her bag. Her tone of voice and attitude don’t match her at all. Dash simply shrugs to herself and as soon as she walks inside the building, she ignores Pinkie Pie’s excitement and walks straight to the counter. Sunset looks towards me with a concerned expression, nodding towards Dash.

“Do you think we should be worried?” Sunset asks me quietly, the worry on her face making me want to answer her immediately. Try as I might, I can’t make any words come out…

“Don’t worry about her. I’ll talk to her later,” the siren responds to her with a soothing tone, mascotting as me. She moves my hand to Sunset’s cheek, reassuring her. I can’t feel a thing, making this touch hurt that much more.

Twilight walks past us giving the two of us a smile. Rarity stays as close to Applejack as possible ever since the situation at the gas station. Even as Applejack locks up the RV, Rarity insists on holding onto Applejack’s arm. The cowgirl looks like she’s a little annoyed by this, but she never tells Rarity to let go. She probably knows just how much her falling on the ground scared Rarity.

“Alright, y’all. Let’s go get some shut eye,” Applejack tells us with a nod, walking towards Sunset and I. Sunset grabs my hand, leading me towards the hotel lobby. This time, a numb feeling comes to me… Can I… feel her hand?

My feet drag on the ground for a moment before stopping completely. The numb feeling overcomes my whole body, making me feel dizzy. My fingers twitch at the sensation, not under my control. I can’t help but feel nauseous, wanting to vomit. She’s not breathing for me… my hand begins to move according to how I want it to move. The world won’t stop spinning.

Inhaling as much air as possible, I drop my bag on the ground, stumbling backward. It’s only due to the rough sidewalk’s friction against the bottom of my boots that I don’t fall down. Sunset looks at me with a surprised expression, my stumble catching the eyes of Applejack and Rarity as well.

“Adagio? Are you alright?” Sunset asks me in the sweetest voice I have ever heard. My lips finally move when I want them to…

“I… I’m just dizzy,” I respond quietly, trying to use my words effectively. It’s been nearly half a day since I’ve been able to control my mouth… Or my body… She’s finally let go. “I forgot something in the RV. I… I will be back,” I tell them with a slight cough, looking back at the RV.

“Um, alright. Just make sure to lock it back up once you’re done, Sugarcube,” Applejack tells me before tossing the keys towards me. I just barely catch the keys, my numb hands fumbling it slightly. Sunset looks at me with concern, but I try to give her my best smile despite how much I want to tell her what happened.

“Don’t worry, Sunny~ I’ll be there in just a second,” I tell her with a nod, picking up my purse. “Get us checked in, alright?” I ask her, giving her the handle to my suitcase. Before she can respond, I turn towards the RV, walking to the vehicle in the best way I can. My numb legs make it hard to walk normally, but I force myself to do it anyway.

Unlocking the RV, I try my best to not look back at Sunset, knowing that if I do, I might end up crying. Getting inside the vehicle, I close the door, taking another deep breath inside this dark interior. My knees feel weak as I press my back against the door, feeling my stomach churn once more. As much as I try to hold it back, I end up gagging on my own saliva, falling down to my knees. The sudden pain flashes through my legs, making me gag even worse. I can’t avoid it any longer… Grabbing the trash bin by the couch, I quickly push my face inside. The contents of my stomach are forced out through my mouth, giving me the most god awful taste imaginable. The pain and disgust all but amplify my vomit, tears sliding down my cheeks.

God damn it… I… ugh… I felt so dizzy upon getting control of my body again that I ended up making myself sick. God, I hate this… I hated not being able to control my body… I hated seeing her kiss my girlfriend. I hated seeing her use my magic against Applejack. If I didn’t have any hope, I would almost consider using the gun in my bag against myself… It’s not fun living like this. But it wouldn’t be fun for Sunset to find my body either…

Sliding the trash bin to the side, I close my eyes and rest my head against the door. My body feels exhausted, despite the fact I just got control back. It’s probably due to me emptying my stomach just a few seconds ago… When I had my magic, I usually never got sick. As a human? God, I hate feeling ill… I wish I could tell Sunset the truth. About all of this. However, she promised to hurt Sunset if I said a thing. I hate living a lie…

Not only do I have to deal with this siren, but I also have to help Rainbow Dash somehow AND find my two oldest friends. I don’t know how I’m going to do it… How am I going to make it through this trip?

The cold ground of the RV is barely tolerable… The cold works well with the overwhelming silence of the vehicle. The darkness makes the silence sound a hundred times quieter… Despite every object being still and at peace, I can’t help but find the opposite of peace here. I was never afraid of the dark before I lost my magic… Now, it’s hard to not get lost in it… Only the small glimmer of lights from the outside world shine in through the windows. The cold and dark surrounds me even though my mind is still on fire.

A loud knock shakes me from my thoughts, the door vibrating slightly. Trying to swallow my pride, I force myself to my feet, still a little dizzy from before. Opening the door, my eyes focus on beautiful cyan eyes looking right back at me. Sunset gives me a kind smile, standing a foot lower than me due to how far off the ground the door is.

“Hi, Alligator. Mind if I come in?” she asks me quietly. She doesn’t have any of our luggage with her, so it looks like she either checked us in or left our bags with the others. Trying my best to compose myself, I nod and step out of the way, letting her get inside. The door closes behind her and she looks around the dark RV with a nod. “I guess someone had an upset stomach,” she mentions with a nod towards the trash bin, making me realize the faint smell.

“I was just-” before I can finish my sentence, Sunset places her hand on my cheek, rubbing away the previous tears. Without saying a word, her eyes tell me that she’s not looking for excuses or even a conversation. Instead, she slowly pulls me in for a hug, wrapping her arms around me.

“I knew there was probably a reason behind all the extra attention earlier,” Sunset whispers into my ear, holding me tightly. “You’re scared. I understand that.” Sunset runs her fingers through my hair, her voice sinking into my mind. “But I hope you know I’m always here for you. Always,” Sunset tells me with a cheerful tone to her voice, trying to make me feel better. The silence gives us a moment of privacy, yet I still feel anxious. No matter how she tries to comfort me, I can’t help but worry…

Worry about what is going to happen next…

Author's Note

I hope everyone liked this chapter~ I wanted to make this chapter better than the last couple of chapters before it, so I put in more effort than before. This is also going to be the last chapter I work on for this story for a bit. I'm going to take a break after this chapter to either work on other things or focus on my mental health.

Escalating Conditions

Author's Note

Hello, everyone! I hope you're excited for this new chapter because I reveal a couple of big things for this story here~ Not to mention that I am also including a prize for this chapter! The first two people who name all five references in this chapter will get either 20 dollars in the form of a gift card or they will get a free story request from yours truly! Now, I did make some of the references a bit hard to pinpoint (especially one of them) so even if you're not reading this on the day it is released, you still might get one of the prizes~ There are only three rules for this little prize pool~

You will have to direct message my Discord at Spyder27#2921 (You will need to send me a friend request, but you can unfriend me afterward if you want). I decided to change this rule since I don't exactly want others to cheat on someone's right answers and then get all five in the comment section.
You will need to tell me the keyword. The keyword is the FIRST bold word in this chapter. Look for it~
You will need to tell me WHY you think Exhibit A is a reference. For instance, if you think a series of events in this chapter is referencing back to another part of my series, then you will need to tell me what part you think it is referencing back. You no longer need to name the exact chapter name, but you will need to be specific about scene details.

Since I am uploading this early, I am still giving everyone until June 30th to submit their answers to me. Who knows? Maybe no one will get all five right until the final day, so don't give up! I will make sure to tell you if something is possibly wrong with your submission so that you can try again! As a final reminder, you are trying to find references to previous scenes in my Sundagioverse. Whether that be dialogue, scene descriptions or events. The Sundagioverse consists of A Dazzling World, A Shimmering Heartbreak, Siren Days, Follow Suit, Apple Bloom's Regrets, A Spooky Scary Siren, That Warm Smile, and A Dazzling Trio~ As I said before, Apple Bloom's Regrets and Follow Suit have NO references in this chapter.

I wish you all good luck!

Sincerely,
Spyder27

Escalating Conditions

Chapter XVI: Escalating Circumstances

What does someone normally think about in their day-to-day life? Is it possibly how fortunate they are to have someone who cares about them? Or do they count the days until they can do something better with their life? Or nothing at all… My mind always seems to be filled with more serious and concerning thoughts… I can’t help it if every part of me is worried about the future… Every time I am about to lull myself to sleep, that evil chuckle reminds me just what happened today. Sunset fell asleep a long time ago, but even the sound of her heart can’t calm me down right now.

Turning my head away from my sleeping love, the bright red light of the hotel clock shows me that it is three in the morning. Everyone is asleep right now. Everyone except for me… All I’m left with is thoughts. My imagination runs wild on nights like this, especially after what happened with Applejack… The dark shadows in our room play tricks on my mind. Swirls on the wall can almost look like eyes at the right angles…

Turning my gaze back towards Sunset, the red light of the clock just barely lands on her face, giving me a view of half of her face. Her eyes are peacefully closed, rhythmically breathing every few seconds. In a way, I can’t help but wonder what kind of dreams she is having right now.

The sound of a piano makes me open my eyes once more. I didn’t even realize I had closed my eyes… Regardless, that piano is surprising… I didn’t think someone would play that instrument, especially at this time in the night. It’s faint enough that I don’t have to worry about Sunset waking up. However, the sound is still loud enough that I know I won’t be able to sleep until it stops. It’s almost a haunting sound due to how faint it is… Closing my eyes, I try my best to ignore it, resting my head on Sunset’s shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, I try to let my thoughts drift away. Even though that evil chuckle no longer rings inside my mind, the sound of a piano still makes it considerably difficult to focus on nothing. Is this the hotel’s idea of music to help you sleep? Some classical tunes aren't exactly the best music to lull a person to their somber rest. Every few seconds, a high note is played to accompany the more somber keys. It isn’t a bad piece at all, except for the fact that it is being played at three in the morning. Normally, I would admire the craft of whoever is playing the instrument.

Another deep breath exits my lungs. No matter how hard I try to focus on anything else, my mind always goes back to the music. The heart and soul of it all… Music is hard to create. You have to put a piece of yourself into it. Your feelings, your mind, your personality. Different parts of you make up the melody. Even if you play a piece written by someone else, it almost feels different than the original. That’s something admirable… To hear someone make themselves so vulnerable in the dead of the night. If they didn’t play in the middle of a hotel, then it could be something that I would lose myself in.

Letting go of Sunset, I sigh to myself, quietly getting out of bed. It’s clear that I can’t sleep. There’s nothing better to do. The best idea in my mind is to possibly go listen to this musician and then… maybe ask them to stop for the night. Maybe this little adventure will make me tired enough to fall asleep. Stretching my back, I briefly push the hair out of my face and brush it to look acceptable. Pulling on some jeans, I slip on my boots and jacket before walking towards the room door. I make sure to grab the key to the room so that I won’t have to wake Sunny up to let me back in. Looking back at Sunset one more time, I blow her a kiss even though she’s asleep.

Closing the door behind me, the music is louder in the hall than it was in the room. I guess that’s not necessarily a surprise, but the lights overhead surely are… For some reason, the staff turned the lights to a somber red color. Does this hotel have a “lights out” sort of policy? In every other hotel I’ve seen on this mortal Earth, they kept the lights on for individuals who might be leaving in the middle of the night. Or perhaps I still have a lot to learn about humans as a whole…

Slowly, I walk down the hallway, trying to pinpoint where exactly the sound is coming from. There are a lot of rooms, but I doubt it is coming from inside any of them. It sounds like it is coming from the lobby. Walking past a corner, I quietly make my way down the stairs. The stairs feel like they go on forever. I don’t remember the stairs being this long when I climbed up them earlier tonight… Perhaps it is because I was fatigued. Worn out after everything that happened yesterday. I wasn’t in control of my body for hours… Regardless, the stairs spiral downward, leading me to the sound of the piano.

Were the stairs in a spiral shape when we checked in…? God, how tired was I? I guess I forgot more than I thought… The carpet on the stairs is a shaggy red. A red that gets more dirty and torn the farther I go down. I…

Something doesn’t sit well in my stomach. The haunting music of the piano doesn’t help this rather unsettling atmosphere. Why in the hell would the hotel be so lousy with their maintenance? That is… if this is a hotel…

Finally making it to the bottom of the stairs, the main door of the hotel greets me, making every part of me freeze in place. Things aren’t right here… Clearly this isn’t an issue with my memory. The hotel wasn’t organized like this, so what could be going on? Is this a dream…? If it is, then why does everything feel so… real? The temperature of the hotel is cold. The texture of my hand feels much more real than the common plastic feeling everything seems to have in a dream. Hell, even the way I am thinking right now is a lot different than how I would think in a dream. Consciousness is usually a blurry haze of events, but here? I can focus on a single detail for as long as I want. Such as the stains on the windows in the door in front of me.

Scratches adorn the glass among some fingerprints. Some of the door is chipped away as if someone had tried to force it down. There are even some red stains on the bottom of the glass, making me raise my eyebrow even more. All of these details were not on the hotel’s front door. Every little addition makes me even more wary and nervous. Despite how I feel, the piano just keeps playing, ominously beckoning for me to open this damaged door. On the other side of the glass, the hotel lobby is the same as before, except I can see red carpets, crimson pillars and a piano in the center with pipes similar to an organ spreading out upward. There is a lot more light in the lobby than I remember there being… From here, it’s impossible to see who or what is playing the piano.

Taking a deep breath, I reach out towards the door, gently turning the door knob. Almost every part of me tells me to go back, but there is only one way through dreams usually. Or… if this is some form of an afterlife, I doubt things work as easily as walking back from where I came…

Opening the door, the sound of the piano reaches me more clearly than before. The notes create a beautiful symphony, despite the ominous atmosphere it cultivates. Walking down a red carpet, I immediately notice something that I couldn't see from the other side of the door. Instead of going up to the second floor, there is no ceiling above the lobby… Instead, a red and purple sky greets my eyes with a white crack going from one end of the sky to the other. The pipes from the piano circle out upward, adding to the mess. The room looks almost as if the ceiling had been blasted away, some pieces of concrete simply floating in mid air. Almost like a corrupted memory… Some objects seem blurry, as if they are fading in and out of reality despite the fact that they are only a few feet away from me. Other objects are as clear as day, such as a broken coffee table. It looks like it had been smashed by some fit of jealous anger, intentionally broken rather than through decay. Shards of glass litter the ground almost like snow.

Trying my best to avoid the glass, I walk towards the piano at an angle, looking for who is playing this symphony. I… What?

Every muscle in my body tenses up… My breathing becomes ragged. I can’t help but feel my nerves fire up upon seeing the piano fully.

It’s… her. There’s not a single doubt in my mind. Instead of being seen as some shadow, she is now in full color, my own face looking down at the keys. The red gem around her neck further solidifies that it is her, but… why is she wearing my outfit from the Battle of the Bands? I lost that outfit a long time ago. It does look good, but it has some awful memories associated with it. Such as losing my magic… Why would she wear it? Just to catch me off guard?

Her eyes finally look up from the keys, jumping as if she is surprised. This is the first genuine time I have ever seen her shocked or confused by seeing me… Every other time, she was expecting me. Like she had orchestrated the whole dream.

“What are you doing here?” she asks with a slight stutter towards the beginning, quickly composing herself. “You’re supposed to be out there,” she tells me with a strict tone, halting her performance instantly. She stands up from her seated position and looks at me intensely as if to make sure I am real.

“‘Out there’ being what exactly?” I ask her with an annoyed tone, feeling a little tired of this game she loves to play. She likes to confuse me, give me vague hints, anger me, and then leave me to my own devices. This is probably step 1…

“Out there! The world. Do you seriously not understand me at all?” she asks me angrily, walking towards me quickly. However, she stops herself about two meters in front of me, looking up at the sky with wide eyes. A peculiar look adorns her face, almost making her seem… scared. Why would such a human emotion appear on this demon’s face? “You’re not supposed to be here,” she tells me after she composes herself once more, stepping back.

“Again, what is ‘here’? It would be nice to have a simple answer every now and again.” Every fiber of my being wants to hurt her for what she did earlier, but I can’t hurt her in simple ways. No mere attack will do anything against something in my mind.

“Your mind, Adagio! You’re not supposed to be here! God, how stupid can you be?” Her whole demeanor is off… It’s different from normal. Her sentences seem frantic, almost worried. Instead of endlessly taunting and chuckling in my ear, here she is, looking like every plan of hers backfired on her, making her a cornered animal. Why is she acting so off? Is this another one of her mind games? Also, my mind…?

“Do you really expect me to believe that? You’ve done nothing but lie to me over and over again.” Taking a step toward her, she widens her eyes and holds her hand out.

“Adagio, don’t. I wouldn’t advise walking forward any more than you already have.” For some reason, her tone is that of caution, trying to warn me instead of bullying me like she usually does. Her finger points upwards at the white crack in the sky, shaking her head. “Unless you want to feel the most burning pain in your life, I wouldn’t suggest crossing the invisible line coming down from that.”

“Why in the hell are you warning me about that? Wouldn’t you WANT me to get hurt? That seems to be your goal after all,” I taunt her while rolling my eyes. Regardless, I heed her warning for now…

“Look, I know. I know more than you that our goals are opposing each other right now, but my goal was NEVER to hurt you!” Her voice lets out a similar tone of anger I’ve heard from her all too many times. “I have only ever tried to HELP you! And yes. I have lied, but you do remember when I told you the truth, right? So please listen for once in your life instead of being so stubborn!”

I have to admit it… Her new demeanor is confusing to me, but… it makes me want to listen to her. She sounds urgent, confused and lost. This is the most human I have ever seen her… Even though she’s the farthest thing from a human.

“Look, Adagio. This is your mind… The landscape changes every now and then, depending on how we feel, but the same core features remain. Why you’re here is something completely out of my control. Technically, one of us should be out there at all times.” She brings her hand to her face, seemingly trying to think when she should be giving me more answers.

“It sounds like you know a lot about what is going on here. If this is my mind, then why is there a large crack in the ‘sky’?” I ask her, using air quotes to question what is really above us.

“That is something I don’t know… It has been there for years. It was something I hoped that the magic would fix,” she tells me with a disappointed tone, shaking her head.

“The magic. Again, you focus on magic as if it is the only thing of value. Is that seriously your only goal? To make me embrace the magic again? God damn you.” Turning away from her I can’t help but sigh, finding this whole situation ridiculous. Was I really ever this self-centered?

“Magic is the only way to fix you! You’re a siren, Adagio! I have done nothing but try to help you get back to that,” she yells at me, not being able to reach me due to whatever barrier is between us. Every word she says only fuels my anger even more.

“You’re wrong. You’re so damn wrong,” I chuckle, shaking my head at her nonsense. “Magic isn’t the only way in life. Love, friendship. They can make life worth living too. You’re just an echo of a past and I seriously don’t know why you’re still here.” At this time, I would usually expect some sort of remark to explain why I’m wrong, but instead, nothing comes.

Cautiously, my eyes look back towards her, seeing the siren simply just looking up at the sky, sitting down on a red sofa. Despite how comfortable the seat looks, she doesn’t seem to be enjoying a second of it. Instead, a look of annoyance and possibly anguish is written over her face. Never before have I seen her completely out of ideas.

“What’s with you? You usually insult me right about now and proclaim what is good for me.”

“So what? You don’t ever listen to me, so I am forced to take matters into my own hands,” she tells me with exhaustion, still looking up at the sky. “You’re so unbelievably stupid, even though you used to be the smartest siren alive. I hate you so much,” she whispers with a sigh, her red gem glowing brighter than before.

“Hate me? You’re the one who has been turning my life upside down. You taunt me endlessly, tell me I’m worthless. Why should I listen to you?” Who does she think she is, having the right to criticize me for choosing friendship?

“Because you had so much potential, Adagio! You were so close to greatness! Instead, you threw it all away after you lost your magic because you lost hope. I think I reserve the right to tell you those things when you wasted your life. All I’ve tried to do is get you back on track, but no.” Sighing heavily, she lets her arm fall down to her side, shaking her head. “It doesn’t help that the giant crack up there has been there since the Battle of the Bands. Before that, everything was alright. I don’t even remember much before that.” She points her hand up at the white crack in the sky, seemingly frustrated with it. Looking at the crack, I can’t help but focus on her statement. That has been here ever since the Battle of the Bands? If this is my mind, then she’s implying there was a time when my mind didn’t have a crack. Why would that be here…?

“You said that was here ever since I lost my magic?” I ask her quietly, using a quieter tone than before. My eyes are trained on the white light emanating from the crack. It unceremoniously divides the beautifully ominous sky, making me feel small in comparison.

“Why? Want to tell me the ‘magic of friendship’ again?” she asks me with air quotes, still being a pain in my ass.

“Will you kindly stop the attitude? I’m trying to get a better understanding of what is happening here,” I tell her with an annoyed tone to my voice, sitting down on the floor. “You said you don’t remember much of what happened before the Battle of the Bands. What do you mean exactly?”

Taking a deep breath, she simply sits up and looks down at me, obviously confused to see me sitting on the floor. “I mean that I don’t remember much of what I was doing before. I remember your life. But I don’t remember being so distinctly different from you before that point.” Again, she gives me an odd look before standing up from her seated position. “What are you doing? Is this another useless thing you were taught like the good dog you are?” she asks me with a scowl, clearly confused. As much as I want to fire back with another insult, I contain the fire in my heart.

“Being different from me…? What did you do before that happened?” I ask her as I point towards the white crack in the sky. If I really want this nightmare to stop, then it is imperative to know my enemy. Though, it would feel nice to give her at least one solid punch to the jaw…

“What is your motive, Adagio? Why are you asking so many questions? You clearly won’t ever see things from my point of view, so why-”

“Answer the goddamn question.” My words instantly make her stop her sentence, a surprised expression on her face. For a moment, nothing happens except for the two of us staring into each other’s eyes. Her eyes are as red as this room, but this time, it seems like she has no plan to counteract me.

“What did I do?” she asks me with a chuckle after composing herself. “I took over in dangerous situations, made dreams, etcetera. Most of it was autopilot though… I had to put in a lot of effort to actually do my job after that fateful night.” Looking towards the sky, she simply laughs to herself. “But you never listen to me, even though I have tried to fix you.”

“Fixing me. Is that your job?” I ask her quietly, watching her every movement.

“Obviously… You’re supposed to be a powerful siren, Adagio. Magic is the only way to bring that potential back. As I’ve said all along, I have only had your best interests at heart.” Sighing to herself, she walks away from me, leaning against one of the pillars with her hand.

Why is she so… stuck? Stuck on one point of view? No matter how I have tried to talk with her in the past, she never listens to me. Rich coming from her. She doesn’t listen to me, so I don’t listen to her. Why is she so focused on magic as being the only good thing for me? She’s stuck in place. Or… time…

“You know, I tried to help before. I tried to get your magic back when the Battle of the Bands ended, but for some reason, I was locked in here,” she tells me with a harsh tone, almost hissing at whatever memory she’s bringing up. “That door appeared after you lost your magic. The one with all the scratches. That’s one of the only things that remains constant in your mind. That door that locked me in here, unable to see what was going on. Took a long time for that door to finally open. I beat on it for so long. Funnily enough, when the door finally let me see out there, I saw you were in the hospital. With your dear sweetheart by your side…”

Slowly looking towards the door, a thought hits my mind. An idea… The mere thought that it could be true scares me, but… everything seems to point to one conclusion. It can’t be… I’ve never even thought that something like… Could that happen…? In my whole lifetime, I have never heard of something like this happening… There’s… one way I could test this…

Standing up from my seated position seems to catch her attention, turning back towards me. “Leaving already? I thought you had so many questions to ask me,” she taunts me, my back turned to her.

“You said you would jump in at dangerous situations and make dreams.” Slowly picking up a handful of the broken glass, I look back towards her, taking a deep breath. I have to do this… To test my idea… “Constantly, you told me you’re doing what is best for me, yet you’re stuck on a singular viewpoint. You believe magic will save my life. Conveniently, I used to believe that as well.” Looking at the glass in my hand, I can’t help but chuckle, a part of me wondering if I’m insane for even thinking this. If I’m right, then… I think I just found out her big weakness. And exactly what she is to begin with…

“What are you doing, Adagio?” she asks me with a confused tone, looking at the glass as well. “Are you going to cut yourself just to try and prove some meaningless point? Real smart, Adagio.”

“In a way, yes,” I tell her with a smirk. “I am going to prove a point. Just something different than what you’re expecting.”

Throwing the glass above my head, I carefully look at the mirror image of me, her eyes following the glass. Her expression turns to shock, twitching her fingers at the sight. Despite the fact that there should be no way for me to be hurt in my mind, I think I know exactly what she will do… Without a moment of hesitation, the siren in front of me raises her arms above her head, instantly making my arms follow her movement. The glass falls on me, my arms protecting my head from the pieces. She looks at me with a confused and erratic face, staring at me as if I am crazy.

“Huh… Heh,” I chuckle to myself, smiling at this ordeal. My chuckle turns to a loud laugh, seemingly echoing around me. Why does this feel so good? God, I finally get it. Everything. Every single piece of the puzzle is here. Why did it take me so long? I know what she is. I… God, it’s so ironic.

“Why in the hell are you laughing?! Are you truly stupid? Why would you do that?” she yells at me, unaware she just proved my point.

“You were right. About everything. Except one thing…” Bringing my arms back down to my sides, I can’t help but chuckle a little more, feeling euphoric at this turn of events. “You were right that I wasted my potential. That I gave up on magic. You were even right that you’re a part of me. The one thing you were wrong about is that magic is the only thing in my life.” Walking closer towards the invisible wall under the white crack, I stare at her, shaking my head. “I have friendship. Love. Family. All of those things fill my life with some sort of meaning, but I don’t necessarily blame you for not believing me.” Reaching my hand out, I can’t help but find some sort of relief, finally knowing everything. My finger points towards her, my lips conforming to the shape of a smirk. “You’re a part of me. You’re… my subconscious.”

Her eyes look at me in a confused manner, as if she genuinely can’t help but question my sanity. “I have told you that I’m a part of you this whole time! What are you going on about?” It’s funny… She truly believes that she is doing what is right for me by trying to get me to pursue power. She believes that friendship isn’t worth a damn. Exactly what I used to believe… She’s evil because I used to be.

“You’re a siren stuck in time. You’re lost at a singular point. God, that explains why you’re so stubborn and why you won’t listen to a thing I say.” Everything about this situation is hard to believe, but it all makes sense. My mind is… broken. That’s why there is a white crack in the sky. That’s why she’s such a vindictive siren. Nothing has ever been the same since the Battle of the Bands. To believe that losing my magic did all of this.

“Lost? I’m still trying to put you back on the right path, Adagio. I’m not lost at all,” she tells me with her evil stare. This time it doesn’t seem to have an effect on me. I… don’t care. Maybe it is because of the magic itself that I got to have this experience. That I got to learn about all of this… “I won’t stop until you have your magic back and see how wrong you are. I-”

“And I’m not asking you to.”

Her lips stop moving as soon as she hears me say those few words, making her monologue pointless.

“Wait. What…?”

“We’re going to get my magic back. It’s the only plausible way to fix my mind and make you see my point of view.” Looking up at the sky, I can’t help but feel a sense of determination course through me. “But… we’re going to do it MY way. No more hurting anyone. We’ll get back the magic in the right way.” I shouldn’t expect her to take my deal, but her whole goal was to get my magic back to begin with. I am giving her the best deal here. My help. One goal. If we both strive for it, then… maybe the magic will fix my mind. Maybe it will end this nightmare. Maybe it will stop her from being so evil and instead see things from my point of view.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she asks with a hesitant tone, sounding a bit… impressed. “You actually want to get the magic back? I knew that siren was still-”

“I want it to fix my mind. To fix us. Not for a power fantasy. Understand?” Staring into her eyes, I make sure to keep myself composed. If there’s even a moment of weakness, she will take advantage of it. I know I would…

“So, we’re going towards the same goal, but for different reasons.” She takes a few moments to think, bringing her hand to her chin. It’s almost agonizing to wait for an answer from her. No matter how I see it, this is a risky maneuver… “Alright. We have a deal. But you still can’t tell anyone about this. Wouldn’t want to risk our whole idea, would you?”

“You have to let me tell someone. We can’t do this alone.” It’s true… We can’t. If getting the magic back is the only way to fix this whole situation, I can’t do it without at least one person’s help. She seems to think about it for a moment before finally nodding to my request.

“Fine… One person. You have to make sure they can help and that they can keep their mouth SHUT,” she tells me through a harsh whisper. Despite how she acts, I can tell I have her trust now.

“One more thing.” I tell her before turning towards the door. “I’ll need to know EVERY detail of your plan. We’re doing this my way…”

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

Opening my eyes, I can’t help but feel surprised at what I see. And what I feel for that matter… Shockingly, I’m sitting in a hot tub, soaking in the warm water near the hotel pool. No one else is here. There’s no windows from this room, so I really can’t tell what time of day it is. Does anyone else know that I’m here…?

So, you decided to go to a hot tub and then space out? Great idea, an annoyed groan circles around in my head, making me roll my eyes.

“This wasn’t my idea to begin with. The last thing I remember is trying to sleep in the hotel room.” Standing up, I grab a towel and start drying myself off. The last thing I want to do is be caught talking to myself here. Due to what I just learned, that can be taken in the most literal sense… “Also, I’m surprised I can hear you in the first place. Usually you just take control of my body to actually say something.”

That wouldn’t be preferred since we’re working together now. At least, we have the same goal for the time being, she tells me with a sigh. Also, don’t get used to it. It takes a lot of effort to stay conscious when you’re in control. That’s something you surely know when I’ve done things. Regardless, I will take control again if you fuck something up.

“Then I won’t make any mistakes. Just trust in me a little,” I whisper a response before opening the door to the hotel pool, looking out into the hall. No matter what, I still hate hearing her voice, but now that I know what she is, it makes it a little more… tolerable. She may not like the reason I’m trying to get the magic back, but hopefully she’ll see it soon enough. Maybe she will see friendship for what it is. Just like how Sunset taught me.

Walking out into the hall, I try to remember my way back to the hotel room. Clearly, I left without my bag or any other personal belongings, so the key must be with Sunset. It’s the middle of the night, so she should still be in our room. I don’t feel good about waking her up though… I don’t even remember going out here to the hot tub, but now I have to go wake her up to let me back into our hotel room. I just hope-

SLAM! My body falls back. A surge of pain flows through my body, especially my head. The back of my skull feels like it is on fire… Everything is… blurry. Hard to… concentrate. Why am I hurting? What… happened? Anything but the pain is hard to feel… I… Think. Just stay conscious. Every nerve ending is ablaze, going haywire. Does it normally feel this bad when I hit my head…? Did I hit my head…? That’s the only thing that could… Fuck. I can’t think straight. Everything hurts. My neck. My head… It’s like everything feels dense. Crowded in. Makes me want to… black out. No. No. Just… god. Open your eyes. Come on. Fight the pain. Open your eyes. You’ve… done this… before.

“Adagio?” a raspy voice calls out my name very faintly. Something I can attach myself to. Even opening my eyes hurts. All my body wants to do is let the pain subside. What did I even hit…? Slowly forcing my eyes open, the blurry tan walls come into view. As well as a blue girl with multi-colored hair. Blinking a couple times, I take a deep breath and try to collect myself. I… forgot how much it hurts when I hit my head… “Adagio? Are you alright?” she asks me, confirming her identity in my mind. Opening my eyes again, I can’t help but groan slightly, looking up at Rainbow Dash.

“What… happened?” I ask her slowly, trying to get up to my feet. I didn’t realize I had fallen all the way to the floor. God. I didn’t even realize what hit me. Rainbow Dash takes my hand and pulls me up, holding me steady while I try to regain my stability.

“You kinda ran into me. Sorry about that… Are you alright? You seem really buzzed,” she tells me with a cautious stare, giving me the most emotional display I’ve seen from her since the party at my music studio. I can’t help but enjoy seeing her be emotional again instead of the monotone face and voice she’s used for the entirety of the past day and a half.

“Yeah. I’m fine… Just hurts a little.” Moving my hand to the back of my head, I try to remember if it has hurt this bad any other time I hit my head. Yeah. Yeah, it has… “What are you doing up?” I ask her, taking my mind off the pain for a moment.

“Um… It’s eight in the morning. I thought I would get breakfast,” she tells me, returning to her monotone state. It was… nice to see some emotion at least. Also, it’s morning?

“Oh. Sorry. I thought it was um… still dark out.” Shaking my head slightly, I try my best to get rid of the headache. “Is anyone else going to breakfast now?” I don’t even have to wait for her answer as I see a couple people exit the elevator that is shortly down the hall. Applejack walks towards us with Rarity draped around her arm, still clearly worried about Applejack from the day before.

“Heya, Adagio! Um… Why are ya in a bathing suit?” Applejack asks me with a confused look on her face. Looking down at myself, I quickly pick up my towel and give her a nod.

“I was just… using the hot tub for a minute. I have to change now,” I quickly reply, walking past all three of them. I don’t even know why I feel embarrassed. They have seen me with my bathing suit on. Deep down, I know the real reason I feel anxious seeing them is because it wasn’t long ago that I woke up from a dream. A dream with my subconscious… I finally know what she is, but it still makes this upcoming day stressful…

Quickly getting into the elevator, I push the button for the second floor. As soon as the doors close, I collapse my back against the wall of the elevator, letting out a deep breath. I am really unsure how the rest of this day is going to turn out… God, what am I even going to do? Just… relax. It’ll be fine. You just need to figure out how to get your magic back without upsetting anyone or hurting anyone. No pressure…

Exiting the elevator, I walk towards the hotel room, trying to take a deep breath. At least I don’t feel so bad about waking Sunset up now. It’s eight in the morning, so she should enjoy some breakfast. Besides, she’s been sleeping for a good few hours. A lot more rest than I feel like I’ve gotten at this point… Looking at the hotel room door, I knock on it rhythmically, making a small beat with my knuckles against the hard wood. If it is even wood… The door feels heavy enough that it could be metal for all I know.

A moment goes by with no answer before I finally hear the lock’s gears move. The light from the room is the first thing I see, making it easy to look at the person opening the door. A scruffy-haired Sunset looks at me with an eyebrow raised, her toothbrush in her mouth. All she’s wearing is a single tee shirt, extending halfway down her thighs.

“Answering the door with only a shirt on? How risky,” I tease her with a smirk, making Sunset chuckle quietly while she moves the brush in her mouth.

“What? I’m not indecent,” she tells me with a shake of her head, slightly muffled by the brush. Walking away from the door, she lets me into our room. The door closes behind us automatically, but I still make sure to lock it.

“We both know you’re not wearing anything under there,” I remind her with a roll of my eyes. Honestly, her attitude makes me feel a bit better than before, despite the overwhelming stress on my mind. A mischievous thought comes to my mind, seeing Sunset walk back towards the bathroom. I shouldn’t… I really shouldn’t. But how can I resist?

Walking inside the bathroom with her, I look into the mirror and make eye contact with Sunset. With one quick movement, I land my hand on Sunset’s behind, making an audible sound. Despite the fact I am feeling the fabric of the shirt, I can tell that my suspicions were correct.

“Naughty siren,” she tells me with a shake of her head before giving me a kiss on my cheek, clearly enjoying it despite her actions. As she spits into the sink, I notice she left some toothpaste on my cheek, making me move my hand up and wipe it off. “Besides. No one can see under my shirt unless they crawl under me. So I’m still technically decent,” Sunset tells me with a smirk. Before I can say a thing, Sunset wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close to her. She leans forward, forcing me to look up at her before placing one of her hands on my chest. With a small squeeze, Sunset places her lips on my own, bringing a heavy blush to my cheeks. The fact that she’s doing this while I’m in my swimsuit makes it even more… exciting. “An eye for an eye, Alligator,” she whispers with a smug look on her face, kissing me once more before letting me go. “Also, where did you go? I was wondering where you went,” Sunset asks me innocently, brushing her hair as she looks into the mirror. She almost acts like what she just did to me didn’t actually happen, making me blush a little more.

“Um… I went to the hot tub. To think for a bit.” Walking out of the bathroom, I quickly find my luggage, opening it to get a change of clothes. Considering we’re going to be driving a lot, I guess it shouldn’t matter whether I dress myself up that much. Maybe I’ll leave my hairband and jacket in the luggage… Eh, on second thought, I would still like to look good if we stop anywhere.

“To think, huh? What were you thinking about?” Sunset asks me from the other room, sounding interested in what I have to say. Pulling out a pair of jean shorts, I decide to go with purple tights, matching with the purple shirt I packed. The shirt has a diamond-like pattern, making it look really nice. At least, in my opinion.

Holding up the shirt, I try to imagine what it would look like with my black jacket. Her old jacket… The leather jacket I brought along on the trip used to be hers after all. It’s still one of the best gifts that Sunset has ever given me.

“To think about the future…”

“That sounds ominous. Are you feeling nervous?” she asks in a louder voice from the bathroom. Honestly, I probably shouldn’t have said it like that… Of course it sounds ominous. Mainly because the future itself is unpredictable.

“In a way,” I respond slowly, placing the shirt back down on the bed. Standing up, I quickly slip off my damp bikini, using the towel to dry my hair off some more.

“Wow,” Sunset states in a quieter tone, making me look back at her. Sunset, now outside of the bathroom, has her eyes glued to my ass, chuckling to herself. “You know, I was going to say we should go get something to eat before we leave the hotel, but now I’m thinking that I might not have to leave this room to get a snack~” Sunset licks her lips teasingly, giving me a wink before walking over to her own suitcase. I can’t help but shake my head at her statement, avoiding the urge to blush.

“I’m not exactly sure I would offer you the best energy for the road.” Hooking my bra straps together, I quickly slip on my shirt, looking over at Sunset. The tee shirt she just had on is now thrown back into her bag, the light shining down on her bare skin. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little distracted. She really is beautiful… I’m so lucky.

“Well, then I might just sleep on your shoulder~ How about that?” Sunset teases me some more, pulling out a black tank top. “Also, what do you think? Should I wear this today?”

“Since it’s hot outside, then I would say yes,” I respond to her with a nod, pulling on my tights before grabbing my jean shorts. “Then again, it would be hard for the sun to be hotter than you, now wouldn’t it?”

Sunset’s eyes widen in response to my question, her cheeks flushing a bright red tint. Her mouth opens quietly, yet nothing comes out to respond. Sunset stammers for a moment before pulling the shirt over her head. Honestly, it’s cute to see her so flustered that she can’t seem to whisper any words.

“I… Thank you, Alligator,” Sunset smiles, her tone making it a little ambiguous as to how she feels about my compliment.

“Are you alright…?” Nothing comes from her for a few moments, making my heart beat a little faster. Did I say something wrong…? Walking around to the other side of the bed, I place my hand on her shoulder, trying to get her attention. “Is something wrong…?”

“You’ve been… really affectionate to me on this trip. It feels really nice, but… I can’t help but wonder if it is just because you’re nervous or such. It sounds stupid, I know. But our minds can be irrational,” she tells me before pulling on a pair of jeans. It does make sense though… To be nervous that maybe all this attention isn’t because of love, but because of fear. Fear for the future drives me to shower her with all of my attention. The worst part is that she’s not completely wrong about that…

“I love you more than the world,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her stomach. “I will admit that I am… very nervous. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but if there’s one thing I know, Shimmer?” Kissing her cheek slowly, I rock her back and forth, trying to calm my own thoughts. “I know that I love you.”

Nothing comes from Sunset… At least for a bit. Instead, we just stand here and move back and forth in the dim light of our hotel room. I’m supposed to be the confident and cocky person, but here? I can’t help but melt in her presence. I just… want to hold her. Sunset’s hand slowly touches my own, humming her own slight tune.

“Alright, I believe you. Just promise me that you won’t lose yourself to everything that’s happening on this trip, alright?” Sunset playfully asks me, pulling my arms away from her. She turns around and drapes her arms on my shoulders, looking up into my eyes despite the fact that we’re around the same height.

“I promise.” With that, Sunset’s eyes brim with affection, her hand cupping my cheek gently. Pressing her lips against mine, we share one kiss in the middle of this room. We’re still not ready to get breakfast, but a part of me believes we won’t necessarily mind if we miss out on it. The last things I need are my jacket and my boots.

“How about you go ahead and go down there? I’m sure everyone else is probably getting some food.” Sunset grabs a pair of socks, pulling them onto her feet. “I need to make a quick phone call anyway. But I will be right behind you~” For a few seconds, I can’t help but wait for her until she insists for me to go with a wave of her hand.

“Alright. I will grab a couple waffles for you,” I tell her quietly, leaning down and kissing her forehead. Walking around to the other side of the bed, I slip on my boots and grab my jacket, throwing it on easily. Looking back at Sunset, I see her blow me a kiss, still getting herself ready. Giving her the best smile I can, I turn around and open the door to the hotel room.

As much as I don’t want to leave her, I know that if she wants to be left alone, I should respect that. Besides… Pinkie Pie will probably eat everything before we get down there if I wait up on my lover. Breakfast will be a nice time to try and… get my thoughts in order. About how this day will go and what I am going to do.

Walking down the hallway, I quickly enter the stairwell at the end of the hall. A loud echo emanates from the door shutting behind me. Everything seems cold and metallic in this stairwell, but that’s how it usually is with these kinds of stairs. They’re not supposed to be the main attraction. Many people take the elevator to get to their rooms anyway. These stairs are usually used by hotel management or as a fire escape. Personally, it would be easier to ride the elevator, but I guess I’m just looking for an excuse to use my feet a little more.

Opening the door to the first floor, I walk out into another carpeted hall that looks virtually the same to the one upstairs. Walking down the hall, I try my best to be optimistic about the hotel food. I heard it’s not the best, but some other people say it’s pretty good. I guess it depends on personal taste… I know Pinkie Pie will probably love every second of it…

Walking into the lobby, I can already smell some food from here. The lobby is right next to the dining area where breakfast is served. From here, I can see practically everyone is seated at a few different tables except for Rainbow Dash. Getting herself a drink, Dash doesn’t seem to have a plate with her. She either already got herself something to eat or she hasn’t decided what she wants yet… Making my way past the tables, I walk up to the section where the food is set out, standing beside Dash for a second.

“Haven’t decided what you want to eat?” I ask her quietly, looking at the food for something I’d possibly be interested in.

“Nope,” Dash simply replies, taking a sip of her water with a slight shrug. Her monotone voice tells me she is rather disinterested in the food they have available. However, her eyes don’t look away all the same. “I wouldn’t try the biscuits. They went to the doctor recently and they all have the same condition.” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but look over at her, wondering what she means. Rainbow Dash, being the same stubborn person she’s always been, refuses to elaborate. Instead, she returns my stare curiously, almost looking for an answer.

“What condition do they have…?” I slowly ask her, unsure of how to feel about this exchange. What’s with this new light in her eyes…?

“They’re all crummy,” she tells me with a smile, clearly laughing on the inside. Did she just… make a joke?

A small laugh escapes my lips, unable to hold back. Seeing her make a joke after so long is… nice. After nearly two weeks, she finally shows some semblance of emotion. How could I not laugh?

“I wasn’t expecting that, Dash,” I tell her quietly, feeling the urge to make some remark. It’s so easy to tease people, especially her. Although, I can’t bring myself to do that right now.

“Seriously though. Don’t eat the biscuits. They’re too dry. I know a sea creature like you would hate it,” she jokes again, making fun of my past as a siren. She takes another sip of her water, seemingly returning to her old mood.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what has got you in a good mood?” I gently pry, looking at Rainbow Dash with a skeptical look.

“What? Am I not allowed to be happy?” Dash asks me with a raised eyebrow, before refilling her cup with water. She has a knowing look on her face… She knows something is different with the way she’s acting.

“You’ve been acting off for nearly half a month now. So, I expected you to be all doom and gloom again today,” I tease her, lightly nudging her shoulder. A part of me is worried that I may have gone too far with that statement, but my worry is relieved when I see Rainbow Dash chuckle slightly.

“Let’s just say that I got some good news after a long time.” With that, Dash drinks the rest of her glass before putting it down on a tray, carrying it with her to get some food. Grabbing my own tray and a couple of plates, I follow behind Rainbow Dash. I grab a couple pieces of bacon and scoop up some scrambled eggs. Dash gets some pancakes for herself, avoiding the cereal options they have. “Don’t get the cereal. It almost always tastes stale and old at hotels,” Dash tells me, trying to ward me away from that section.

“What kind of good news did you get?” I finally ask her, still following behind her slowly. Rainbow Dash stops moving, looking down at the basket of fruits in front of her. To anyone else, it might seem like she’s just inspecting the fruit, but to me? It’s clear she’s thinking about how she will answer that question.

“Well, my mom is looking better. That’s all,” Dash tells me quietly, picking up an apple and looking at it carefully. “She… had a heart attack. A while ago. Then due to complications, doctors believe she may have more. But she seems to be doing a lot better than before. It’s funny because she was the one who pushed for me to go on this trip with you girls, even though I didn’t want to leave her.” Her mom… So, that’s why Dash has been really down lately… I can’t help but hope this happiness she’s feeling isn’t just momentary. “So, on one side, I had a friend in need, wanting to apologize to people she used to know. On the other side, I had an ill mom. Pretty tough choice. But since my mom hates people worrying about her, you know what happened.” Dash shrugs slightly, taking a bite out of the apple before placing it on her plate, walking forward. I… I hope she’s not blaming me for being away from her mom.

“Dash. You know that I wouldn’t force you to choose me over your mom, right?” I may act like I’m more important than others, but that’s an act. An ego. I wouldn’t actually force her to do that.

“Relax, Dagi. I’m glad I’m here,” Rainbow Dash tells me with one of the first genuine smiles I’ve seen from her in the last couple of weeks. “Besides. We’ll be able to see some of the sights along the way. My mom has always wanted to visit Chicago, so I figure we can stop there along the way and get her something. I hear it’s like a maze to get through.” Rainbow Dash chuckles slightly, nudging me with her elbow. “However, you’re already a master of mazes, huh?” Dash chuckles a little more, her statement only making me shake my head. Without saying bye, Dash skips the dessert section and walks towards the tables, giving me a small wave without looking back at me. Even though she’s not back to her full self, I still find it enjoyable to see Dash finally joke again.

Taking my eyes off of Dash, I briefly look at the section of desserts they have available. Mostly everything they offer are small treats like ice cream. They’re the more vanilla treats out there, possibly because the hotel is trying to appeal to the largest demographic out there. There’s nothing with real taste. No dessert that has some sort of class to it. Instead, there are just a bunch of desserts children would like. Are adults really this tired on road trips that they would resort to…

Resort to…

Is that…? Are my eyes deceiving me…? I can’t help but feel my mouth salivate at the sight. Walking closer, I glue my eyes to the dessert to make sure it’s real. It sure seems real… Never did I think that… They’re not offered everywhere, so I didn’t think a hotel would have this out here, especially during breakfast. The red glaze on top of the creamy layer… Barely licking my lips, I grab the plate the dessert is on, taking a deep breath in. You could take away everything else and I would be happy just eating this. Maybe it’s just my bias, but this is… the best food in this mortal realm. In any realm. I mean, of course it depends on who makes it, but in general? It is truly what I believe heaven would taste like… Now I feel a little bad for thinking such mediocre things about this hotel. I jumped the gun and assumed they had no drive or motivation to offer a greater selection of finer tastes. Taking another deep breath, I can’t help but smile.

It’s been a while since I have had a slice of cherry cheesecake~

Prevailing Truths

Chapter XVII: Prevailing Truths

“Alright. Everyone out,” Applejack tells everyone once she opens the door to the back area of the RV. We have been traveling for a few hours now and Applejack finally decided to make a pitstop here in Chicago. A part of me feels a little upset, knowing how much Rainbow Dash wants to go sightseeing. I don’t want to waste a lot of time here, but the girls will probably want to stay for a bit…

“Looks like we can stretch our legs for a bit, Alligator~” Sunset whispers to me, nudging me to get up from my seat. Taking a deep breath, I finally stand up and follow the girls out of the RV. Applejack parked the vehicle at another gas station unsurprisingly. There aren’t many places big enough to park this big vehicle. That is kind of why I wasn’t expecting for all of our friends to volunteer to come with us. If it was just Sunset and I, we could have rented a car and parked anywhere we like. However, that isn’t really the case when it comes to the RV. By all means, I am glad my friends are here with me, but the parking situation is a bit of a hassle.

“I am so glad we’re finally taking a break. Sitting in the same chair for hours tends to make my hair unmanageable,” Rarity tells us with a slight sigh, making sure to brush her hair before anyone else can see her.

“Nevermind the fact that we’re going on a roadtrip and seeing the sights. The biggest problem is how everyone might see your hair,” Rainbow Dash remarks with a chuckle, getting a mean stare from Rarity. “Don’t worry. I’m pulling your leg, that’s all,” Dash defends herself, holding her hands up. “But seriously though. Aren’t you the least bit excited that we’re in Chicago? Imagine where we could go. I know I’d like to see some of the sights.” Without wasting a moment, Dash pulls a camera out of her backpack. I thought she would leave the backpack in the RV, but it looks like she is content to bring it with her. Honestly, I’m even more surprised she has a professional camera with her… Dash rubs the side of the camera affectionately and sighs to herself.

“Darling, I have been to Chicago a dozen times… Manhattan on the other hand? I’ve only been there once.” Rarity looks at the city with a small shrug, somewhat used to the sight apparently. Dash can’t help but look at her with a raised eyebrow, almost giving her an insulted stare.

“Well, I have never been here.” Looking back at her camera, Dash takes a deep breath before aiming it at the city. “Neither has my mom.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised you’ve been here so many times, Rarity,” Fluttershy mentions with a quiet curiosity, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Why is that?”

“Mostly showcases of my most recent lines of attire. Fancy Pants even accompanied me here once. Although, one time I came here was because of a… let’s just say an apple disaster,” Rarity mentions rather ominously, looking over to her girlfriend with a small wink. Applejack finished locking up the RV by the time she heard Rarity’s statement. From here, I can see her expression become annoyed with a heavy sigh, bringing her hand to her face.

“It won’t be like the apple disaster, Rares. That was years ago,” Applejack mentions without clarifying a single thing. Everyone except for Rarity and Applejack have a look of confusion on their faces. I can’t exactly blame them. I don’t know what they are talking about either.

“Oki dokes. So, I think I speak for everyone here when I ask ‘what exactly is the apple disaster?’” Pinkie Pie asks the couple in a calmer tone than I have come to expect from her. Rarity laughs to herself, turning away from the group in an attempt to compose herself.

“It was the most ridiculous thing. You see-”

“We ain’t talking about it,” Applejack mentions with an annoyed expression, walking away from the RV. “Y’all wanted to go sightseeing, right? Well, let’s go.” In response to Applejack’s comment, Rainbow Dash simply shrugs her shoulders, taking another picture of the city.

“We still haven’t decided where exactly we’re going to go,” Rainbow remarks, making Applejack a little more annoyed. I feel sad for the cowgirl. She’s had to act like the group leader ever since we left, so it clearly takes a toll on her. “There’s a lot of places to go, so where should we go first?”

“Oh, what if we went to Millennium Park? I’ve always wanted to go there,” Twilight speaks up with a smile, clearly excited at the idea. However, Rarity acts disinterested in the idea, shaking her head.

“I’d rather go to Navy Pier. It’s a much better view, darling.” Before Rarity can say another word, Applejack sighs and holds her hand out.

“Y’all, we aren’t stopping here for the whole day. A few hours at most. How about we split up and go where we want, then meet up for lunch? Sound good?” the cowgirl suggests to the group, seemingly hopeful her idea will be accepted. Honestly, I can’t help but feel grateful for Applejack… I don’t necessarily want to waste too much time being a tourist when I want to find Aria and Sonata… For me, this trip is far different than any vacation…

“Everyone up for Millennium Park?” Dash asks with a raised hand, looking at the group. Twilight raises her hand pretty soon after. Sunset also joins in, looking at me with an expectant smile. Taking a deep breath, I finally raise my own hand, hesitant to actually go sightseeing.

“Then I guess the rest of us are going to Navy Pier?” Fluttershy asks with a curious tone, her eyes look so innocent that you could hardly tell her apart from a puppy. If she had dog ears, I know they would be folded down right now. Huh… Actually, I guess I should be thinking about pony ears. Sunset says there is a pony counterpart of Fluttershy back in Equestria. At least, that’s what Princess Twilight told her… Why am I even thinking about what kind of animal ears she would have? Maybe it’s because she’s an animal lover…

“Alright, folks. If ya need to leave your group, try to stick with one other person. Adagio and Sunset shouldn’t have a problem with that,” Applejack mentions with a strict tone, clearly wanting us to use a buddy system. “Keep your phones on at all times. I trust y’all, it’s just the people in this city that I don’t trust.” Applejack points to her own phone as if to emphasize her statement.

“Does your distrust have something to do with the ‘apple disaster’?” Rainbow asks with a laugh, making Applejack roll her eyes.

“Maybe. Anyway, y’all need to stick together. Let’s meet around… one. We’ll meet around one at a restaurant to get some lunch.” Even Applejack sounds unsure of her plan, as if she is anticipating something to go wrong. Honestly, I can’t help but agree with her on that one. We’re splitting up into two groups, one with Rainbow Dash and one with Pinkie Pie. Those two are pretty much always getting themselves into trouble. However, Dash is less energetic than she used to be ever since we embarked on this trip. Maybe we won’t have to keep her line as much. Especially since she is trying to take pictures for her mom.

“Alright, we’ll see you then,” I tell her with a nod, trying to give her a smirk of confidence to mask my uncertainty. I just hope we don’t spend too much time here…

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

“So, they call this Cloud Gate?” I ask Rainbow Dash with a confused expression, staring at the large sculpture in front of me. Honestly, I cannot fathom why it would be called that. I guess it can be classified under abstract art…

“Yep. I know it looks like a bean, but eh. It’s one of the many sights after all.” Dash carefully aims her camera at the bean-shaped structure, taking a picture of it. Twilight had gone to some sort of shop right outside of the park, leaving Sunset, Dash and I alone. Honestly, I don't know what Twilight would want to buy there, but it is her decision.

“I think it is pretty impressive honestly,” Sunset tells us with a small shrug, her gaze glued to the sculpture. I can’t pretend to see what Sunset is seeing, but I’m glad she’s enjoying it at least. Taking my phone out, I check the time once more. Every hour we spend here is another hour we could spend getting closer to Aria and Sonata… I don’t want to overexert Applejack, but… I’d rather find them quickly. It’s been years since I have seen them last. I don’t- “Rainbow? Could you take a picture of Adagio and I with the sculpture?” Sunset’s voice breaks me from my thoughts, making me look at her with a confused look. Sunset has a confident expression on her face before giving me a wink.

“Oh? Sure, I can do that. Just get closer to it and I’ll take the best picture I can,” Dash tells us with a slight wave of her hand, gesturing for us to walk closer to Cloud Gate.

“What are we doing?” I ask Sunset as she leads me closer to the structure, knowing full well what is happening. I just want to know why we’re doing this. We have more important things to do, like meeting with the others and hurrying this along.

“Ever since we stopped in Chicago, you have done nothing but check the time. I know how anxious you are to get a move on and find Aria and Sonata,” she tells me with an understanding tone to her voice. “But… I also want you to enjoy this. This is the first time we have gone on a trip together, and we probably won’t go on another one for a long time.” Stopping about a meter away from the bean, Sunset turns to look at me with a smile, a pleading look in her eyes. “We will find them. But they aren’t going anywhere in the next five minutes. We can probably afford to take some time to enjoy the sights. And… we don’t have a lot of pictures together~ I would love to have some to remember this trip.” Sunset tilts her head slightly, almost begging me nonverbally to go along with her idea.

In a way, she is right… We don’t have a lot of pictures together. I have a few pictures of her on my phone, especially a picture of her sleeping on my shoulder, but not many of the two of us. Only a couple of group photos with our friends. I guess she’s right. We do need more pictures.

“Alright. We can take some pictures together,” I respond with a nod, trying my best to push away my anxiety about waiting here any longer. Sunset’s eyes light up to my response, her hands holding mine even tighter.

“Thank you, Alligator~” Her voice is laced with gratitude and a sweet tone, her eyes telling me just how much this means to her. Within a moment, Sunset presses her lips against mine, surprising me with a passionate kiss. It never gets old… “Alright. Are you ready?” Without giving me a chance to respond, she turns towards Dash, prompting me to do the same. Dash already has her camera positioned and ready for some reason. She brings her hand up and holds up three fingers. Then she lowers one, giving us a countdown. The breeze blows against my cheek and I can’t help but notice just how everything is so… colorful. Sunset’s skin glows bright and her happy expression fuels me. If it really makes her this happy to take some pictures and see some sights… then I guess it can’t hurt.

Holding Sunset’s hand, I give the camera the most genuine smile I can, feeling a bit happier than before. I’ve been so stressed since this trip started, but everything seems like it’s under control now. The demon in my mind is working with me for once. We’re still at a great pace to find Aria and Sonata. And Sunset is… really happy. Life feels really good right now… For the first time in months, I don’t feel so stressed. I love life, but… I love Sunset even more.

Dash pulls the camera down from its original angle, seemingly looking at the picture. For a brief moment, Sunset and I are forced to wait here in case we need to take the photo again. That is before Rainbow Dash gives us a thumbs up and laughs to herself.

“Cute. Now can one of you take a picture of me? I need one for my mom,” Dash asks us in a loud voice given the distance between us. Always the insatiable one, isn’t she? Shaking my head with a chuckle, I let go of Sunset’s hand, walking towards Dash. Under normal circumstances, I would tease Dash for wanting a photo of herself or tell her to take a selfie with her phone instead, but that won’t work this time. The whole reason Dash is taking pictures in the first place is for her mom. I can at least try and be a bit sympathetic for her.

“Alright, Dashie. Let me see the camera,” I tell her with another chuckle escaping her lips. I expected to see Dash amused as well, but she has a pretty serious expression on her face instead…

“Okay… Look, be careful with this camera. Really,” She tells me with a cautionary tone to her voice, hesitantly handing it over to me. “Press this button to focus the shot, and then press this button to take the picture. That’s really important. I want high quality pictures for my mom.” Her fingers point to the buttons I need to press way more carefully than I have ever seen Rainbow Dash handle something before. Towards the bottom of the camera, there is a small tag with writing on it, stating that it is the property of Bow Hothoof. Wait… I remember that name. That’s why she is so protective of this camera. It is her mom’s camera. I should have known.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to follow those steps and get you a great photo,” I reassure Dash with a nod, making sure to hold the camera tightly. I can’t really understand a mom and daughter relationship, but I know it is important. I didn’t have parents in my life. But Dash did. She clearly loves them a lot.

Dash quickly makes her way to the spot where Sunset and I were previously standing. She strikes a pose worthy of her confident persona, giving me a toothy grin and a peace sign with her fingers. Pulling the camera up, I look into the viewfinder. I wait for a few moments until the wind blows Dash’s hair to the right, giving the scene an even more epic feeling. Taking the photo, I pull away to look at the finished product. The sun shines down on Rainbow Dash and the wind makes her look… awesome.

“Oh, that’s a good picture,” Sunset says while looking over my shoulder. “Wait… What is that?” she asks me quietly, pointing to the bottom right of the screen. A couple of the previous pictures are shown in a small window. The last one shows Sunset and I smiling at the camera, but that isn’t what caught our attention. The second picture is of Sunset and I again, but it shows us kissing in front of the sculpture. That’s why she had the camera ready, huh…?

“You clever girl,” I say quietly, tapping away from the photo as fast as I can.

“Hey, I didn’t get a good look at the photo,” Sunset tells me with a tone of curiosity to her voice, reaching to tap back to the picture. Pulling the camera away from her hand, I shake my head to tell her no.

“It was a fluke. A bad picture of us. Nothing to see.” Sunset raises her eyebrow for a moment before a convinced expression comes over her simply shrugging to herself.

“If you say so,” She tells me with a nod, looking back towards Dash. In reality, the picture Dash took was perfect… I mean, she didn’t have our permission to take the photo, but I am glad she did. It was a static shot with so much… life. I’m going to show it to Sunset later. That is if I can convince Dash to let me surprise her with it.

“Well?!” Dash yells to us with an irritated look. “Is it a good shot or not?” Clearly, she’s tired of holding the same pose, waiting for Sunset and I to finish talking.

“Yeah, you can stop flexing, Dash,” I tease her with a thumbs up, making sure to hold the camera tightly enough that it doesn’t fall out of my hand. Dash quickly makes her way back to us, grabbing the camera and looking at the photo for herself.

“Not bad! This is pretty awesome!” Dash’s eyes are glued to the picture. I know she has a bit of an ego, but I think she’s legitimately impressed with how she looks in the photo. I mean, can I blame her? I look at myself in the mirror a lot as well. Ever since I got some of my confidence back, I can’t help but have a small ego too. Not big enough to outshine my love for the fiery-haired woman beside me though. “Now if you two excuse me, I have to go take pictures of Navy Pier. Can’t miss out on any of the sights.” Dash pulls out her magical necklace from her pocket, putting it on before blinking out of existence. In a moment, a huge gust of wind hits both of us. I’m barely able to stand straight without the help of Sunset.

“She… She didn’t just… Did she?” Sunset asks me quietly, her eyes filled with worry. At this point, I can tell what she’s worried about. Magic as a whole is a concept Sunset is scared to embrace, even though she is the one who knows it the best. She still hasn’t worn her necklace…

“Sunny. I don’t think you would, but do you mind if we talk?” I ask her with a reassuring tone. Holding her hand tighter, I look into her eyes with a smile. It’s not every day I am the one who reassures her. But I can tell it is working.

“What do you want to talk about?” Sunset asks me, giving one final look in the direction our friend went speeding off in. Reaching into Sunset’s pocket, I pull out her necklace, inspecting it for a moment. As soon as my eyes look at the gem, I can feel the siren’s impulse to drain some of her magic, but I hold it back without a change in expression.

“I want to talk about magic. You’re the only one who hasn’t tried wearing your necklace. Everyone else has been exploring their magic again just in case we will need it. Even I have. What’s going on?” Pulling her along, I walk away from the Cloud Gate, going into the park. Ever since that conversation we had in the music studio, I was hoping Sunset would believe in herself and try to investigate her magic some more. I guess she’s more scared than I thought.

“I know. It’s just… I don’t know. It feels all too soon to embrace that magic again.” Sunset takes the necklace from my hand, looking at it for a moment. A heavy sigh exits her lips, shaking her head to whatever thought is in her mind. “I know what you’re going to say, Adagio. You’re going to tell me I should be more confident and that I wouldn’t change into a monster again. I know that. It’s just… daunting to put this necklace back on.” Sunset turns her gaze towards some of the trees, the sound of other people making the park feel more lively.

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.” My statement makes Sunset’s eyes turn back to me, looking at me with a confused stare. “I don’t want you to do something that you’re not comfortable with. I just wanted to see you overcome this fear. I know how fear can… take control.” Looking up towards the sky, I can’t help but feel a little depressed. I know I can’t exactly force her to not be scared anymore. I just wish there was something I could do to help her. “However. I know you. I know you’re a good person. If anyone can understand the magic in this world, it would be you. Plus, it would be a big help.” Looking back towards Sunset, I see her expression is even more confused than before, her hand pulling me to a stop.

“Wait. How would my expertise in magic help?” she asks me cautiously, clearly wondering what I mean.

So, you’re going to tell her? I can’t help but take a deep breath, preparing the words in my mind. I have no idea how she will react, but given the information she’s about to learn, I’m willing to bet not favorably. I thought out of everyone, you would tell Twilight since she can put the gem back together. But Sunset is my partner. I owe her this much. She’s an expert of magic in this world. She’ll have a plan. You better be right.

“It would help since… I need magic,” I tell her quietly, looking towards the ground. Here goes everything. Nothing would be an understatement… “Before you say anything, I need you to listen to me. You know those dreams and hallucinations I had of a past version of me?” I reconnect our shared gaze, seeing the bewilderment in her mind. “Those… never stopped. I told you they did, but they didn’t. It turns out that they weren’t hallucinations to begin with. I-”

“Hold on. They… never stopped?” Sunset asks me in disbelief. “So, you lied to me…?”

“I… Yes, I did. But there’s a reason why. The hallucinations were made by my subconscious.” Bringing my hand up to my head, I swirl my finger a couple of times to try and accompany my message. “That vision of me? She’s real. She’s my subconscious and I just learned recently about why she acts the way she does. The Battle of the Bands caused my mind to break and-”

“She’s real?” Sunset asks, interrupting me again. Pulling her hand away from my own, she takes a step away from me, seemingly trying to force some words out of her mouth. “She’s your subconscious and never left you alone. You never told me? And now you’re implying that it’s my fault your mind is broken?” A singular tear slides down her angry face, staring at me for some sort of answer.

“No, I’m not trying to blame you. I’m just… I’m saying that the loss of my magic broke my mind in two. So, I…” Taking a deep breath, I try my best to formulate my thoughts. I don’t want to make her angrier than she is now… “I think the way for me to fix my mind is for me to use magic.” A hurt expression is written on Sunset’s face, her eyes staring at me as if she can’t believe what she is hearing. I knew her reaction would be bad, but… not to this extent.

“Let me get this straight,” Sunset whispers in an angry tone, sighing to herself. “You lied to me about the hallucinations going away. You told me that you stopped having hallucinations. Then you lied to me about your own fears? You also tell me just now, when we’re trying to find your friends, that you need magic to heal your mind? Why would you lie to me about all of that?” Her tone is accusatory as she vents her anger, her hand tightening into a fist.

“At first, I… couldn’t. She-”

“Couldn’t why, Adagio? What was so important that you would keep this from me?” Her voice is louder than before, making me feel a little worried other people might look our way.

“She threatened me, alright? That’s why… I couldn’t tell you because my subconscious threatened me that she would hurt you. And since she is my subconscious back when I had my magic, I don’t really doubt her words. I was evil back then…” Looking towards the ground, I can’t help but feel my emotions getting the better of me. No. I need to be calm and explain this rationally to her. She’ll understand. She always does. I just-

“How would she threaten you with my safety?” Sunset asks me in disbelief, making me look back up at her. Her eyes make her look like she’s in shock with me, shaking her head slowly. “Could she… control you?” As soon as her words hit me, my heart stops… No matter how hard I try to control it, this tsunami keeps getting worse.

“I… yes. She can. But I’ve got her under control now. See, I-”

“How long?” she asks me bluntly, another tear sliding down her face. Despite the tear, her eyes look disappointed and angry, looking at me as if I am something else than human.

“Ever since our first Halloween together…” My words slowly fall out of my mouth as I feel my muscles begin to go numb. I know this feeling all too well. Not this time. I need to be the one talking to her.

“That was nearly two years ago, Adagio,” Sunset whispers with a slight shake of her head. The tears running down her face only make my heart hurt even more, a part of me wishing I never said anything. No… I know she needed to hear this someday…

“Sunset, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you and I-” again, I get cut off, her hand held in mid air to stop me mid sentence.

“Stop it, Adagio. Just…” Sunset takes a shaky breath before turning away from me. “Just… give me a bit. I need to think about all this. From all the lying to you saying you need magic to fix yourself.” Sunset puts her foot out, beginning to walk away from me.

“Sunset? Where are you going? We… We need to meet back up with everyone else.” Sunset simply pulls out her phone and shakes it in the air as a response to my words, walking away from me. Her hair waves in the wind, but I can tell just how frustrated she is by the way she is walking. I can’t help but keep my eyes on her, no matter how small she gets.

That didn’t turn out very well. Smart move. her voice rings in my mind, making my blood boil. I know it didn’t turn out very well. But… she needed to know. The truth needed to come out eventually.

God, I hate hurting her…

Pulling out my phone, I consider calling her, holding back my thumb from tapping her icon. No… She needs a bit of time to process all of this. Once she does, I can apologize and she will probably have a plan. I just need to give her some time, that’s all.

Author's Note

How did you like the chapter~? I know it wasn't as long as chapter 16, but I thought this would be a pretty good place to end the chapter. Unfortunately, I promised everyone we would get to see somewhat of how Sonata and Aria are doing by chapter 18. Due to everything that has happened recently, I won't be able to do that. The reveal of how Sonata and Aria are doing will have to wait for a later chapter. I'm not sure how much later, but I do know next chapter won't be focused around them. Anyway, I hope you are all looking forward to the next chapter!

Use Your Head

Chapter XVIII: Use Your Head

The blue light emanating from my phone grows irritating after a while. In truth, it isn’t because of the phone itself. It’s because I’m waiting for a text. A call. Something. Anything from her. It’s been about an hour since she walked away from me and all I want to do is apologize. Waiting for something is torture. I guess I brought this on myself for lying so much to her, but… still. Sometimes I forget that the one thing I want in this world is her happiness. Taking away that happiness makes me upset in equal measures.

“Hey, Dagi. Wake up,” Dash tells me with a slight slap to my head. Sighing, I put my phone away to look at everyone else. “That must have been the twentieth time you checked that thing.” Without hesitation, Dash swallows a big bite of noodles. The table we sit at is located in the corner of a Chinese restaurant, Rarity making the recommendation due to her history with Chicago.

“Do ya blame her? She had a fight with her girlfriend. I’d be in the same situation if I had a fight with Rares,” Applejack tells Dash with an explanatory tone, gaining the attention of Rarity.

“You would?! Aw, that’s so sweet, Darling!” Rarity practically gasps in admiration, clearly affected by Applejack’s words. A blush appears on Applejack’s face before she hides her face under her hat.

“What exactly was their fight about anyway?” Pinkie asks before quickly emptying her bowl of rice.

“Could we stop talking about my personal life? It’s making this wait even more unbearable,” I state with a small sigh, shaking my head. I avoided ordering anything for myself, because I knew it would make me feel sick. Everyone else seems to have a big appetite however. I can’t exactly blame them.

“We could talk about the souvenirs they have in the city. I got a pretty interesting snow globe that I think Spike will like. It depicts the city’s skyline, so I think it will be great to spruce up my place~” Twilight pulls out her phone and shows everyone a picture of the snowglobe in question. I can agree that it would add a little bit to her house’s decoration. However, that’s not saying much. Twilight doesn’t have a lot of stuff in her house that looks good. If anything, she has clutters of research material rather than framed pictures.

“Oh, that looks interesting,” Fluttershy mentions as she points to a shirt in the background of Twilight’s photo. “What shop did you get that at?” Twilight looks at the photo again before putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Souvenir City. It’s just a few blocks from here.” Twilight points behind her to give Fluttershy a general direction of where the shop is located.

You still should have told Twilight instead. It would have worked better. Will you shut it? I needed to tell Sunset at some point… Better now than wait even longer. I just wish I could know what she is thinking. I hurt her. The most important thing for me to do is to cast aside my ego and to own up to that. To show her I mean it when I say that I’m sorry… Every relationship has fights. I should try to do everything I can to avoid turning it into a fight…

Looking around the restaurant, my eyes scan the customers for fiery hair. While some people have red hair, they are nowhere near the same hue as Sunset’s hair. I could recognize her in a room of three hundred people. It’s almost comical how she used to be someone I hated. Now? She’s the love of my life. A very very long life… Regardless, I could pick her out of a crowd in a second. Honestly, she could probably do the same with me. I’ve been with her for nearly three years now. At times, it’s still hard to believe that it has been that long.

My eyes move towards the door of the restaurant as soon as I see some movement. Fiery hair fills my vision, mimicking the colors at the end of a day. My heart instantly starts to beat faster as I see her, a smile on her face. Why is she smiling…? I thought I hurt her… Yet here she is, seemingly unaffected by what happened earlier. No… She’s still affected. She doesn’t want the others to know that. She often hides her feelings from her friends. Not from me though… And I keep repaying that by lying to her.

“Hey, Sunset! Over here!” Pinkie exclaims, making me jump slightly. I honestly wasn’t expecting to hear Pinkie say that. Sunset looks our way, giving us a wave before walking over to the table. Her hair bounces slightly, making me feel a little confused. Is her hair… shorter? I can’t tell. It looks the same, but… different at the same time.

“Heya, Sunset. Are you alright?” Applejack asks her. Sunset nods before sitting down next to me, her shoulder touching my own.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Adagio and I just had a small disagreement, that’s all. I feel much better now~” Sunset grabs a menu and eagerly looks at the options, seemingly hungry after she disappeared for an hour.

“Oh, did you get a haircut? Your hair looks positively stunning, darling!” Rarity compliments Sunset with adoration in her voice.

“I did~ I only had an inch cut off and some product put in my hair, but I think it looks really nice.” Sunset tilts her head to give everyone else a better look at her hair. Pinkie stares at Sunset’s hair with amazement, but Dash doesn’t seem even vaguely interested. Honestly, I feel a little sad that I couldn’t recognize that Sunset did something with her hair. Rarity noticed within a second, but I wasn’t sure. In a way, I should be the one who knows her the best…

“Huh. I mean, I wouldn’t invest in getting a haircut during our trip. I have too many pictures to take, but you do you.” Dash shrugs and takes a drink from her cup, her plate long since empty of any actual food.

“Well, don’t get too comfortable taking pictures, Rainbow. We aren’t staying here too much longer. We have to get going once everyone is done eating,” Applejack comments with a somewhat stern and understanding tone. Sunset’s shoulder tenses up as soon as Applejack says that…

“I was thinking we could stay here for a night,” Sunset mentions without looking up from her menu. “Dash has more pictures to take and I am pretty tired. I don’t think it would hurt to stay here for the night.” Again, Sunset casually looks through the meals, unaware of Applejack’s confused expression. Applejack’s eyes look towards me as if to ask for some answer. Unfortunately, I am equally in the dark about this.

“Uh, I hope you don’t mind me asking, Sunset, but… why? What made ya change your mind? You were content leaving when we stopped.” Applejack’s eyes study Sunset carefully, trying to look for some sort of answer. I would also like some clarification about what is happening here, but it all depends on if Sunset is willing to tell.

“I just want to take a break, that’s all. I think we could all use an early night.” I have a feeling why she wants to take a break, but that’s not something I can talk about in front of everyone else…

“Alright. I suppose we can stay here for the night,” Applejack mentions quietly to no objection. Everyone else seems fine with the idea. Everyone except me…

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

Opening the door to the hotel room, I do my best to pull all of our bags inside, Sunset walking in right behind me. She hasn’t so much as said a word to me since we left the restaurant. I mean, I can’t exactly blame her. But it does make me worried about what she is thinking. Is she planning on talking now that we’re alone? Or is she going to give me the silent treatment? Whatever it is, we’re sharing a room, so we’ll talk eventually. Sunset closes the door before walking into the bathroom, leaving me to sort out our bags.

The room has a bed and a couch with a small TV. The couch seems to be one of those pieces that can fold out into a bed of its own. It isn’t the best room, but it will have to do for now. Taking a deep breath, I gently lay down my suitcase, opening it to find my toothbrush. Let’s admit it. I hurt her. No matter how much she acts like things are fine, I still need to apologize for the years of smoke and mirrors. Lies built on top of each other… Some of them, I couldn’t control, but others were completely in my grasp. Tightening my grip on my toothbrush, I can’t help but feel this deep innate guilt, bubbling to the surface.

“Sunset?” I call out, keeping my eyes on my brush, trying to count the bristles to keep me in check. “Can we talk?” Nothing but silence follows my request, idle sounds coming from the bathroom. The silence continues for a moment too long, making my mind work faster than before.

“Talk about what?” she finally responds to me, her voice carrying a more empty tone than before. I had guessed she was trying to keep up appearances in the restaurant…

Standing up, I quietly walk to the bathroom door, peering inside. Sunset simply stands there, looking deeply into the mirror with a stern expression. She refuses to look my way. She doesn’t acknowledge my existence in any visible way, but I know she sees me.

“Sunset. I… We never got to talk more after I told you everything at the park.” My mind tries to think of the words to say, finding it hard to come up with the exact right statement.

“Is that everything?” Sunset asks in an almost condescending tone, chuckling to herself out of annoyment. “Is that really everything? When I left, I couldn’t stop thinking about if there was something else you were hiding.” Her eyes look at my reflection, still refusing to turn her head towards me.

“Yes, that is everything. Everything I hid from you is now in the open.” At least, I think so… I can’t remember anything else off the top of my head. I don’t think there is anything else… “Before we say anything else, I just want to say that I’m sorry. I know I hurt you with my lies and… I really do regret it. In some aspects, I had no choice, but I still know that lying hurts.”

“Had no choice? Like when your subconscious threatened my life?” Sunset scoffs to herself, shaking her head. “Adagio, that’s the problem. It’s not so much the lying. It’s the fact that you don’t trust me with these things. I trust you with everything, but you can’t tell me your fears or the things going on in your head.” Finally, her eyes turn to face me, a deeply sad expression looking back at me. “I can protect myself, Adagio. When we got together, I signed up to be a part of YOUR life. To be there for you. But you won’t let me.” Brushing past me, Sunset walks towards the bed, once again turning her back to me.

“You’re right. I haven’t given you that chance…” Taking a step closer, I hold back my urge to try and defend myself. It’s better to take responsibility for it. “I haven’t given you a chance to be a part of my life, to know my fears and to be here… The truth is that I find it really hard to do that. I am so used to tackling my own problems head on and not letting someone inside my life. I never did that as a siren. Even with Aria and Sonata. In a way, it’s terrifying…” That’s the truth. It’s hard to let someone in because… it is one of the few things I fear. Being vulnerable and showing that side of myself. I was supposed to be a siren queen, ruling above other creatures. So, I made my walls so thick that it’s hard for me to vent to her. “I have tried to let you in on some things. Like how I was scared about the GED. But when it came to my fear of her… I couldn’t bring myself to tell you that. It’s hard to let people in, even after all this time.”

Sunset doesn’t say a word, her arms crossed with her back facing me. A small sigh exiting her lips reassures me that she heard what I said. Her head hangs low, letting the silence grow in strength. In no way do I blame her for how she feels… Isn’t it a normal reaction to feel skeptical and hesitant when someone hurts you in such a way? I have no one to blame but myself. But that also means I am the only one who can fix this…

“I’m sorry, Sunset. You give me too much and I rewarded it with impenetrable walls of lies. I didn’t want to keep it from you for so long, but that doesn’t change what I did.” Taking a step closer to her, I try to look around her shoulder to get a glimpse of her face. “I really do-”

“I want some time,” Sunset whispers, barely breaking the silence in the room. “Give me some time to think about it. I’ll tell you what I think tomorrow.” Her eyes look over her shoulder at me, the light showing a streak of tears going down her cheeks. “This is years of lies that you told me about and I… I just need a day to process it all.”

“Alright,” I whisper in response, holding my hands up. “Take all the time you need. And whatever conclusion you come to, I’m sure it will be just.” As much as my mind wants to keep up the conversation, I know I can’t force her to feel better. Sometimes, we all need a little space. It’s a sad truth of life. We’re social creatures, but we still need time to ourselves. “Do you want me to sleep in the RV so you can have the room to yourself?” I used to be so selfish… But now, I can’t imagine being selfish when it comes to Sunset. She deserves better than me anyway.

“No, you can sleep on the pull out couch. I don’t want to make you sleep in a hot vehicle.” Sunset takes off her jacket, beginning to undress for bed. Her head looks down at the bed and I can’t help but feel worried about how much this has affected her.

“I still love you,” I whisper as a final statement before pulling out the couch to make a second bed.

“I still love you as well.”

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

Gently closing the door, I take a deep breath, putting my hands into my jacket’s pockets. The purple scarf keeps my neck warm from the chilly hotel air, but I understand why it’s kept so cool. It’s the middle of the summer. Heat is ever present, so many places keep their establishments colder than they should be to try and accommodate everyone. Sunset is still asleep in her bed, but I had a hard time getting any sleep. Maybe an hour or two at most… Now it is nearly four in the morning and I can’t help but find the urge to get some fresh air…

Walking down the hall, I quickly enter the stairs, my boots making an echo through this concrete stairwell. My mind has been racing with thoughts all day. Thoughts of what might happen… I don’t think she will break up with me over this. She still loves me, but it doesn’t mean that she is prohibited from feeling hurt. Rather, I just can’t help but wonder what she will think. Not only about all the lies, but my request for her help to get my magic back.

My magic is the only way I can think of to fix my mind. To make my subconscious stop trying to convince me to turn evil again. Still… There’s this nagging thought at the back of my mind. What if she’s right? What if… What if Adagio is supposed to be like that? Am I some sort of anomaly where I gained love and friendship? Is she the true personality of Adagio Dazzle? If that’s the case, then… what would happen when I get my magic back? What if I… No. I can’t afford to think like that. It is only the siren trying to get in my head. I am Adagio Dazzle. I just changed… That’s all. I may have dreamed to be a ruler, but I have changed course. People can do that.

Still… The thought sets a frightening precedent. To think that maybe she represents the true personality of Adagio and I wouldn’t have changed if my mind wasn’t broken. In a way, doesn’t that invalidate all of my hard work? All of my effort to repent for what I’ve done and be a better person? None of these thoughts have answers at the moment. All I can do is wait and see what the future holds. Why am I the only person in this god forsaken world who has to deal with these issues of double personality, magic problems and trying to keep their relationship intact at the same time?

Walking into the lobby of the hotel, I can’t help but find it relaxing that it is almost perfectly silent. The only people in here are the desk clerk and a woman with rainbow hair. Raising my eyebrow, I walk towards the couch where she is sitting, looking down at her phone.

“Dash?” I ask quietly with some confusion behind my voice. “What are you doing out here?” Rainbow Dash looks up from her phone, her eyes connecting with mine. A smile comes to her face, almost chuckling at my presence.

“Dagi. Hey~ I didn’t know you were up.” Dash quickly puts her phone away before standing up to give me a hug. Her embrace is warm, but something about her behavior feels slightly off… “I was waiting on a phone call. Just some… hospital stuff. Don’t worry about it,” Dash tries to brush it off, shrugging her shoulders. “Couldn’t get much sleep anyway. Too worried I guess. Why are you awake though?” She throws the question back at me, making me feel surprised. I should have expected her to ask me that.

“Eh, the same reason. I don’t really feel like talking about it though. I just wanted some fresh air to see if it could help this siren feel sleepy.” Rainbow laughs at my statement, shrugging her shoulders as if she is in agreement.

“Honestly? I don’t feel like talking about my troubles either. But I’m guessing we could both use a little bit of company, right? I know there’s a convenience store down the street. Want to go there with me? My treat.” The fact that Dash is willing to lay down some of her own cash is an offer I can’t really refuse. Getting a snack for free isn’t an everyday occurrence after all.

“Alright. You’ve got my attention,” I tease her with a smirk. Dash rolls her eyes with a smile before turning towards the door of the hotel, leading the way. The automatic door slides open in front of us, letting the warm night air embrace my body. Despite the temperature, it’s nice to get some air. The moon is full and bright tonight. No matter where I look, there are signs of life everywhere. Cars pass us by, just like some of the other people on the sidewalk. It’s not that much different from Canterlot City in some aspects. I can’t help but find myself lucky that the house I own with Sunset has some pretty thick walls.

“Is there anything that you would like to talk about?” Dash asks me curiously, walking backwards to face me. “Anything on your mind that you can talk about, I mean. That sort of thing.” Dash’s eyes stay focused on me, despite moving around a lamp post.

“I suppose. I’ve been really worried about what I will do once I find them, honestly.” My eyes trail away from hers, looking towards the night sky. Barely any stars can be seen due to the light pollution in the city. I guess that's what I prefer about Canterlot City. There are many parts of the city that are dark enough to see the stars. But here in Chicago? Not so much. Although, I am not exactly accustomed to this city.

“Aria and Sonata? Like what you will say to them?” Dash asks me before shrugging slightly to herself. Putting her hands behind her back, Dash hums to herself, seemingly thinking of something to say. “Honestly, I don’t remember much about them. I mean, yeah. Obviously I remember what they look like and how their voices grinded against my gears back then due to how annoying you girls were, but I don’t remember if I ever learned about them personally. Like what their personalities were or what they thought. I just know that they were your friends.” A street light reflects in Rainbow Dash’s eye, showing me an optimistic look on her face. “How about you tell me about them?”

Huh… Tell her about them. There’s not much to tell, but at the same time, there are multiple lifetimes to talk about. It makes me think about what is important to mention. “Where should I begin?” I ask her rhetorically, trying to occupy the space while I think. “Aria was always annoying. She has grinded on my nerves ever since we met. It was simply unbearable, but in a way? I miss that about her.” Rolling my eyes, I can’t help but sigh, thinking about her. “She and I met before Sonata came into the picture. I was a siren with no parents and high ambitions. She also had high ambitions and wanted to be in the same boat. Even though she wanted to make the plans, she always struggled to pick up on social cues and to think far enough ahead. That is where I came in and took the charge.”

“You two met when you were kids?” Dash asks with a curious look in her eyes, still walking backwards without so much as a moment of hesitancy. “And what about Aria? Did she have parents?” Honestly, the question makes me feel amused. It’s nice to see her so interested in my life and what I have to say about my previous friends.

“Aria had parents, but parental relationships worked very differently when it came to sirens. In Equestria, ponies had similar familial structures as humans do, but sirens are-” Stopping myself, I take a deep breath, making an effort to try and correct myself. “Sirens were different. Even though Aria had parents, her parents weren’t a big part of her life. Sirens were expected to lead their own lives and hone their magic. We perceived ourselves as the top of the food chain, but even then, I thought many of the other sirens lacked ambition. They were content where they were instead of trying to rule above all else. They were… lazy.” The thought of that culture makes my soul light on fire… Even if I don’t believe in power anymore, they truly were disgusting… They believed they were at the top and got lazy without anything to show for it. Next thing they know, they are wiped out like flies because they got content. For a culture that prioritized power above emotions and connections, they did the worst job at keeping their power. It makes me so furious to think about how worthless they were…

“Speaking of which, what exactly happened…? To the other sirens I mean. You keep talking about them in past tense.” Dash turns around right as we reach the store’s front entrance, opening the door for me. Her interest is clearly piqued, making her fully focused on me. I suppose I owe her an answer to that.

“Before the time of princesses, the ponies overthrew them. They got tired of their treatment and easily got rid of each one of them. Except for the three of us. I had ambition and we all trained our magic every day. I wanted to make the world kneel to the true siren queen. I got close to that goal.” Walking inside the store, I can’t help but notice the overwhelming amount of white light and scented cleaners. Clearly, this store uses them to clean up whatever messes that they have, but it only makes me feel nauseous. My nostrils almost flare and burn at the smell, but Dash seems unbothered by it all. Slowly shaking my head, I try my best to ignore the smell, walking further into the store. “But that’s besides the point. Sonata joined Aria and I a little while later when she shared her plushie with me. She was kind of a social outcast since she was a lot more emotion oriented than the rest of us and she didn’t care for power, but Aria and I adopted her into the group due to that.”

“Wait. Sonata didn’t want power? Then why was she even working with you guys to take over Equestria?” Dash asks me with a raised eyebrow before looking at the selection of candy bars available.

“We were her only friends. She didn’t like ponies and the other sirens only treated her like the lowest common denominator. So, I guess it was because she had no problems following us. She didn’t seem to mind as long as she was with us.” Picking a chocolate bar off the shelf, I shake it lightly towards Dash to let her know this is the treat I want. I’m not getting it for me… I’m getting it for Sunset.

“Huh. If she was mistreated by other sirens so much, I can’t help but wonder why she shared her toy with you in the first place. For all she knew, you could have been mean to her as well.” Honestly, I was mean to Sonata. It wasn’t like I treated her much better than anyone else. Dash brings up a good point however.

Dash picks up a package of Skittles, smiling to herself. The rainbow tasting the rainbow… Ironic. The sound of the door makes me aware of other customers walking inside the store. The same sound makes Dash shrug her shoulders, leading the way towards the drinks in the back.

“I honestly don’t know why she shared her toy with me. I’m just glad she did. I know I can’t repay her by giving her face paint,” I joke with Dash, chuckling to myself while shaking my head. Dash stops in her tracks and looks back at me with a raised eyebrow, clearly confused.

“Wait. What do you mean?” she asks with a skeptical tone. Oh. I forgot not everyone knows about that small detail…

“Sonata is allergic to face paint. It causes a lot of itching and irritation. In bad cases, it can make it hard for her to breathe.” My statement only seems to make Dash even more confused, giggling in a curious and surprised way.

“Wait, so… How exactly did you guys find out about this? This is such an obscure allergy,” Dash responds with an increasing laugh, trying her best to compose herself to avoid stares.

“Back when we were preparing for the Battle of the Bands, I thought it would be interesting if we painted our faces to add to the glamor. As soon as the paint touched Sonata’s cheek, it made her itch and develop a rash. It only went away after a night of anti-allergen pills and some cream. It made her so itchy that she actually started to cry from how irritating it was. I… I kind of told her to just deal with it and to shut up back then… I wish I could take that back.” Walking past Dash, I make my way towards the refrigerated drinks, eyeing the options. I already know what I will probably pick… I’m using the time to try and compose myself more than anything.

I mean… She was whining for no reason. It was just a rash. We were in the right. Shut up. No, we weren’t. She deserved kindness from her friends. Instead, Aria and I abused her all the time.

“Hey. Dagi,” Dash responds quietly, walking up to my side. “Look. I know how it is like to have a bunch of regrets. It’s hard. If you want some advice, I want to tell you that I think you will do great. Apologizing, I mean.” Dash opens one of the doors to the refrigerated section, pulling out an orange soda. “You’re a lot better person than you used to be. You’re one of my best friends. Of course I love all of our friends, but only you and Applejack get me on such a fundamental level. Trust me. You’re good. You’ll be able to talk to them again. You’ll be their friend again.”

The contrast of opinions conflicts me to a certain degree. My subconscious says that I was in the right to be mean, but Dash believes I can change. In this instant, I can’t help but side with Dash.

“Thank you, Dash. It makes me feel… better. To hear someone say they believe me like that.”

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

Walking down Navy Pier, I can’t help but question why Sunset wanted me to come here with her. She walks a few paces in front of me. She avoided talking to me as much as possible, so I don’t know what this is supposed to represent. The sunlight bounces off Centennial Wheel, making me admire the ride. It is so much larger than I expected it to be from the photos. But Dash was really excited about it before we got here, so I assume she knew how large it is.

Walking past the crowds of people, I try to keep up with Sunset. Her hair shines in the sun, acting as a beacon for me to follow. She’s so beautiful. I can’t help but lose myself to her, but… right now isn’t the time for that. I need to focus on talking with her. On apologizing again. I have no idea what she was thinking last night when we went to bed, but I know it must have been a conflicting process.

Sunset makes her way to the line of the Centennial Wheel, only increasing my curiosity even more. I wasn’t aware that she wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. I can’t seem to predict a thing she does today… Maybe that’s the point. To make me confused. I honestly have no idea what is going through her head. It all feels like some extreme guessing game and if I get it wrong, she may not end up forgiving me.

Shaking my head, I walk up behind her, looking up at the big wheel. “What are we doing?” I ask her quietly. Sunset shakes her head without looking back at me, avoiding the question. Everyone else is either sleeping or exploring the city. What exactly are we doing here? Making it up to the front of the line, the man asks us how many will be riding.

“Two. She and I are together,” Sunset tells the man while referring to me. I still can’t help but wonder how a ride is supposed to help the situation we’re in, but she always has a reason. Sunset takes my hand in hers before leading me into one of the wheel’s capsules. When I try to sit on the opposite side of her, Sunset holds onto my hand tighter, pulling me to sit beside her. Within a moment, the ride starts moving slowly, stopping again to let other people on. Sunset still avoids making eye contact with me. Instead, she opts to look towards the shore. Why did she want me to sit beside her if she’s still being distant…?

Finally, the ride begins to move again, bringing us closer to the top of the wheel. The wind blows through our hair, offering a serene atmosphere to the day. Sunset sighs to herself before taking out the chocolate bar I got her from her bag. Her fingers rip the plastic, taking a bite of the sweet with a content exhale. Her gaze slowly turns from the shore to me, giving me a hesitant smile.

“So, I did a bit of thinking last night,” Sunset gently tells me, finally talking to me. Her words are laced with nervousness, but there is still a gentle nature through her words.

“Is that why we’re here?” I ask her, looking around at the wheel.

“Kind of.” Sunset’s reply is short and quiet, straight to the point. Once again, she looks away from me to gather her thoughts. “You really hurt me yesterday, Adagio. I can’t pretend like you didn’t.” Looking into my eyes, Sunset looks like she is searching my soul, trying to find something. “But… I also realize why you did it and that you regret it. At least, I hope so.” Her eyebrow raises slightly, asking me a silent question.

“I do, Sunset… I really do. I’m… I’m so sorry that I lied to you and-”

“Hold on a second,” Sunset cuts me off with a kind tone, shaking her head. “As much as I want to stay mad at you, I can’t. We’re in the middle of a road trip with everyone else and… you need me. You need my help. That much I can’t ignore.” Sunset takes my hand in hers, taking a deep, hesitant breath. “Look. I… I am willing to forgive you. To move past this as if nothing happened. To help you get your magic back. I just need you to promise me something.” Her eyes are pleading, wanting to solve this without any more fighting. I want that as well… I don’t want to fight any more. I just want to have things resolved finally.

“What do you want me to promise?” I ask her quietly, ready to swear anything to keep her by my side.

“Promise you won’t lie to me anymore.” We reach the top of the wheel once more, the sun shining behind her. I can still see her hopeful eyes, looking at me with an expectant gaze. Her hands hold onto my own tightly. All the while, she waits for an answer.

“I promise, Sunset. I’m pretty sure I told you everything and… I don’t have any intention of keeping something from you again.” Sunset’s eyes seem relieved once I say those words, a happy smile painted on her face. The wind brushes past her hair, making this moment seem even more beautiful. She’s like a piece of art…

“That… makes me really happy, Adagio. Alright. I forgive you,” she tells me with a happy tone to her voice, bringing me closer to her in a hug. “I love you~”

Returning the hug, I can’t help but feel extremely lucky that it turned out like this. Did I jinx reality? In a way, this feels too good to be true.

“I love you too, Sunset~” Taking in the moment, I try my best to remember my promise. I am pretty sure all the lies are out in the open. I can’t remember anything else I need to say. That should be all of them.

I really hope so…

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

Stepping off the RV, I take a deep breath of the fresh air. Nothing is near this gas station for miles, giving me a good view of the natural landscape. Nevada isn’t exactly what I expected, but we just got here about twenty minutes ago. Applejack insisted on taking a break here and honestly, I don’t have a problem with that. I know Sonata or Aria live in this state, but where exactly? I’m not sure. My magic isn’t exactly attuned enough to give me their exact locations. Can’t have things be too easy, can I? Life always has to be a little difficult.

“Alright, everyone,” Applejack states after getting out of the RV, walking past me. “Do what ya need. Go to the restroom, get snacks, whatever. I’m giving ya fifteen minutes.” Once again, Applejack is acting as the trip organizer, enforcing rules and keeping us on track. Who else is equipped for the job? She’s had to do this for years when it came to her family trips, so I’m glad she can keep us going by the schedule.

“Aw, darling. That isn’t enough time if someone needs to go to the restroom and buy something. Surely we can stay here for a while longer?” Rarity asks her significant other, clearly buttering her up. Even though Applejack is usually pretty good at standing her ground, there is one person who can always convince Applejack to sway on her decision. It’s almost cute how Applejack gets flustered and agrees to let Rarity have what she wants. They both support each other in different ways, but I guess that is their strength.

“Fine. Y’all get twenty-five minutes,” Applejack tells us with a slight blush on her face. Rarity kisses her cheek, causing the cowgirl to turn as red as the fruit she grows on her farm.

“I just woke up from my nap and I have to see that? I’ve seen y’all kiss each other for years. Could you keep it to yourself for one day?” Dash jokes with the two of them, yawning with a small stretch. Clearly, she isn’t being serious about that request, but it is an attempt to get on their nerves. An attempt that Applejack ignores easily.

“I really hope they have some candy! I just ran out of my candy supply,” Pinkie mentions with a happy smile on her face, skipping towards the door. Fluttershy is less enthusiastic than Pinkie, simply stepping away from the group to look at the mountains in the distance. It doesn’t last long. Dash wraps her arm around Fluttershy’s neck, aiming her towards the store.

“We’ll have enough time to look at the mountains later, Shy. We first need to raid the candy section before Pinkie gets it all.” Dash points towards the door with her free hand, a surprised face still present on Fluttershy.

“Oh? Okay, I guess we can do that,” Fluttershy mentions quietly, causing Dash to lead the way towards the store. In a way, I can’t help but wonder why Fluttershy is okay with Dash forcing her into all these situations, but I guess it is due to years of friendship. The two of them were friends before they even knew Applejack, Rarity or Pinkie. Twilight came to the friend group later. Even after Sunset was their friend.

“Do you want to get anything?” Sunset’s warm voice asks from behind me, making me avert my gaze from Dash and Fluttershy. I’m so glad Sunset decided to forgive me. It feels like hell to not hear that tone from her. That kindness… She agreed to help me get my magic back, but I have to let her make the plan. She’s finally wearing her necklace, so maybe this was the push she needed to get back into magic.

“No. You can go in with everyone else. I think I will stay out here for now,” I tell her with a small nod towards the door. Her hand grabs mine for a moment, giving me her signature warm smile.

“Stay safe, okay? Don’t go running off now. We still have a marriage to get back to after all~” Sunset teases me with a wink before gently kissing my cheek, causing my face to flush with color. This whole trip and all the drama associated with it made me forget that we’re getting married after this. After I apologize to Sonata and Aria. And after I get my magic back…

“I don’t plan on it,” I reassure her, looking down at my ring with a smile. Sunset lets go of my hand, walking towards the store with the others. Applejack actually stays outside for a few minutes, her gaze alternating between me and the mountains. Even though she’s a couple of meters away from me, I can still hear her sigh quietly to herself before walking towards me. Standing next to me, she looks at the mountains with me, pushing her hat up to get a better view.

“Are ya alright, Sugarcube?” she asks me with a concerned tone without turning her gaze to me.

“Yes. Why do you ask?” I respond shortly, feeling the breeze against my face.

“I know we just got to Nevada and all, but try to relax. We’ll be able to find them.” Applejack is somehow able to tell what someone is thinking about just by looking at them. I can never figure out how she can do that… “Like Sunset said. This trip is supposed to be fun as well, Sugarcube. Try to let some of that tension out of your shoulders. You’ll find them, apologize, and have a pow wow of a wedding.” Applejack pats my shoulder with a smile, turning her body towards the store. Before she can leave, a thoughtful look comes to her face. “Would ya like your picture taken?”

“What do you mean?” I ask her with a confused tone, not really sure why she would take my picture in this random part of the trip.

“In front of the mountains. It’d be a fun picture to keep as a reminder. I can even take a picture with Sunset once we are all done.” Applejack pulls her phone out, shaking it with a smirk. The thought is… interesting. It can be fun, I suppose.

“Sure. One picture can’t hurt,” I tell her with a chuckle, walking ahead of her to pose in front of the mountains. Giving her the best smirk I can, Applejack aims her phone at me, holding up her fingers to give me a countdown. Within a couple of seconds, Applejack pulls her phone down, looking at the result.

“I’m sure Sunset will love this one,” she tells me with a teasing tone. Applejack taps her phone’s screen a couple of times. My phone vibrates in my pocket as soon as she puts hers down. “See ya in a few minutes, okay?” she tells me with a slight wave, walking back towards the store. Chuckling to myself, I can’t help but feel grateful for Applejack’s attempt to make me feel better. It worked, but still.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, I walk towards one of the benches outside the store. There’s nothing I need inside, so for now, it feels nice to just take in the air. Sitting down beside a newspaper vending machine, I can’t help but feel surprised that there’s one of these out in the middle of nowhere. Even in big cities, these things are starting to disappear due to newspapers slowly becoming obsolete. Everyone accesses things through their phones. Even though I wasn’t the best at using the internet, Apple Bloom taught me how to do it, so even a siren who is thousands of years old uses her phone to keep up with current events.

Still. There’s a certain charm to these little machines. To think that some people still use the paper to read about the news. Some of them are even free just to try and get more people to read the paper. Touching the door of the vending machine, I open it easily. This one had its lock removed as well.

My hand hesitates to close the machine, an overwhelming sense of curiosity building up inside of me. What exactly could be reported in the newspaper? Surely nothing but dull ads and political scandals, but still. The curiosity remains, pestering my thoughts. Slipping my hand inside, I grab one of the newspapers. Unfolding it, I look at the front page, seeing a report of some sort of affair between some legislators. I fucking knew it. I can always predict what is published in this kind of media. It’s almost laughable that some people read this stuff. Farther down the page, there are a couple more stories and a few ads. All of it is pretty boring. It almost makes me regret-

I…

I can’t help but do a double take. My eyes are clearly deceiving me, right? How can I believe… What…? It’s just a simple ad for a Mexican food chain, but one key aspect of it makes me doubt what I see. The woman who is in the advertisement wears her hair in a big ponytail. Her bangs form a point and there are different colored strands in her hair, still visible despite the black and white picture. An innocent and naive smile is on the woman’s face as she wears a cute suit. Everything about this picture makes it hard for me to breathe… There’s no doubt about it. I recognize her…

“Sonata…?”

Author's Note

Well, I kept up my promise~ ;) We got to see some of what one of them is up to in Chapter 18. This is also the chapter that pushes this story to 100,000 words. So, I felt that I should do something special and show a little bit of what is to come~ I hope you all enjoyed!

Who is Adagio?

Chapter XIX: Who is Adagio?

“It’s her!” Holding up the newspaper, everyone looks at the picture with curious eyes. A look of recognition dawns on all of them except Twilight. I can’t care less about the other people in the store. The only thing that matters right now is the ad in the paper.

“You’re right! That is her! I recognize that face and those bangs from anywhere. Though, I always thought she would look better with a different hairdo,” Rarity mentions with a thoughtful look, clearly focusing on how she could help Sonata look better.

“Rares, I hardly think it is the appropriate time to talk about hair,” Applejack reminds her with an annoyed expression.

“Yes, yes. You’re right, Darling. At least we have a lead now.” Before Rarity can look closer at the ad, Pinkie Pie takes it from my hand.

“Ooh! It’s a Mexican food ad! I love tacos~” Pinkie Pie mentions, clearly distracted by the contents of the paper rather than the picture of Sonata. Rarity looks at Applejack with an amused face.

“And you thought I was getting off point,” she tells the cowgirl with a chuckle.

“Let me see that,” Dash tells Pinkie before grabbing the paper, looking down at the letters of the ad. Everyone gathers around Dash’s shoulders to look down at the paper.

“There’s a phone number at the bottom,” Sunset mentions happily, reaching over Dash’s shoulder to point at the number.

“Alright. AJ. Get your phone ready,” Dash tells her in a commanding tone of voice. Applejack rolls her eyes before pulling her phone out, turning it on. Dash lists off the numbers so quickly that it seems to confuse a few of the girls. Only Applejack, Twilight and I seem to understand every number she said. Applejack dials the number, putting the phone on speaker. The dial tone leaves me in suspense every time it rings, wishing for the phone to pick up.

“Thanks for calling Seashell Empire!” a robotic voice exclaims in the same bland customer service voice that is used everywhere. I had to use that voice for a while when I worked in the nightclub… Faulty positivity. “If you would like to make an order, press one. If you need to talk to a representative or get some support, press t-” before the robotic voice can finish, I quickly tap the number two on Applejack’s phone. Sunset pats my back gently to try and reassure me, but the gesture doesn’t work. I just need this to work…

“This is customer service, how can I help you today?” a bored woman answers the call, sounding as if she has better things to do.

“Hiya there. We were just calling to get some information about a girl in your promotional advertising,” Applejack answers in a professional tone, using some words I didn’t expect to hear her say. If anything, I thought she would just say ad instead of advertising.

“Ma’am, there are a lot of people used in our advertising. You will have to be more specific.” Again, the woman’s tone grinds on my gears, the hairs on my neck stand on end as I can feel my subconscious urging me onward. Applejack just holds her hand out to me, seemingly picking up my anger.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m specifically referring to a girl used in one of the recent newspapers. Her name is Sonata…” Applejack’s voice trails off, her eyes looking up to the ceiling.

“Dusk,” I quickly tell her, reminding her of the last name.

“That’s right. Her name is Sonata Dusk, ma’am. She is on the advertisement in this here paper and she is- well, was a friend of ours. By any chance, could we know if she is still an employee?” Applejack smiles as she asks the question. However, her smile begins to fade as the silence fills the air. The woman on the other end lets seconds pass by without answering the question. Even the farm girl seems a little annoyed now, raising her eyebrow. Before Applejack can say anything else, the woman on the other end clears her throat.

“Miss, Sonata Dusk is the owner of this chain.”

…

wait…

She… She’s the owner? Sonata owns a food chain? How? Ever since we began this trip, I’ve been worried that the two of them are not doing much better than I was before I accepted friendship. Yet here she is. Flourishing. I… I feel so proud of her. I’m so thankful she’s doing better, but at the same time, it makes me feel bad about all of this. What if she finally moved on from Aria and me? And I just reopen it by stepping into her clearly successful life, asking for forgiveness.

“Then could ya get us her number? We’ve been wanting to reconnect with her and all,” Applejack tells the woman. My knees feel shaky… I feel so doubtful about this. Is it really too late to back out? I…

“I could try to get you the number of a regional manager, but I can’t promise that will lead anywhere. It’s not exactly easy to get a message to the top,” she tells Applejack, barely being heard. I… I feel so dizzy. I can’t stop breathing quickly. Every breath I take in doesn’t do anything to actually refresh me. My legs are so shaky.

Taking a step away from the girls, I can only really hear the sound of my heartbeat. The thumping in my ear… Why? I… It’s too late. I’m going to hurt her again. She finally got her fucking life on track without me in it. Why did I even go on this trip? I’m just going to reopen the wound again… I… I’m so selfish. I. I. I… Why can’t I think? I… Why do the walls feel like they’re closing in? I can only hear my breathing and my heart. My throat feels tight… They’re clearly talking, b-but… I can’t hear. I can’t focus. I can’t breathe…

Taking a deep breath, I stand straight, opening my eyes. You really gave yourself a scare… You literally gave yourself a panic attack over the thought of hurting your friend again. Because of your damned hyperventilating, I can’t think straight. Great job, Adagio… Really.

“Adagio? Are you alright?” Sunset’s voice calls out to me. Her sickeningly sweet tone makes me feel sick. Of course, I should expect the lover of Adagio to notice something is wrong. It feels wrong for me to even call her Adagio. She focuses on the wrong things. I’m what Adagio should be. If anything, she’s ruining things for us…

“Yeah, I’m alright, Sunny,” I whisper without looking back at her. The nickname rolls off my tongue easily enough. In no way do I like it… Adagio asks me to trust her, yet she is still doing everything in her power to bury what Dazzle is supposed to be. For now? I have to play along with the game.

Turning back to the others, I see Applejack is typing in something on her phone. Everyone’s stare is eagerly glued to what Applejack is doing. Everyone except for Sunset. Her eyes look at me in favor as if she knows me. She likes to think she knows what Adagio is supposed to be. A sweetheart. A friend. It makes me feel sick that I have to return the same loving stare. I’m only doing this so we can get our magic back, alright? I have no idea if you’re even listening to me… I just know that once we get our magic back, you’ll be back to your old self. You’ll do what you need to.

Applejack’s phone rings. So, that’s what Adagio was meaning by an annoying tone that just… sends me up a wall. How Adagio has self control in instances like these, I will never understand. We’re so fucking close to her. Of course, your goal is to apologize to her, but the main reason we should see her again is because she’s one of the last sirens. Maybe that will give you the push you need.

An annoying voice answers the call, asking what we need. Of course, they try to be courteous and kind which is so… dreadfully boring. Applejack asks them for the number of Sonata. Predictably, they say they can’t do that. Why did we even think this would work? In this world of rules and restraints, it is hardly easy to find someone through phone calls. What we need is an actual fucking clue…

“Just hang up the phone already,” I tell the cowgirl, trying to not hiss at her. I agreed to work with you, but it doesn’t mean I have to enjoy your “friends”. Grabbing the newspaper from Rainbow’s hand, I take a deep breath before looking at the advertisement. Predictably, there is no more information than the number and the name of the chain. They have to have a base of operations somewhere.

“I realize that, but she’s a previous friend of ours and we’re just tryna get back in touch,” Applejack talks into the phone, ignoring my advice.

“I told you to hang up,” I tell her again, pulling out my own device. It’s so trivial that this world is so dependent on technology. All it takes is one good threat to the devices that run this world and your castle of cards will fall over. It is pathetic. Someone really should have thought of a backup plan.

Typing the name of the store into my phone, I look up where the food chain is located. Here I am doing all of the hard work. You really should thank me, “Adagio”. I’m just trying to get you back to your old personality.

“They have a general location for all company matters in Las Vegas. We can go there.” Looking back at the girls, I see Applejack is still on the phone. Everyone else has turned to look at me. Applejack is so… stubborn. Once a useless organism, always a useless organism…

“We’re going to Las Vegas?” Pinkie Pie asks with wide eyes. Her high pitched voice makes me grind my teeth together. I can already feel her coming back to her senses… Quickly looking in my bag, I grab the singular pen Adagio keeps on her. Writing down Las Vegas next to the ad, I can’t help but sigh. It won’t be long till she asks for control again.

“Yes. We are. Now let’s go. I’m tired of waiting.”

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

The city is overwhelmingly full of people. There are so many sounds accompanying the lively sights of the city. Everywhere you look, there’s an ad for something. Rarity told us she had been here before, but I wasn’t expecting this. I can never understand how people live here. Even though some of the others want to go look at the sights, I have one main goal being here. When I regained consciousness, I saw the words “Las Vegas” on the ad next to Sonata’s face. Without explaining anymore, she successfully told me where I needed to go to find the next piece. The base of operations for Sonata’s food chain is located somewhere in this city. Going there as fast as we can is the most important thing right now.

“Alright, gals. Vegas is certainly an experience, but we need to remember that we’re here for Adagio first of all,” Rarity tells everyone with a big smile. “That means we have to put off everything else for now. We’ll probably see the sights afterward. So, um… Buck up, ladies,” Rarity tells us with a slightly flustered face, using a phrase that only Applejack would say on a regular basis.

“I’m sure some of you can go sightseeing. I won’t need everyone. Just a couple of people.” Reaching my hand over the table, I grab Sunset’s and look into her eyes. With a single smile, Sunset reassures me she isn’t going anywhere. For a moment, her eyes widen slightly with confusion, but that look fades away as soon as it appears. What would have made her confused exactly?

“Well, I’ll stick by you. I’m literally so fast that I can move circles around this city without anyone noticing. So, I can take pictures of the city pretty easily after we do this.” Dash flashes one of her cocky smiles, seemingly sure of herself and her abilities. Fluttershy simply shrugs her shoulders, used to Dash’s optimism.

“And I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem if I tag with you?” Rarity mentions with a careful tone, examining my reaction. It doesn’t take long for me to give her a small nod, confirming she can come with us.

“Ooh, then I can get something to eat while you girls are sorting that out!” Pinkie Pie exclaims as if she has been starving. “I’m so hungry!”

“How are you hungry exactly? You ate just two hours ago. By all means, you should be full,” Twilight states with a very confused face, looking at our pink friend in disbelief. I can almost swear I see Twilight’s eyebrow twitch from confusion, looking like she’s legitimately trying to understand the enigma that is our friend.

“That’s Pinkie Pie for you,” Fluttershy giggles while raising her soft yellow hand up to Pinkie as if she is demonstrating something. Pinkie Pie looks bewildered at all this attention, looking back and forth at Twilight and Fluttershy.

“Hey, what is that supposed to mean?” Pinkie asks with genuine curiosity. Fluttershy simply nudges her shoulder with another giggle, trying to reassure her.

“Nothing but good things, Pinkie~” Before Fluttershy can say anything else, the door separating the cabin and the front seats opens. Applejack is still driving the large vehicle, but she tilts her head to try and talk to us.

“Y’all, we’re almost there. I’m gonna have to drop you off before I find somewhere to park. Whoever is going inside, I’d suggest ya get ready,” she tells everyone without taking her eyes off the road. Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but try to mentally prepare myself for this.

This shouldn’t be too difficult. Just go in and get a phone number. Easy. I know that… But still. They will probably be hesitant to give anyone the phone number of the-

“Adagio?” Sunset asks me, making me turn my gaze to her. Her eyes are wide and her expression tells me she is legitimately worried about something. About what, I can’t figure out. “What was that…?” Sunset asks me quietly, her hand reaching up to her necklace.

Ah. Forgot she was using that again. Again, Sunset’s eyes widen upon that siren’s words. Can she hear her…? If I remember correctly, that necklace lets her see the memories of people as well as hear their thoughts.

“There it is again,” Sunset tells me with a worried tone in her voice, trying to not draw attention from everyone else. Using both of her hands to grab mine, she desperately looks into my eyes for some sort of answer. “Adagio, what is going on?”

“Can you hear it?” I ask her quietly, gauging her reaction carefully. Her eyes look more confused when I say that, telling me exactly what I needed to know. If she can’t hear it, then what is she sensing that is alerting her of my subconscious?

“Hear it…? What do you…? No, I just saw something.” Looking down at my hand briefly, Sunset sighs quietly to herself. “Whenever I touch you, I see happy memories between the two of us. I see your accomplishments and what you hold dear. But… twice now, those memories changed. They changed to memories of accomplishment from Equestria and when you used your power over others. They changed to… memories of hate. Specifically regarding me. What is going on in your head, Adagio?”

She sees memories…? I… Oh… Every time I’m in control, she sees my memories with her. But when my subconscious is in control, she sees the memories I had from before the Battle of the Bands. I guess I should have expected that. My mind is shattered from that, so obviously my subconscious holds different memories in high regard.

“Those two times you saw that… That was when she was talking in my head.” Bringing my hand up to point at my head, I try my best to avoid the attention of the girls, telling Sunset quietly.

Great. She can sense both of us. That is just… perfect. Sunset’s eyes widen again, seemingly hurt by some of the things she sees. Maybe it’s morbid, but a small part of me wonders what memories she is seeing.

“She talks to you this often?” Sunset asks me with concern, her hand not letting go of my own. If it is like this when my subconscious is only talking to me, I really hope she doesn’t touch me when my subconscious is in control.

“Not usually. She’s mainly complaining as usual.” Bringing my hand to Sunset’s shoulder, I give her a smile, trying my best to make light of the situation. “Don’t worry. Nothing she says is changing my mind about any of this. Especially how I feel about you.” Sunset brings her hand to my cheek, seemingly searching my eyes for any reason to doubt what I say. Her look of worry and sadness fades away slowly, making me feel a little happier. She cares about me so much that she makes sure there’s nothing she can help me with. I know that if I was even the least bit sad, Sunset would climb the tallest mountain to help me feel better.

“Alright. But we should talk about what she’s saying later. I don’t want it to take a toll on your mind.” Sunset gently leans in, kissing my cheek. Within seconds, her kiss reaches my brain, making me relax like nothing else could.

The RV begins to slow down, alerting us we’re at our destination. Rainbow Dash stands up and stretches before anyone else has a chance to move. Rarity is the last person to stand up from her seat, trying to be careful as the RV stops. Rarity quickly walks ahead of us to the driver’s seat, wrapping her arms around Applejack. I can hear some sort of talking, but it is barely audible from the back. Dash yawns before leading the way out of the vehicle, leaving Rarity to follow us.

Looking up at the building, I can’t help but feel immensely impressed. Sonata owns all of this… She made this company. All while I wasn’t in her life. If this is how well she can do without me to meddle with her success, maybe… maybe it isn’t a good idea to reintroduce myself. I know what Sunset would say to that thought. She would tell me that I’m overthinking it and she is sure Sonata would appreciate my apology. But can I help it if I look at this building and feel like Sonata is fine where she is? She’s certainly done more than I have, yet here I am, expecting to be let back in her life with no hesitation simply because I want to say sorry. As much as I try to think positively about it, I have to be honest with myself. Opening that wound again isn’t the best idea.

Yet… Sunset’s hand holds tightly onto mine. If I even tried to turn back now, everyone would end up talking me into it anyway. Rainbow Dash looks back at me with a smile, seemingly not worried at all about how this might turn out.

“So, Dagi? Are you ready to try and find your friend again?” Dash asks me with a confident smirk. Her hand gently rests on my shoulder while Sunset’s eyes focus on me, a kind and reassuring smile on her face. I can feel my heart start to beat faster again, the thought of being a burden on Sonata’s life overwhelming my mind. Even though I can’t run away, it’s impossible to force myself to step forward… I’d like to say I’m ready, but the truth is that I’m scared… Scared of what will happen to Sonata when she sees me again.

The light around me starts to dwindle again… No. I can’t do this again. I need to breathe and… Focus. Except… The lights aren’t returning, no matter how hard I try to calm myself. My legs aren’t shaking. I’m relatively still, but it’s almost as dark as night time. No… This isn’t like what happened at the gas station. This is different. Familiar…

A light chuckle echoes through my ear. Color begins to drain from reality as a dark figure walks out from behind Sunset. Once again, she appears like a shadow this time, the gem around her neck glowing as bright red as her eyes. Why is she appearing like this? I thought she was content just speaking in my mind this time around. Her eyes don’t look at me, only letting me see her from a side view. The chuckle gets louder, wrapping around my mind.

“Don’t worry, Adagio. I’m not here to take control or do something bad,” she reassures me, her tone making it hard to believe her. “I’m simply here to give you a little push in the right direction.” Walking behind Dash, her fingers grip my friend’s shoulders, laughing as if this is all comical to her. “Here your friends are, Adagio. They’re trying to support you, yet you still want to run away. Hide from the reality of your situation.” Her eye peeks out from behind Dash’s head, her dark hair briefly resting in front of her face. The crown on her head shines, despite the lack of color.

“Will you let go of her and tell me what you want?” I ask her in an annoyed tone, shaking my head. Her laugh grows louder before her shadow quickly disappears behind Rarity.

“Why are you letting your doubts get a hold on you again? Is it because… you’re afraid?” Her laugh changes tone to reflect the inability to take this situation seriously. It sounds like she’s disgusted with me. “You’re standing there, unable to move simply because you’re afraid you’ll hurt poor Sonata again.” Her words talk down to me as if I am lesser than her. They don’t have much of an effect on me anymore though… “For the love of… Will you shape up? Of course it is going to hurt her for a moment or two. That’s how life goes, Adagio.” Her hand wraps around Rarity’s throat, coming out from hiding to face her. The siren’s glowing red eyes look intensely at Rarity’s face, chuckling to herself. “‘Oh, darling! I’m sure she will be delighted to see you after all this time!’” she mimics my friend with a surprisingly accurate voice. “Who cares if she is angry or sad with you, Adagio? This was YOUR idea, wasn’t it? You wanted to apologize to ‘improve’, but now you want to take the coward’s way out? Run away to a life back in Canterlot City?”

“Will you stop messing with my friends and just go away?” Sighing to myself, I try my best to ignore her. Though, it’s a little hard to do that when she has full control when this vision begins and ends.

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll hurt them?” she laughs with a menacing tone, bringing her finger to Rarity’s lip. “Though, I have to admit it… This one isn’t half bad. I’m actually impressed with how much effort she puts into her appearance. Just the right amount of vanity to be a siren.” The siren looks at me out of the corner of her eye before gently biting Rarity’s bottom lip. For some reason, the chuckle doesn’t stop infecting my mind. “She is the best out of the trinity of friends you have here.”

“Stop it! Just stop already. God…” Shaking my head, I take a deep breath, wishing she would fuck off already.

“There we go. Your insecurity is gone. It is replaced with annoyance for me, but still.” Letting go of Rarity, she leans in towards me, giving me a smirk. “Now. Are you ready to stop being scared? Can you stop second guessing yourself for five minutes? Or are you still going to be a coward and wait? Sonata is waiting after all.”

“I’m ready, alright?” I tell her with a deep breath, opening my eyes. The light in the world returns to me within a second. Colors overwhelm me before I see my three friends looking at me as if I am wearing trash. Rainbow Dash shrugs and pats my shoulder, turning away from me.

“I was just asking, but alright,” Dash responds with confusion, walking a few steps ahead of me. Rarity follows behind Dash, but Sunset stays by my side. Her eyes look at me with a mix of terror and confusion, determined to look for some answer in my eyes. She never lets go of my hand, almost like she’s afraid to.

“Yeah. She appeared again,” I tell her quietly, walking forward without another word. Sunset walks beside me, making our way inside the building after our two friends. The interior of the building is very nice… To either side of the door, there’s small resting areas with comfortable chairs and red carpet. Shells adorn the walls along with other sea-related items. I guess it makes sense considering Sonata named her business the Seashell Empire. A name like that makes it sound like some sort of aquatic souvenirs shop, but it’s a food chain specializing in tacos. To anyone else, this should be really confusing, but to me? It fits perfectly…

The front desk has one lady available to help, her eyes looking down at the computer screen. Rarity and Rainbow Dash stop a few feet away from the counter, looking towards me. Taking a deep breath, I try to let go of Sunset’s hand, but she doesn’t reciprocate the action. Instead, Sunset walks with me to the counter, content with staying by my side.

“How may I help you today?” the woman asks me, finally looking up from the computer. Resting my free hand on the counter, I try my best to come up with the right words to say. What would be the right way to phrase this request?

“Hello. I was wondering if I could get some information please,” I state quietly, feeling my anxiety rise each moment. “Do you have the number for the owner or founder of this business? She’s a previous friend of mine.” Despite how friendly I try to ask for the information, the lady looks at me with a confused stare, shaking her head lightly. Pulling my hand away from Sunset, I try my best to focus on the attendant. A part of me can’t help but wonder why she would shake her head at such a simple request.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. We don’t have that and even if we did, we wouldn’t be allowed to give it away that easily. I could schedule you an appointment with a regional officer to see if they could help you?” Before I say anything, she begins to type away at the keyboard. In a way, it almost annoys me that she can’t have the common decency to wait for an answer. I suppose it’s just precaution to be a little faster, but still. In a way, it’s almost like…

Disrespect…

No… Well… Kind of. Yes. Why am I agreeing with you on this? I… yeah. It feels a little disrespectful.

And let’s be honest. You deserve more. Far more…

“Yeah. I’d like to schedule an appointment. How long will that take?” My question is a small attempt to avoid the voice in my mind, resisting the urge to respond. The lady doesn’t respond immediately, making the seconds that pass by a little nerve wracking.

“It will take about four days to see someone. Should I put down the reason for your appointment?”

Four days…?

Four days…? Did… Why? Why would it take that long for a fucking appointment? I expected one day at most, but four? Isn’t that a little ridiculous?

How busy do they have to be? They’re wasting our time by setting up some scheduled meeting. All it would take to answer our questions is five minutes at most, but no… They want to make you wait. Isn’t that lovely?

I know how it’s like to be busy, but… This is a little much, isn’t it? I didn’t expect us to spend so many nights in hotels. I only expected a few nights at each place. It’s not like Sunset and I have unlimited money. We budgeted a few nights, maybe a week and a half at most, but this…? God, will we have to ask for our friends to cover us?

And you don’t want that… That would require bruising your pride. Think about it. Fluttershy already paid you two a handsome sum to try and help you with your house. Then she also bought the RV and volunteered to pay for the fuel on this trip. You’ve already been relying on your friends for financial and emotional support this whole trip. Wouldn’t it feel nice to take some control?

I… No, it wouldn’t. As far as I’ve come to find clues to Sonata’s whereabouts, it’s not like they’re intentionally trying to screw me over. We both know that. It just makes my efforts feel…

Worthless?

No, I…

In vain?

In a way.

Not appreciated?

My efforts feel used. Unappreciated for the amount of time I’ve taken to be here. But there’s not much I can do to fix that. They’re only opening is in four days…

Or so they say… Think about it, Adagio. Think about how you could avoid being a burden on your friends. All if you demand an appointment at a sooner date. How nice it would feel to see this woman with fear in her-

“Ma’am?” the lady refers to me, making me realize just how long I’ve been standing still.

“That will be… fine,” I respond quietly, nodding my head. Even though it feels like my efforts are in vain, I can’t let myself think that. My efforts got me here. It’s not been useless. Not yet.

“What name should I put the appointment under?” she asks me with a curious tone, her fingers ready to type at a moment’s notice.

“Adagio Dazzle.”

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

The darkness inside this hotel room doesn’t get any more bearable as time marches on. Sunset’s arm is wrapped around me, but this is one of the few times she fails to comfort me. She’s able to sleep peacefully, but me? I can’t help but count the minutes down… Each agonizing second that passes by.

“We’ll find another way~” Her words echo in my mind, trying to remind me to think positively. “We haven’t made it this far to give up now.” Sunset’s words are true, but honestly? I can’t help it. I don’t feel that hopeful. Ever since we met with that damn regional officer, I can’t have any hope. Sunset made it seem so easy, waiting a few days to talk to that officer, only to be told bad news.

Even then, she tried to take it well. She told me that it’d all be fine. Even though we have waited days for an answer, we were told that they couldn’t give away that information to us. All the while, Sunset smiled through it. Well, forgive me if I am a little less than happy… I scoured through every source I could while we waited. In those four days, I looked through the internet and the few phone books online. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a scrap of information. The only thing I could find is a small biography about Sonata on the food chain’s website, describing her as the owner and founder of the business. No contact information…

I tried to be hopeful when we went to that appointment… I really did. But then I was told they couldn’t give me the number due to some policy. All of my hope died on the spot. Did I really think it would be easy to do this? Even if I used my magic, I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint her location. It’s really easy to lose all of my motivation under circumstances like these…

To feel dehumanized…

Like all my efforts are worth nothing in the end.

Pulling away from Sunset’s embrace, I take a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the bed. I know she would want me to be optimistic. I know she would tell me to have some faith that we’ll get where we need to be. In most cases, I try to follow that advice. But this isn’t one of those situations. I’m out of options. I’ve gone across the country, trying to find Sonata and what do I get? Nothing. A bunch of dirt kicked in my face… It’s so frustrating.

No one could blame you for feeling angry.

Sighing to myself, I shake my head. Hearing that voice in my head again makes me feel so annoyed. At least she waited to talk until I was away from Sunset. I feel like she would have woken up to the images that the siren apparently brings up.

Seriously, Adagio. You did everything you could, yet the world still spits in your face. All because of stupid policies.

I can agree that they are stupid… I’ve done everything within my limit. If only it was a little simpler. But the world doesn’t work that way, does it?

It doesn’t have to work that way. Her words hiss in my mind, but for some reason, I don’t find it as disturbing as I usually do. The bitterness in my heart fuels my mind too much for me to be annoyed by her words. What right do they have to keep you from finding Sonata? You used to be her friend and now you want to apologize. In a way, it makes sense. In some cruel joke, the universe might be trying to protect her from me, holding back every clue that would bring me closer to her. And here you are, accepting that joke.

What else am I supposed to do? Go door to door, asking if anyone knows her in this goddamn city? I highly doubt that would work. With how bitter I feel, I could probably do it though…

Go back. Get that information.

Will you fuck off? It’s not like they’ll rethink what they said if I just ask nicely.

Who ever said anything about asking, Adagio? Would you let your nice act down for one second? You’re tired. Frustrated. The world is out to get you and you’re telling me you won’t do a thing about it? The time for asking has long since passed, Adagio. Maybe it would be convenient to listen for once and take control. Make them listen.

Taking a deep breath, I shake my head, trying to avoid those thoughts. As much as I hate the idea, a part of me feels so… intrigued. I would never act on it, but the idea of wiping that customer service grin off that regional officer’s face is so enticing… But that’s not what it means to be a good person. That’s not choosing happiness…

And? Everyone else hasn’t given a damn about your happiness. All you need is one phone number and you’ll be on your way. You’d save everyone’s time. Then we can leave. Imagine how it would feel to leave them under your spell, knowing they should have listened to you in the first place.

Funny thing is that… you’re right. I would enjoy that. I hate to admit that at all, but I would enjoy making them give me what I want. These past few days have been torture for me. Everyone else got to have fun taking pictures and buying souvenirs. I have to stress out about budgeting and how I will contact Sonata. All the girls get to have fun, but I’m stuck in place. The world seems content with keeping me as far away from Sonata as possible. Is that a sign?

It’s a sign that you need to assert yourself. Stop being a pushover and accepting everything that the world throws at you. Make the world listen to you.

I’m not looking for power. All I want to do is find Sonata and apologize to her. Power isn’t-

I’m not saying you should go after power. I’m just saying that with your magic, you could get that phone number EASILY. In and out. Simple. It would take five minutes at most, a few spells, and then we would be out of the building with a phone number and one step closer to Sonata.

What spells would be used? Why am I even entertaining this idea? I mean, yeah, we could influence their behavior and then wipe their memories after we’re done. No. I’m not doing that. It’s manipulative and takes advantage of others. Even if… it would be so easy…

That’s what I was saying all along, but if you don’t want to do it, then just rest. There’s no point in convincing you. I’m sure friendship will lead you to some alternative method.

Clenching my fist, I can’t help but sigh at the thought. It would be so easy. A few minutes. If I was still a siren, it would take a few minutes at most. Instead, I’ve been waiting for days, desperately trying to find some scrap of information. All of my attempts have come up empty handed. Days of anxious waiting are rewarded with nothing? Being told that they’re sorry they can’t help? It’s so tiring.

All it would take is a few minutes. That’s all. No one would be hurt. Everyone would forget as soon as it is done. It would be a net positive. If I wait here, then it will be days till we find another lead. Possibly weeks.

Just a few minutes. Then it’d be done. I’d be done…

Looking back at Sunset, I try to smile at my sleeping partner. If she was awake, I would ask her for advice on this situation, but I’m almost glad she isn’t able to give me it. She might convince me to go about this a different way. I’m just so angry, bitter and tired… In all ways, this would be the fastest way to get the information I need. Is it really so wrong…? No one would be hurt and I would have what I need…

“I’m sorry, Sunset,” I whisper before standing up from the bed. Quickly grabbing some clothes from my suitcase, I hear the siren’s chuckle in my mind. I’m not doing this for power. I’m simply doing this so that I can make things right with Sonata. My hand hesitates to grab my purple scarf, debating whether it would be safe to bring it along. It should be… Besides, it’s a piece of Sunset that I will be bringing with me.

Wrapping it around my neck, I blow Sunset a kiss before opening the door. Walking out into the hallway, I do my best to close the door as quietly as possible. I know this is technically a moral gray area… But everything will be fine. I’m not hurting anyone. In some ways, I would like to hurt them or cause them some inconvenience. All they have done to me for the better part of a week is kill my hope. All I’m doing is taking matters into my own hands.

Knocking on the door of the room next to ours, I try my best to wait patiently. I know that it’s late at night, but I would prefer to get this done within the next hour. I hear some slight shuffling behind the door, telling me that she heard my knock. After a minute, the door slowly opens, light from the hallway spilling in and coloring the woman’s skin. Twilight looks at me with a confused expression, seeming like she’s barely awake.

“Adagio? What time is it?” she asks me with a small yawn. Her purple hair is let down and messy, adding to her disheveled appearance.

“It’s late, but I need your help. Could you get dressed and come with me?” My friend raises her eyebrow at my question, a more wakeful appearance on her face than before.

“I guess? What is this about? What do you need-”

“Twilight, please. This is important. I will explain on the way.” My pleas seem to reach her. A small nod comes from my friend before closing her door to get ready. I’m barely given a moment to breathe before I feel a hand grab my shoulder, making me widen my eyes.

“Something important? And you weren’t gonna wake us up for it?” a southern accent fills my ears, making me turn back to look at the person behind me. Applejack’s eyes are filled with confusion. Rainbow Dash stands next to the cowgirl with a raised eyebrow, sucking on a popsicle while she waits for an answer as well.

“We really got to stop running into each other late at night, Dagi,” Dash tells me with a chuckle pointing her popsicle at me for a second. “And I feel like AJ and I have the same idea.” Looking at the cowgirl, Dash and Applejack share a small nod before returning their gaze to me. “Wherever you’re going, you better have room for two more.”

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

Looking at the building, I can’t help but measure my options one more time. It took a lot of convincing, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash eventually agreed to go along with my plan as long as no one is hurt. In truth, Applejack was also getting tired at how long it is taking to get closer to Sonata. Dash is simply here to keep an eye on me since magic is involved. While Twilight was hesitant, she agreed faster than the other two. For this to work, we need to be fast and I can’t be questioning myself…

“Alright. Twilight?” Pulling out the glass container holding the gem fragments, I give it to Twilight, keeping my eyes on the front entrance of the building. Twilight pours out the contents into her hand, counting the pieces quietly.

“I can almost swear there’s a piece missing, but I’m probably wrong. It still makes a full crystal.” Twilight’s necklace glows very slightly as she lifts the pieces into the air. Applejack carefully observes Twilight, holding her own necklace with a nervous stare. Rainbow Dash is pretty calm about all of this, simply resting her hands in her pockets with a carefree face.

Once all the pieces are connected, a wave of power surges through my spine. It’s almost as potent as Sunset’s embrace… Now all eyes are on me, clearly waiting for the next step.

“Don’t let go of that gem until I say so,” I warn Twilight quietly, taking a deep breath to keep myself steady. If the wrong spell is interrupted, it could mean bad things for us… A low whistle exits my lips, the magic surging through my fingertips. I have to get this right… Bringing my hand up towards the building, I focus on making my whistle set at a higher tone. “Zentren…”

The magic suddenly stops as soon as I finish my whistle. No one else can see it, but there is a large green circle on the ground, surrounding the building.

“What did you do? Nothing happened,” Dash remarks with an unenthusiastic tone, tilting her head.

“That spell makes it so that everyone inside the establishment will forget everything that happens within the next hour. Of course, this doesn’t affect new people who step into the bubble, so your memories will be fine, Dash.” Walking forward, I motion for the girls to follow me. We only have an hour. It should be more than enough time, but we should still hurry.

“As long as we don’t steal nothing. Or hurt anyone,” Applejack tells us with slight hesitation, following behind me. “We’re only here for the phone number. That’s it.” Her reminder isn’t necessary considering I have been reminding myself of that ever since I left my hotel room.

The lobby of the building is just the same as yesterday and four days before. Spacious. This time, there’s a distinct lack of light, leaving the lobby with some muted colors. The lady at the counter looks up much faster than the times before, clearly surprised to see visitors.

“Oh, we’re not open, ma’am. We’re about to close in-”

“No, you won’t,” I whisper with a hum. In an instant, green mist surrounds her and the receptionist simply nods with a smile, looking back at her computer screen. As we pass the counter and walk towards the hallway, I can’t help but feel Applejack’s eyes staring at me.

“What’s wrong, Applejack?” I ask her quietly, leading the way down the hall.

“Nothing. Just kind of… disturbing. Ya make it look so easy to control others. That kind of power is a little scary if I’m being honest.” Applejack walks closer to the three of us, composing herself. “But I know it’s impossible for ya to do that to me. Just don’t go power hungry, alright?”

“Applejack, I promise I have no intentions of doing that. All I want is Sonata’s phone number. There’s no way I would even try to use these spells on you. That goes for you two as well.” Looking at Twilight and Rainbow Dash, I give them a reassuring smile. I would never want to manipulate them with this magic. The only reason I’m using it now is because this is my only option to get to Sonata.

Opening the door to the regional officer’s room, the man at the desk looks up at us with much of the same surprise the receptionist gave us. Twilight makes sure to hide the crystal behind her before he can see it. Even if he saw it, he would forget about it after this.

“Miss Dazzle. What a… pleasant surprise. I was just about to go home for the evening. I don’t think we had another appointment, did we?” he asks with confusion laced in his voice. Every part of me feels angry to see him, telling me he has to go home. Earlier today, he didn’t seem so kind… Even when I begged him, he refused to give me the number I need. He accused me of lying that I used to know Sonata. This snarky, egotistical employee uses every word to try and make himself sound more important than others. “Dazzle, I really don’t enjoy this intrusion. Don’t you have something else to get back to? Our meeting was over hours ago,” he tells me with frustration, looking at me as if I’m just some annoying pest.

“No, actually. You have something that I want.” Dash closes the door behind me, making me chuckle. “Something I need.”

“And what could that be? A phone number I can’t give you? You really don’t learn,” he scoffs in a faux polite tone. “You need to go ho-” A quick whistle interrupts his words, forcing his lips shut. I have to admit that this prick is making it hard to avoid using some of my more dangerous spells…

“You can… And you will.” Chuckling to myself, I try to compose my mind. Applejack’s hand pats my shoulder, reminding me what we shouldn’t do. Looking back at her, I give her a wink. She just needs to trust me for a few moments… “What is the phone number? I really need it,” I tell him bluntly, resting my hand on my hip. The man doesn’t even move from his seat, shaking his head.

“You really need to leave. I will call security on you,” he threatens us, not realizing how little he can actually do in this situation.

“No, you won’t.” Despite how low I whisper my words, the magic makes them echo throughout the room. Vocalizing a low tune, I see my magic surround him, making him see exactly what I have seen for years… In my place, he should see me with a red dress, red liquid falling down my arms… All of it adorned with a crown and pitch black eyes. That should be a disturbing enough image.

A look of terror adorns his face as he pushes his chair back, staring at me as if he sees a ghost. He tries desperately to speak, only mashing up his sentences. His word vomit finally stops before he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

“Are you ready to listen?” I ask him in a quiet and threatening tone, the same one my subconscious used on me for years. With a flick of my finger, I pull his chair back towards the desk, gesturing for him to find the number. “Find it. If you lie to me, so help your bloodline…” The man looks at his screen, typing something into the device. However, a look of determination comes across his disrespectful face, opening his mouth to say something. Confident for worthless scum… You’ve done nothing but cause me misery. “Rodon…” My vocalization spawns an ember in my hand, growing with each passing moment until it’s a giant flame. “Let me make this very clear for you. If you don’t get me that number, then I will mark this place with the wrath of Hell. There is no way you would escape. Understand?”

“Dagi,” Dash speaks up with a concerned tone. “Don’t you think this-” she stops talking in an instant when I shoot her a glare. We’re finally getting somewhere. Don’t ruin this for me, Dash…

The officer quickly types away at his keyboard, frantically looking at the device for the piece of information I need. “A-alright. Alright. I have the number.” His tone makes it sound like he’s trying to pretend he isn’t scared, but the look in his eyes betrays him. As good as it feels to terrorize this person, I know that I can’t let myself get lost in it. All we need is the number.

The man quickly writes down the number on a piece of paper he rips from his document pile, handing it to me. Applejack gestures for us to leave, her eyes telling me we’ve done enough.

But have we? We’ve already come this far…

There’s nothing left to do. We have the phone number. We can go now.

But look at him? He’s almost groveling. Doesn’t that feel good after all the pain he caused? He deserves some sort of payback…

We already got our revenge.

Revenge that he won’t remember…

My feet stop in place. Twilight holds the door open for all three of us, but I can’t move forward anymore. Dash looks back at me with confusion. My appendages feel numb… I can’t move anything. What are you doing? We are doing this my way. L-let go…

My head turns back to the officer against my will, my mouth contorting into a smirk. No matter how hard I try, I can’t do anything. She’s… She’s in control. Let go! We got what we needed! Let’s go back.

“When we have come this far?” my mouth whispers with a snicker. “Not a chance. He needs to be a lesson for others…” No. No! He doesn’t. Let go. Give me control. We’ll go back to the hotel room. “All it takes is one word… The word that means death.” My body moves back towards the man’s desk, his eyes looking directly at mine. She tries to tell me this is needed. It felt nice to take control, but we don’t need this! Please stop! Just listen. You said you’d do things my way! “Zorehn-”

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

My head is ringing… Everything feels so… out of place? Is that right? It’s just hard to focus. It feels like I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall. Honestly, I can’t remember what I was doing. What even happened? How long have I been asleep…?

“What should we do?” Fluttershy’s kind tone asks in the distance. I try to focus on her voice, but it’s hard to do that. As much as my mind is trying to force me to give in, I need to try. What the hell is going on?

“I don’t care anymore,” Dash’s voice speaks up in anger, making me feel surprised. She doesn’t care about what exactly…? Is this some sort of dream?

“How long has she been dealing with this exactly?” Rarity asks someone, making me wonder what they’re talking about. Who is Rarity talking about?

“About three years,” Sunset reluctantly answers, a disappointed tone in her voice. “This is the worst I have seen it.”

“You’ve seen this before?!” Applejack asks in surprise, her accent only adding to her intonation.

“I’ve never seen that side of her take control,” Sunset responds with a small reassuring tone that does nothing to hide her disappointment. “But I have seen how it affects her…”

“Apparently, this is her subconscious?” Pinkie asks with a high-pitched and confused voice, hurting my head a little more.

“Yeah. From what Sunset said, Adagio’s mind has been broken since the Battle of the Bands. And I can’t help but believe that from what I’ve seen in the last couple of days.” Twilight is the only one who sounds like she isn’t upset. If anything, she sounds like she’s reporting statistics. Also, what the fuck does she mean by days?

Forcing my eyes open, a blinding white light overwhelms my senses. A groan escapes my lips… Was I run over by a train? My whole body aches. What the fuck happened? My hands are tied behind me. My ankles are bound to the legs of some wood chair I’m sitting on.

“She’s awake,” Pinkie Pie’s voice speaks up. It’s slightly easier than before to focus on their voices, but I still want to know what is going on. Squinting my eyes, I try my best to look around at my surroundings. All seven of my friends look at me with caution from the shadows of this hotel room. The only illumination in here is the bright light right above me.

“Ah. Ready to answer more questions, Umbra?” Twilight asks with a chipper tone, grabbing her notebook.

“Umbra?” I ask her quietly, shaking my head. “What are you talking about, Twilight? What’s going on?” Twilight’s eyes widen at my questions, surprised I haven’t answered how she expected.

“I swear if this is one of your mind games again, I will break every bone in your body!” Dash yells at me with tears of anger streaming down her face.

“Shy, can ya take her out of here? We’ll handle this,” Applejack tells Fluttershy with a commanding tone. Rainbow Dash opens her mouth to say something else, but Fluttershy quickly wraps her arms around the athlete, escorting her out of the room. “Sunset. Check will ya?” Applejack asks my girlfriend. To my surprise, Sunset actually walks into the light, touching my neck. Sunset avoids eye contact with me, seeming like she’s cut herself off from reality.

“It’s her,” Sunset mentions quietly, stepping out of the light once more.

“I’m sorry, but can someone explain what’s going on? The last thing I remember is trying to go to sleep. Is this some kind of dream?” My question goes unanswered for a few moments… My friends look at each other as if they are debating what to do. Pinkie Pie is the one that sighs, shaking her head as a response.

“Do you seriously not remember or are you trying to avoid responsibility?” she asks me in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

“I have no idea what is happening, alright? I just want to know what we’re doing here.” And why I’m tied up, but I figure that will be answered with everything else…

“Darling? How about we leave this to them for a few moments? Alright?” Rarity asks her girlfriend, clearly desperate for the chance to take a break. Applejack’s eyes stare down at me with profound disappointment and judgment. Despite how Rarity tugs on her arm, she continues to look at me before letting out a tired sigh. Nodding slowly, Applejack motions for Pinkie Pie to come with them.

“Listen. If you two need help, just call for us. We’ll be right outside,” the cowgirl reassures Sunset and Twilight. They avoid saying anything until our friends have left the room, letting the sound of the door closing echo in this small room.

“Okay… So, Adagio. It’s you this time, huh? Honestly, it’s about time,” Twilight tells me with an annoyed expression, shaking her head. “So, let me be quick with this. Do you remember going back to the Seashell Empire’s base of operations?” Wait… That rings a bell. I couldn’t sleep and I felt bitter. I got tired of waiting and…

“I went there to get Sonata’s phone number, right?” The rope strains against my wrists. I can’t say I’ve ever been tied down before. Not a fan. Funny how so many people online make it out like it’s a lot of fun. Though, I suppose the context has something to do with it. From how tight these knots are, I can tell this is Applejack’s work.

“Precisely. And your… alternate self. Well, she took over.” Twilight raises her hand to gesture, but I know exactly what she’s going to say next. No… I remember what happened.

“Please don’t tell me it actually happened… Don’t tell me he-”

“He’s alive,” Sunset says in a monotone voice. “Dash stopped your subconscious before anything happened. She hit you pretty hard on the back of your head.”

“And since then? Sunset told us all about what you told her. I even had a few chats with your subconscious since then,” Twilight tells me with an almost satisfied smile. “I’ve started calling her Umbra Adagio since she’s like your evil counterpart. A shadow of you. She was NOT happy at being tied up.” Twilight tries to hold back a laugh at the thought until Sunset stares at her with serious eyes. “Anyway, your subconscious was pretty talkative. She liked to insult us, but she ended up telling us everything. It’s been about two days since the whole incident and the last time you were in control. Welcome back.”

“Two days?” I haven’t blacked out like that in a long time… Was it maybe due to Dash hitting my head? Maybe that’s why my subconscious took over for so long…

“For now, we’re still deciding what to do with you and this whole situation. I personally think the plan to get your magic back is the best one we have so far, but don’t tell Applejack that.” Twilight completely ignores my question, standing up from her seat. “Since she’s back, I will leave you alone with her. If you’re okay, of course.” Sunset slowly nods to Twilight’s statement, her eyes still looking down at the floor. Twilight gives me a small wave before quickly walking towards the door, leaving the two of us alone.

Silence follows the sound of the door closing. Not a word is left in the air… Sunset sits on a chair right outside of the light, looking down at the floor as if she has no hope. Words escape me… I’m not sure what to say in this situation. What is she thinking? It would be so much easier to say something if I knew some of what she’s thinking.

“Sunset, I-”

“Don’t,” Sunset interrupts me in a stern tone. Her eyes finally look up at me with a combination of depression and anger behind them. “Don’t even try to explain, okay? I just… I can’t. I told you we would find a way to get through this. But you decided to be greedy and get closer now.” Sunset stands up from her seat, the tears on her cheek barely visible due to the light right above me. “We always find a way. It may not be the easy way, but we get through it. Instead, you go behind my back to get Sonata’s phone number through very questionable means…”

“I know. I’m…” Come on… Think of something to say. I was frustrated, but honestly? Sunset is right. I did all of this without even consulting her first…

“You told me you had her under control, Adagio. You said you were the one in control. Just three days ago. That’s what you told me. I guess that’s just another lie to add to the pile, right?” Sunset paces back and forth, her eyes avoiding mine. “Umbra also told me about all of the deals with Filthy Rich. All those times you made some shady deal behind my back. You know, you could have told me that. You could have told me that he was the reason you were able to get our belongings back when our apartment was robbed…”

Oh… I… All those deals with Rich… How could I forget about them? They’ve been such a big pain in the ass, yet I forgot I didn’t tell Sunset about them. “Sunset, I can ex-”

“Not to mention that he’s also the reason I apparently keep getting scholarships to pay for college. I thought it was because of my essays or my intelligence.” Sunset shakes her head, letting a depressed sigh exit her lips.

“Sunset, please. I can… I can explain.” What is there to say…? Yeah, she caught two more lies I didn’t even know I was hiding. How am I supposed to explain what my thought process was? Especially when it came to getting Sonata’s number?

“Oh? Can you?” Sunset asks me with a small scoff, leaning into the light. Her eyes stare straight into my own with disbelief, hurt beyond comparison. “Or can she? Because I’m not sure anymore. Who is Adagio? Is it the person sitting in front of me? Or is it the person who has been cussing me out for two days straight?” Sunset’s eyes look deep into my own, frustration filling her stare. “Our relationship was based on open and honest communication. At least I thought it was. Maybe it’s just based on lies.”

“No, it’s not. I really do want to tell you the truth, I-” my words stop forming in my mind within an instant. A horrible realization hits my mind right in the middle of my explanation. “Wait. ‘Was’? What do you mean it ‘was’ based on honest communication…?”

Sunset brings her hands up, showing me the ring on her finger. It shines in the light before Sunset slowly takes it off, holding it in front of my face. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Adagio…” Her hand slowly rests the ring on my lap, tears starting to flow from her eyes again. “I can’t do this. I can’t marry someone who isn’t honest with me. I… I can’t marry you, Adagio.” Sunset stands back up to her full height, looking down at me with tear stained eyes.

“N-no. Sunset, wait-”

“I’m sorry,” Sunset tells me quietly, shaking her head. “We’re done.”

Author's Note

Well... We're here. That last scene has been in development for close to a year and a half. I've been thinking about it for a long time~ To think it would happen so soon. I was thinking this scene would be completed by October, but no. We're here now. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter~ I know it was really dramatic, but I did my best to make it a good read~

Where to go?

Chapter XX: Where to go?

The bright light of the lamp bears down on my body. The warmth of the light can be felt from here. However, I can’t quite pull myself together to give a damn about it. Instead, my eyes focus on the small object resting on my lap. A gold ring with a small diamond… Sunset picked it out herself. It was a part of a pair. The other ring rests on my finger… She bought it at much cheaper price than other rings due to the fact that the diamonds were made in a lab. She probably went that route because she hates the industry profiting off of diamonds… That was so long ago when she gave me the ring. Now, her ring rests on my lap, light shining off of the diamond’s surface…

A deep sigh leaves my lungs. It’s almost hard to breathe in this room. Maybe it’s because of what just transpired. Maybe not… Regardless, I can’t help but find it hard to move at all. The binds around my arms and legs aren’t the problem. Whenever I try to move, I just can’t bring myself to do so. Not from a lack of energy. Rather, a lack of motivation. What is the point in moving in this scenario? I have nowhere to go. Nothing to do.

Moving my head down, I bury my cheeks into my scarf. In a way, I’m glad that they didn’t take the scarf away. The soft fabric feels brand new, even after years of use. All because Sunset decided to use some of the best materials she had access to. Closing my eyes, I try my best to find some emotional reaction inside of me. Something to signal that I am still human. Nothing is there… Where feelings of hurt should be, there’s nothing but a cold feeling of isolation. Not unlike the cold frost of winter…

Loud music plays throughout the house. That’s just the norm at this point though. I can’t exactly stop Aria from playing the music she wants. At least it isn’t bad music. Then I would probably get a headache. Walking down the stairs, the lyrics get clearer as I see Sonata and Aria standing in the living room. The two of them are playing some sort of dancing game where they have to follow the steps of the person on the TV. I can’t begin to understand them, but I do weird things with Sunset too.

“Is this really how your idiots decide to spend your morning?” I ask them with a chuckle, walking into the kitchen with a smile on my face. Opening the fridge, I take out the orange juice, pouring it into a glass. Sonata doesn’t give me a response, but Aria looks back at me with a roll of her eyes.

“You want in? I’m sure I could beat you,” Aria tells me with a bored tone, keeping up with Sonata’s impressive energy. Shaking my head at Aria’s offer, I can’t help but stifle a chuckle.

“Beat me? Aria, we both know I’m better than you at everything,” I tease her with a laugh, taking a sip of my drink. Aria stops dancing to turn and look at me, raising her eyebrow.

“You’re pretty mean for someone who is ‘reformed,’” Aria mentions with air quotes before flipping me off. Aria can’t help but laugh a little afterward, seemingly sharing in my humor.

“Aria, you’re losing points,” Sonata quickly tells her with an urgent tone, trying to redirect Aria’s attention back to the game. Aria shakes her head before pointing her thumb at the TV, once again offering if I would like to join.

“You two keep playing. I’m content where I am.” Aria shrugs her shoulders at my response, turning around and starting to dance once more. In a way, I can’t help but find it funny how we can go from insulting each other one second to laughing with each other the next.

A yawn comes from the stairs, making me turn my gaze from Sonata and Aria. Standing halfway up the stairs, a woman with barely opened eyes looks down at us. Her messy hair only makes her look cuter. The flame of my heart locks eyes with me before giving me the same warm smile she’s given me for years now. Gently making her way down the steps, my summer mist walks up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“You look sleepy,” I whisper with a smirk, making her shake her head.

“Can it be helped when I am woken up with loud music from your friends?” she asks me, gesturing her head towards Aria and Sonata. My wife’s tender hand grabs my cup of juice, drinking it in front of me. The fact that she has the audacity to do that makes me feel amused. She’s the only one I would actually tolerate stealing my drink. Gently, she presses her lips against my own. It’s a warm sensation, reminding me just how much she loves me. The music might as well be nonexistent… All I can focus on is the woman in my arms.

“Aw, isn’t that cute?” Sonata’s voice speaks up, making the two of us break our kiss. The music is much quieter now. Both Aria and Sonata stare at us as a scoreboard flashes up on screen.

“That isn’t cute. It’s nauseating,” Aria mentions with a forced gag, trying to show us how unenthusiastic she is about the display of affection.

“You’re charming as always, Aria,” my wife responds by sticking her tongue out at her. Sunset gives me one more deep kiss, her eyes looking towards my friend as if she’s gloating for having me wrapped around her finger. I thought I was supposed to be the one casting spells… The fiery hair of my lover makes the room feel so much brighter. She has a tendency to do that to me… Pulling away from our kiss, her eyes connect with mine, a warm smile coming from her lips. “Adagio,” she states my name, but her tone doesn’t match her facial expression at all. Instead, my name falls out of her mouth in a monotone voice with no affection behind it. Despite her tone, her face looks so affectionate… So loving. “Adagio…”

“Adagio.” Sunset’s voice reaches me, her tone as blank as a piece of paper. A warm fuzzy feeling surrounds my mouth and chin. A drowsy feeling surrounds my mind. This feeling… Opening my eyes, the bright light above me makes it hard for me to concentrate. Finally, Sunset’s face comes into view, a more annoyed expression presenting itself. I don’t even remember dozing off. A part of me hopes that everything that happened recently was a part of that dream as well. Getting that phone number… The break up.

The ropes around my hands and legs do a good job at convincing me that it wasn’t a dream… Sunset stands up, stepping back from the chair I’m sitting on. All of my friends look down at me. Most of them have contempt in their eyes. Twilight is the only one who seems interested. Flipping to a page in her notebook, Twilight takes a deep breath before signaling Rarity to turn on the rest of the lights. Rarity’s eyes look down at the ring in my lap with a small amount of sympathy before her gaze goes back to anger.

“Hey, Adagio. How was your rest?” Twilight asks me respectfully, walking up to my chair. The overhead lights in this room are really bright. My eyes look away from Twilight, focusing on Sunset’s face. No matter how many seconds go by, a look of hurt and anger is in her eyes. It never leaves her expression. Her gaze never breaks from mine, confirming the emotions I see. “I’ll take your silence to mean it went well,” Twilight tells me quietly before pushing my chair to the wall of the room. “I just wanted to let you know that we’re going to be discussing how we move forward now. So, I wanted you to be awake for that.”

“Thank you,” I whisper in response, making eye contact with her once more. Twilight nods her head before looking towards the rest of our friends. Clearing her throat, Twilight acts as if she is about to give some sort of speech.

“Girls. I implore you to not ask me any questions until I have finished my explanation.” Looking down at her notebook, Twilight takes a moment before looking at our friends again. “Behind me is a woman we all know or thought we knew. Actually, it’s a combination of both. You all know by now that Adagio’s mind is broken. Well, I can actually explain this in a way.” The sound of rustling paper lets me know that Twilight flipped pages once more. “A couple of years ago, I took a sample of Adagio’s blood to compare an unusual line of genetic code to our DNA. Both Sunset and Adagio have different DNA from our own on a small level. Adagio’s code is different from Sunset’s however. A lot of the code seems inactive or unresponsive. I don’t know what this part of her DNA is responsible for, but from what we’ve seen, I’d theorize it is involved with magic in some way.”

Twilight’s eyes look back at me for a moment, a hint of pity in them. I never asked for her pity… The thing that confuses me even more is the fact that Twilight doesn’t seem to hate me like the others do. Even Pinkie Pie is looking at me as if I am some sort of untrustworthy animal. Her deflated hair covers one of her eyes.

“Now, I have a theory that this part of Adagio’s DNA controls how magic works with her body. When all of you and the other version of me beat the Dazzlings, the magic you hit them with was intended to stop them. Maybe your magic stopped them by inhibiting Adagio’s magic.” Twilight moves to the side to give me a better look at my friends, therefore giving them free reign to see any and all emotions on my face. “We also know that sirens are very magical in nature. They are born with magical abilities unlike any other. Thus, when magic isn’t present, it can be assumed that a siren’s genetic code doesn’t know what to do.” Twilight holds her hand out to me as if she is presenting some sort of project. It feels odd to be tied down to the chair, talked about as if I am some sort of abused animal. “I think… I think if we reintroduce magic into her system permanently, her mind would begin to fix itself. Umbra’s whole goal is to get Adagio back to that mindset before the Battle of the Bands, likely to try and protect the body.”

“So, you’re saying that all of the evil her subconscious has done is some elaborate attempt of self-preservation? And that we need to aid in that?” Applejack asks with a hint of anger in her voice.

“In no way am I excusing what her subconscious did. I’m just saying that… in my opinion, I think the best way to help Adagio is to help her get her magic back.” Twilight holds up her hands to try and calm Applejack down, clearing her throat. A nervous expression comes across Twilight’s face as Applejack sighs and shakes her head. Rarity rubs Applejack’s shoulder before looking at Twilight for a moment.

“And you think we can get her magic back by letting her take some of ours?” Rarity asks Twilight in a more innocent tone. Though, Rarity’s eyes still glare at me every now and then.

“We already know it worked with Applejack’s magic,” Sunset responds quietly, bringing her hand to her face. Twilight shoots Sunset a look as if she wasn’t ready to divulge that information. Applejack suddenly looks down at me, a grimace on her face.

“Ya say what now?” Applejack asks the two of them as her eyes stare holes into my soul.

“Don’t worry. Your magic will return to its normal state after a while. Think of it as if Adagio clipped off some of your hair. Your hair will grow back, she’s just borrowing some of it.” Twilight tries her best to defend the actions of my subconscious, but it still sounds bad no matter how you put it.

“I get that, but what do you two mean that it already worked with mine? When did that happen?” Applejack asks the two of them in an accusatory tone, clearly trying to direct her anger for me at someone else.

“Do you remember when we stopped at the first gas station on this trip and you fell due to heat exhaustion?” Sunset asks our friend blatantly, trying to catch her up to speed as quickly as possible. “During that time, Adagio was being controlled by Umbra and she drained your magic slightly.”

“So, we’re supposed to let her drain our magic, one by one?” Pinkie Pie asks Twilight, her tone small and tired.

“Even if this turns out bad, we will be able to take it away from her. She’s only taking a bit from each person to reform her own magic. Besides, I think this is the best way to get our friend back to normal.” Twilight tries to reassure everyone, but it doesn’t seem to have much effect. A silence follows after Twilight’s words. Fluttershy’s eyes look like she has something to say, but she stays silent. Rarity opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, Rainbow Dash scoffs pretty loudly.

“Bold of you to say ‘our friend’, Twi. It’s like you’re trying to sweep what she did under the rug. Even if she is being influenced by this Umbra bitch, she still decided to go through with stealing the phone number with her magic.” Within an instant, my feelings come back to me. Something inside of me hurts beyond comparison… The pain only lasts for a few moments before the numb cold resumes. Why should I assume she would still be my friend after that? It’s Dash’s right to think that…

“Rainbow, that might be a little harsh,” Fluttershy responds with a nervous expression. Even though she’s been angry at me this whole time, apparently Fluttershy is willing to help me with this mess. Though, let’s be honest here. I’ve lost them all as friends at this point…

“Yeah, well, I don’t see the person I became friends with. That is if our friendship was ever real to begin with. Funny how I let myself get convinced to leave my sick mom just to help out someone like you,” Dash states in anger, her eyes directed at me now. “After all I did to stand by you. Nah. You’re not my friend. Not anymore.” Before anyone can say another word, Dash pushes past everyone else. The door of the hotel room slams shut behind her, making everyone go silent once more…

“Would anyone else like to… take a break?” Twilight asks quietly. Not a single word is whispered into the cold air. Even Applejack is silent. Usually, she’s the one with the most opinions on a certain subject.

“We haven’t talked about what we’re going to do with Adagio until we’re sure we can… You know. Trust her,” Rarity mumbles before nodding her head towards me. “Surely we can’t keep her tied to the same chair every day. Especially since we’re trying to find Aria and Sonata.” I wish everyone would stop talking about me as if I am not here. Dash has been the only one so far that addressed me specifically since this conversation began. Although, I can understand why they wouldn’t talk to me. Why would you talk to someone who broke your trust?

“Well, we’re going to have to keep a close eye on her and Umbra throughout this trip. And considering I don’t want us to stay awake at night, we may have to tie her down at night,” Twilight mentions casually as if that fact isn’t surprising.

“I have some handcuffs we can use,” Rarity responds with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes wander away from mine, trying to compose herself. “Just… Don’t ask why I have them.” Twilight can’t help but raise her eyebrow at Rarity’s statement. I would too, but honestly? It’s hard to care about something so trivial like handcuffs when my life is falling apart.

“Alright. I think we’ve covered just about everything then. Are we all in?” Twilight asks my previous friends. Even though all of them are still clearly angry at me, they all pitch in their hand, Applejack being first to offer hers in the hand-stack. Sunset looks at the gesture for a moment, hesitating to move. Out of everyone here, she is the one who feels the most betrayed by what I did. If anyone deserves to opt out of helping me, it is her. Sunset’s eyes look at me with a sense of sadness behind them before finally adding her hand to the pile.

The feeling of the RV’s seats aren’t the most comfortable. It’s especially not comfortable when everyone is staring at you. Sunset’s fingers gently touch the back of my neck. Even though it is usually a soothing gesture, it does nothing but cause me to feel even more isolated. The only reason Sunset is this close to me right now is so that she can tell if Umbra takes control. It makes sense. I just wish I didn’t hurt her this badly…

“Here,” Applejack says before handing me her phone. Sonata’s number is already filled in, making it a simple button press away from talking to her. “Call her. If your subconscious even thinks of showing her ugly face, I’m taking that phone away. Got it?” Applejack’s eyes tell me she’s deadly serious. Giving her a small nod, I look down at the screen. Sunset’s presence only amplifies the cold feeling of isolation. Her words still ring in my mind… No matter how much I want to tell her I’m sorry and that our relationship did mean something to me, I know she won’t listen to me.

How can I bring myself to call Sonata when I proved I can still hurt the people I care about? Especially the one person I love… How am I supposed to go forward now? Everything has crumbled down all because of my selfish actions. I caused my friendships and my relationship to break. The only reason everyone is still helping me is because they don’t want to leave me with a broken mind. Why do I have to ruin everything…? Everytime I get something good, I just spoil it all…

“Adagio…?” Fluttershy speaks up to get my attention.

“Sorry,” I whisper in response, trying to appease the eyes on me. Pressing the call button, I put the phone on speaker. The ringing plays loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone looks at the phone, anxious of an answer. Everyone except for Rainbow Dash. Ever since we checked out of the hotel, she’s avoided eye contact with me. Now, all she can do is sit back in the corner, resting her feet on the table. I know I don’t deserve this help. In a way, I wish Sunset would fully abandon me. That way, I wouldn’t have to bother her even more. But she’s too good for that. Even now, she wants to help me, despite not wanting to have a relationship with me.

Each painful ring reminds me how I can’t take back the past, despite how much I want to. To just take it all back. To treat Sunset with the respect she deserves… Three years gone down the drain. All because I pushed her a little too far… How stupid do I have to be to get her to that point? All it took was a small push in the wrong direction. Yet, I lined up to give her a shove…

“Hello there,” a sweet voice speaks up the instant the ringing stops. The innocent tone in the speaker’s voice is all too familiar. It’s a tone I haven’t heard in a long time… The sound of a friend lost to time. My lips hesitate to say anything, letting a moment of silence pass me by. “Um, can I help you?” she asks me, making me want to hang up. I have no right to bother her now, but I’ve come too far to stop now.

“Is this Miss Sonata Dusk?” I ask in my clearest tone, trying my best to not let my throat crack.

“This is she,” Sonata responds with a cheerful tone, seemingly oblivious for the most part. “Your voice is familiar… May I ask who you are?” Her question is proper and courteous, tipping everyone off to the fact that she can’t quite figure out why my voice is familiar.

“A few years ago, you had two friends that you spent hundreds of years with. But all of you went your separate ways. I was hoping to apologize for that and a couple other things.” An audible gasp can be heard from the other end, making me stop in the middle of my point. Everyone else in the RV is being as quiet as possible, attentively listening to the conversation.

“Adagio…?” Sonata asks me cautiously, sounding nervous and curious at the same time. “Is that you?” Sonata sounds like she can’t believe it is me on the other end. Every word that comes out of her mouth sounds like she’s being as careful as she can to verify the information presented to her.

“It’s me, Sonata. I hope you will hear me out before ending this call. I-”

“Why would I hang up?” Sonata interjects, confused with my words. “How are you doing? It’s been so long since I’ve heard from you.” Sonata’s innocent tone comes back, seemingly curious to hear more from me. I can’t say I expected this reaction. I thought she would hate getting a call from me.

“I’m great,” I lie to her, trying to cover up the feeling of ice in my heart. “I’ve been doing better than ever recently. That’s why I wanted to talk. I thought about you and… Well, I wanted to see how you are.”

“I’m great too,” Sonata enthusiastically responds. I can almost see her nodding her head right now, despite the distance between us. “I made my own business. It’s pretty successful too. More than a hundred locations.” The way Sonata speaks shows she is clearly proud of her prospering career. I don’t blame her. It is an impressive accomplishment after all.

“I know. It’s a pretty establishment you have,” I respond to her with a small nod, despite the fact that she can’t see me.

“Wait, you’ve seen it?” Sonata asks me in astonishment. “I… I thought you lived in Canterlot City?”

“I do, but let’s just say I decided to take a look at Vegas,” I respond quietly into the microphone. A part of me wants to tell her about the people I am with, but I know how she would react to that. Not favorably at all… Though, it shouldn’t matter either way. I don’t exactly expect her to want anything to do with me after this call. Just like all the former friends around me… “Hey, Sonata. Listen to me. That’s not an order like before, but… I would appreciate it.” Taking a deep breath, I try my best to think of the right words to say. If this is the last time I talk to her, I want to make one thing painfully clear. “I’m sorry, Sonata. This isn’t some attempt to manipulate you or such. I genuinely want to apologize for all the abuse I put you through. Maybe it isn’t my place to apologize and open such a wound, but I regret everything I did to you and Aria.”

Giving myself a second to think, the nerves in my back tingle. Anxious feelings surround my mind. As much as I want to back down, I know there’s more to say. I can’t back down yet…

“Your postcards made me happy. I… It’s hard for me to say this, but I’m proud of you. Even though I know it means nothing coming from me.” The last time Sonata saw me, I was an egotistical villain, lusting after power. But really… Am I any different than I was back then? I still have the potential to hurt everyone around me. “I never said it, but you two meant the world to me back then. You didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. And for that? I’m sorry.”

For a few seconds, I let silence fill in the gap between us. I try my best to ignore the girls around me. It hurts so much to open this wound in Sonata’s heart while in the company of previous friends. People I hurt just as much as I hurt Sonata. Maybe that’s all I am… A villain. A monster. No matter how much I progress, the world drags me back to the darkness that I was born in. The best I can do is to avoid any more pain.

“It’s been nice to hear your voice again. Please take care of yourself, Sonata. Naytra ven tru.” Opening my eyes, I look down at the phone. Bringing my finger to the bright red button, I mentally steel myself to end the call. All I want is for Sonata to gain some sort of closure out of this as well. That would be the best scenario…

“Wait,” Sonata speaks up, an uncertain tone in her voice. I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at Sonata’s singular word, bringing my finger away from the screen. “Do you want to talk face to face? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” Is… Is she seriously requesting to see me? After all this time and all the abuse I inflicted upon her? “We could catch up some more. If you want. I make some pretty good tacos too?” Sonata’s tone almost pleads for me to consider her proposition. How am I supposed to accept that? I don’t want to hurt her again…

“Adagio,” Applejack whispers, making me look up from the screen. Her stern face gives off an air of authority. Pointing at the phone, Applejack tells me to accept Sonata’s offer without making a sound. Anger still resides in her glare, but it seems Applejack would be more pissed if I reject Sonata.

“I would like that,” I respond to Sonata, finally looking away from the cowgirl.

“Great~ You think you can come around today? I can text you the address so you don’t forget.” Sonata is being thoughtful as always… She’s always been like this. Ever since we were young, Sonata has put me and Aria before herself, presumably because she wants to see us happy. It’s almost depressing that I took advantage of that kindness countless times over a few millennia. Although, it’s really hard to feel anything now. It’s just… Empty…

“I can do that. What time would be best for you?” Taking a deep breath, I try my best to keep myself from worrying too much about this. It’s hard to believe that Sonata wants to see me again, but I have no reason not to oblige her request. Everyone else on this RV is essentially waiting for the trip to be over. The faster I get done meeting with Sonata and Aria, the faster they can go home.

“I’m free at two. Will I see you then?” Two in the afternoon. That’s still a few hours. That should be fine. It gives everyone else a chance to eat before we go. I highly doubt I will be able to eat anything before I see Sonata… Looking up at the girls, Applejack gives a nod to tell me that the time works out.

“I will be there.” A small laugh can be heard from the other end of the line, making me feel curious. What does she find funny?

“I’ll talk to you then. See ya, Adagio!” Before I have a chance to bid her farewell, Sonata ends the call. In truth, it leaves me stunned for a moment.

Taking the phone from my hand, Applejack slides it back into her pocket. No one seems to know what to say, leaving an awkward silence over us.

“Alright, Twilight. Do your thing,” Applejack tells her quietly, pointing towards me. “One of you can volunteer your magic. I’m going to start driving.” It’s clear from her quick tone that Applejack doesn’t want to stick around for a second longer. I don’t think anyone wants to stay here with me, but our limited space makes it impossible to separate myself from the group. Applejack heads towards the driver’s seat, closing the door behind herself. Finally, Sunset’s fingers let go of my neck. She stands up from her seated position, walking to the opposite side of the cabin and sitting down next to Rainbow Dash. I can’t quite blame her for doing that…

Twilight reaches into her bag, pulling out the glass container with my gem fragments. Her hands start to glow as the pieces float into the air. “Well, do we have any volunteers?” Twilight asks the girls with an uplifting tone. Her attempt to cut through the tension is as successful as cutting a diamond with a feather.

“I don’t think this is the best idea, but a lady can’t back down halfway, now can she?” Rarity states with a strict composure, nodding to Twilight. “I can handle it, darling. Go ahead.” Rarity brushes any hair in front of her necklace away as if it will make it easier to take some of her magic.

“You may want to sit down. The last time she did this, Applejack collapsed.” Twilight nervously chuckles in an attempt to make light of the situation. However, as soon as Applejack’s experience is brought up, Rarity’s eyes dart over to me with a hateful glare. A fire resides in her eyes. Reminiscent of the anger I have felt throughout my life, Rarity stares down at me before sitting down, crossing her arms.

“Will this hurt her?” Fluttershy speaks up, clearly worried. Her hand is raised in the air, trying to stop Twilight before she puts the pieces of the gem together.

“Don’t worry. It should only make her feel exhausted. If any pain occurs, I can tear the pieces apart within a second. The only side effect that Rarity should feel is a lack of energy.” Twilight gives Fluttershy a thumbs up, trying to give a reassuring smile. With a small breath, Twilight brings the gem fragments together. Once again, a crackling energy flies through my body. It’s almost enough to make me forget about my current situation. However, nothing can do that… Reluctantly, I hum a small note, making an aura appear around Rarity. I’m the only one who can see it for now. Everyone else would notice it if I cast the spell at some higher level.

Looking at the people around me, a singular idea spreads across my mind. With one spell, I could alter everyone’s memories. In the span of a minute, I could make everyone forget what happened. I could replace those bad memories with good ones. That’s assuming I can even affect their minds, but if I could, all it would take is a few seconds.

My eyes connect with Sunset’s, her gaze showing me just how numb she feels. All because of me. I let myself get tempted by magic and in turn, I hurt her… I… As tempting as it is, I won’t let myself ruin her life for a third time…

The sweet smell of flowers is carried by the wind. It isn’t exactly surprising. This house has a rather large garden with a wide array of flowers. The house has pristine white walls with a garage on the left side of the house. Another detached garage is on the right side, seeming like it would be used for storage rather than a vehicle. The windows of the house shine and curve upward in an arc. The front door has its own concrete path to the sidewalk, decorated with small rocks on each side. As if two driveways are not enough…

Still. I have to admit that this does impress me. A large house in a gated community. It seems Sonata is doing pretty well for herself. That’s something I wish I could say about me. My life is broken all over again with no way to repair the damage. It’s impossible. I should be grateful that the girls are even helping me anymore. They could just go back home and leave me here. Honestly, that would probably be for the best, but they’re still here. Helping me until we can get home… For now, Sunset thought it would be the best idea if I talked to Sonata alone. Surprising Sonata with the presence of our former enemies isn’t the best idea after all.

Gently pressing the doorbell, I try my best to compose myself. My mind briefly thinks about if I am dressed appropriately for this. I have my hair up with a spiked headband, a leather jacket with jeans on and a purple scarf that goes well with the purple high-heeled boots. It’s not a coincidence that half of this outfit was given to me by Sunset. Is Sonata expecting a different kind of outfit? Is she expecting me to be vastly different?

The door opens before me, giving me little time to actually think about those questions. A face I thought I’d never see again looks back at me. The light bounces off her blue skin. Her bangs come down to a point with a large ponytail in the back. Her magenta eyes look the same as before, reminding me just how much time has passed since I’ve seen her. A friend I spent multiple lifetimes with is standing right here. Three and a half years shouldn’t feel like much compared to that, but it does. It has been way too long…

“Hi, Adagio,” Sonata says in a quiet tone, giving me a wave. Her demeanor makes her seem a little hesitant to say anything, but she quickly smiles at me, stepping out of the doorway. “Come in~ I’ve been waiting for you.”

Walking inside, I can’t help but notice the brightly colored walls. Blue and pink immediately makes the atmosphere feel much different than it did outside. The exterior of this house doesn’t match the interior at all, but it aligns with Sonata’s character. A few photos are hung on the walls leading into the foyer. Sonata is in every picture with people that I can’t recognize. One is a picture of the beach. Another takes place in some sort of meeting room. The third picture shows Sonata smiling in front of a large building. She’s holding hands with…

“When was this picture taken?” I ask her quietly, pointing at the framed photograph. A part of me can’t believe what it depicts. I thought they hadn’t seen each other since they left me, but this clearly implies something different. Why would Aria be in this picture…?

“That was two years ago. Actually, that was the last time I saw Aria now that I think about it,” Sonata explains with a cheerful tone before leading me into the foyer. The staircase leading up to the second floor draws my eyes more than anything else. That is until I notice the large taco rug on the floor, making me raise my eyebrow.

“You two kept in touch? I thought we all went our separate ways after the Battle of the Bands,” I mention with a curious tone, taking my eyes away from the rug. Sonata leads me into a room to the right of the stairs. A coffee table is surrounded by a couple of couches with cutesy cat-themed cushions. A TV is mounted on the wall opposite of the main couch. A doorway is on either side of the wall the TV is hanging on, clearly leading into a kitchen area.

“We lived together for a little while after that. Around a year and a half, but Aria decided she wanted to do something different.” Huh. So, around the time I was considering a friendship with Sunset, Sonata and Aria were still living together. That’s surprising… Sonata encourages me to follow her into the kitchen. The walls are back to white. Her marble countertop is nothing to scoff at. Her fridge even has a screen on it, making me wonder just how much that cost her. Sunset and I don’t even have a water dispenser in our fridge. Sonata is doing far better than I expected. On the counter, a chess board is set up with each of the pieces in their corresponding spaces. “Do you want a drink? I have water, milk, and some juice,” Sonata tells me with a cheerful tone, walking over to the cabinets hanging over the sink with a slight bounce in her step.

“Water will be fine.” My eyes focus on the chess board in front of me. I’d be lying if I said I’m not confused by this. Why would she have this set up in the kitchen of all places? “Playing a game with someone?” I ask her quietly, noticing one of the white pawns is already moved two spaces forward.

“Well, I want to. I usually like to play games like Candyland or Monopoly, but I know you would probably like chess more.” Sonata walks towards the counter, giving me a cup of water. “Wanna play with me?”

Author's Note

Well, here's the newest chapter. I did my best to make a draft that I think is worthy of publishing. I hope I stayed true to the characters. Honestly, it will probably be a few weeks before I'm able to write again. I have some personal stuff going on in my life, but I will be back to write the next chapter eventually. As a little teaser, I'll let you know that the next chapter is going to include a lot more Sonata and Rainbow Dash.

Rainbows are Momentary

Chapter XXI: Rainbows are Momentary

Placing my bishop down, I force myself to hold back a chuckle. No matter how I look at it, Sonata will lose this game. It’s a very rare chance that she can hold out long enough to win against me. Still. If there’s one thing that Sunset taught me, it’s that I should never underestimate someone again. Not just in games, but in real life as well. Everyone is a potential alley and everything can give me new opportunities. What I choose to do with those opportunities dictates whether I am evil or not.

“Check,” I state in a mostly quiet room. Both Sonata and I are concentrated on the board for different reasons. She’s looking for a chance to win. I am looking for any way she could get out of this situation. I suppose that’s the same reason at the same fundamental level, but there are different motivations behind it. It’s been a long time since either of us have taken a drink from our cups of water. Out of anticipation, no doubt.

Sonata moves her knight to take out my last pawn, leaving it in the perfect spot to take out my King. It’s a valiant attempt, but she’s leaving her king open to attack. I wonder if she’s realized it yet.

“Check,” Sonata cheerfully tells me with a smile so bright that it lights up the already bright kitchen. Clearly, she hasn’t realized what danger her king is in so far. In one move, I could win this game. The same goes for Sonata, but her turn takes place after mine. So, it’s all in my ballpark. “By the way,” Sonata mentions with a curious tone to her voice, “have you gotten any hallucinations since the last time we met?”

Wait. What?

Hallucinations?

Looking up at Sonata, I try to convince myself that I didn’t hear her correctly. A failed endeavor… As sure as the day, Sonata asked me if I have had any hallucinations. My heart sinks a thousand meters in an instant. I didn’t want to believe it. I never even considered this as a possibility, but she makes every hope in my mind break with one simple word.

“What kind of hallucinations have you had?” I respond with a question of my own, providing my own answer in a way. Has she had her own demon inside her mind this whole time? Please don’t let that be the case…

“Shadows. Things like that. They’re not so bad~ If anything, it makes this house feel less lonely,” Sonata chirps with a smile, tilting her head. Looking back down at the board, I can’t help but think about her response. That’s how it started with me. Shadows. The foreboding shadow of the past, tethered to my soul. Why would she only see shadows up to this point? Shouldn’t she be at the point where her subconscious is taking control of her body? It doesn’t make any sense. “Have you seen something like that?” Sonata asks innocently enough, making me wonder if I should tell her the truth. For now, she’s the only one on this planet that can understand my struggle fully. But she might get scared to hear about Umbra.

“Yeah. I saw a shadow at one point. But it kind of progressed from that.” Taking a breath, I try to steer my thoughts back towards the game for a moment. My bishop is placed in the perfect position to take out her King. So is my rook. She doesn’t know it at all. Still. Looking at her smile, it’s nice to see her enjoying her time with me. It’s been so long since we’ve done something together…

Moving my king one space to the right, I look up at her, waiting for her move. Sonata gives a puzzled expression, looking down at the board. A long pause follows my move. Resting my chin on the back of my hand, I smile at the time we’re spending together now. For the first time today, I feel a little… hope? Though, it’s hard to feel that. Especially when I think about… Sunny…

“Progressed? What do you mean?” Sonata asks me before moving her knight again, clearly trying to rotate it to a position where it can take out my king. It seems she’s intent on killing my chance to win with that knight particularly. This game requires a more… broad viewpoint. You can’t fixate on a certain plan without deviating or else your opponent will squash your dreams of success. But if I did that, I would be a horrible person, wouldn’t I?

Actually, that’s a lie. I’m just making excuses to keep this going.

Moving my piece to the right once more, I notice Sonata looking panicked as she realizes she once again has to rotate her knight. It can only move two spaces left, right, up or down, and then one space to the side. Even though my king is essentially right beside her knight, there’s no way it can be defeated until Sonata moves her piece into an acceptable place.

“The shadow evolved in a way. I see a past version of myself at this point. It’s… not fun…” Looking down at the board, I take the chance to sigh, exhaling the air I’ve kept in my lungs for the past minute. “But I learned why I’ve hallucinated, so maybe that will help.” Moving her knight again, Sonata smiles with a content expression. In one move, she can take out my king. Unless I move it again.

But what fun would that be?

“Oh? What’s causing it?” she asks me with a curious tilt of her head. Moving my second bishop to the side, I play it off that I didn’t realize her winning move. Not to mention she forgot to say warn me again. It’s the fifth time this match that she forgot she’s supposed to tell me “check”, but it’s almost more fun this way. To see her win.

“My subconscious. Apparently the magic we were hit with at the Battle of the Bands separated it from me. So it’s still the evil version of me that didn’t really appreciate anyone.” A solemn expression comes over Sonata as soon as she hears my words, looking like a bad memory overtook her mind. “I… I’m truly sorry, Sonata. For everything I did to you and Aria. I-” before I can say another word, Sonata lifts up her knight. Without hesitation, she topples my king over, a small smile coming to her lips.

“Checkmate,” she whispers, finally looking up at me. A cheerful expression dawns on her, nodding her head for some reason. “I really appreciate it, Adagio. Actually apologizing to me after all this time. It must have been tough. Both to apologize and let me win that game.” Pridefully stepping up from her seat, Sonata takes our cups to the sink, leaving me with more questions than answers. She knew? I thought I was more careful than that.

“How? I thought you would assume I was careless?” Standing up, I can’t help but stare at the back of her head for answers.

“I saw how you were looking at your bishop a few turns back~ Besides, you’re really smart. There’s no way you wouldn’t have seen your opportunity to win. You love to be right after all.” Turning to face me, a hopeful smile is on her face, a small tear falling down her cheek. “At least, you used to. You really have changed~” Sonata moves towards me at a surprising rate, making my body tense up just as her arms wrap around me. This is the first time she’s touched me in over three years. I didn’t want to touch her considering that I didn’t know if she was comfortable with that, but… here she is. She’s the one initiating this. In a way, it’s not unlike how Apple Bloom hugs me these days. God knows how much she’s grown in just a few years.

Bringing my arm up, I gently hold Sonata’s back, returning the kind gesture. She’s kind enough to extend this trust. The last thing I want to do is hold her too tight. Even though that’s what Apple Bloom would prefer… All my fears of Sonata’s well-being turned out to be false. It almost hurts more to think that this might be the last time I see her. At least it is on a good note this time. I finally apologized and maybe Sonata can heal from the years of pain.

“I’m really glad we got to meet,” I whisper, finding myself grateful to whatever deity exists that Sonata was able to carve out a life for herself. I guess these sirens didn’t need a leader to succeed. Even though I’ve pretty much ruined my own excuse of a life, at least I can make hers a little better.

“Are you leaving already?” Sonata asks me with a hint of sadness in her voice. “You haven’t even been here for an hour. There’s still a lot to talk about, surely.” Sonata leads me to the living room, despite my hesitations. “You still never told me why you came to Las Vegas. What brings you here?” Taking a deep breath, I sit down next to her on the couch. Even though I have to leave soon, I can entertain her questions at the very least.

“I wanted to see you. And Aria. I wanted to apologize. Take responsibility.” My gaze wanders away from Sonata’s, looking down at the coffee table in front of us.

“Ah, well, the last I heard, Aria was heading towards-”

“Louisiana, yeah. I found that out a week ago,” I interrupt her mid sentence, thinking about the last time I saw Aria.

“What…?” Sonata sounds genuinely perplexed by my statement, almost taken aback by it. “No, she was heading towards Florida when she left here. What do you mean she’s in Louisiana?” I can tell that her eyes are trained on me, despite my gaze not centered on her. Instead, I can’t help but look at the glass of the coffee table. An image flashes before my eyes of broken shards. Just like my life, glass is so fragile. How would she take the news?

“I used my magic to determine where you two were,” I whisper in a response, resisting the urge to look over at her.

“Your magic? How…? Our gems were destroyed. This world doesn’t have magic like in-”

“I used the help of my friends. Each of them has a nexus of magic in the palms of their hands, so they let me use my spells temporarily.” I can already tell what direction this conversation is going in. The tension in the room is getting thicker by the second. All I’m doing is giving Sonata more questions than answers. To be fair, it isn’t exactly a simple story to tell.

“Your friends…?” Sonata’s voice grows quiet, subsequently adding to the tension of the moment. “I… Are your friends people we… used to know?” Sonata asks me hesitantly, seemingly already knowing the answer to her question.

“The Rainbooms aren’t as bad as I thought they were at first.” My attempt to assure her falls flat. Sonata’s eyes look at me as if I was a traitor, making my heart feel like it has been stabbed by a piece of ice. Standing up from her seat, Sonata gently shakes her head with a look of disbelief painted on her face.

“Adagio, they took our magic away…” For the first time in a very long time, I see a hint of anger in Sonata’s eyes from the mention of the Rainbooms. Some resentment still bubbles under the surface of my friend, her hand gently rubbing the area her gem used to be.

“Listen to me for a moment,” I respond to her as calmly as I can, turning my body towards her. Even though they’re my ex friends, it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t defend them or their viewpoints. “I realize that. I was angry at them for a long time for the same reason, if not more.” Taking a moment to breathe, I sit back, getting into the most comfortable position I can. “However, I realized that life is not all about power and revenge. It’s… It is incredibly depressing to live life without being happy. That’s something Sunset taught me.”

Sonata’s eyes widen at my explanation. Her demeanor seems to soften slightly, but she holds herself back. I knew this wouldn’t be an easy thing to sell her.

“Sonata… I learned how to be happy. With myself. I learned how nice it is to just slow down and look at the world. Especially when you have someone by your side.” Taking my eyes away from Sonata, I can feel my heart constrain with pain at those last few words. I used to have someone, but… it is clear that it’s near impossible to fix that. I hurt her beyond recognition. I don’t deserve to fix this.

“Those are pretty intimate words,” Sonata mentions with a wary glare. Her eyes look at me with a sense of confusion rather than anger for the Rainbooms. “Who is it?” When something like this comes up, Sonata would usually take the opportunity to tease me, but very few words are shared from her this time.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act like that,” Sonata instantly calls my bluff, shaking her head. “Who are you in love with?” I thought that she might not notice my words due to her more innocent nature, but it seems she’s sharper than she looks.

“It’s a long story.” I find it hard to actually look up at her. The answer is probably something she wouldn’t be happy with. Falling in love with Sunset Shimmer of all people. Even I detested the idea a few years ago, but it’s hard to remember my hate for her. All I can remember is how much I miss her smile. Sighing, I can’t help but extend my hand outward, holding it in mid air. “Hair as fiery as the sun. Eyes like the ocean. A personality of pure good that it almost makes you nauseous at points.” My eyes slowly move over to gaze at Sonata, finally letting me notice her look of shock and conflict.

“Sunset Shimmer…? The girl who caused our defeat?” I can’t exactly blame her for thinking like this. Even though it would be easier to cave a rag on them as well, they don’t deserve that. My friends. The one person I love more than anything.

“Sonata, you can believe what you want, but I promise they aren’t as bad as we thought. They helped me find a purpose in my… My lost and hopeless life wasn’t the easiest to deal with. They surprisingly helped me, despite what I did to them before.” Everything they did helped drag me out of the hole I found myself in. They gave me the benefit of a doubt. It’s my responsibility to give them the same courtesy when it comes to Sonata. “They helped me come apologize to you. Regardless, they… mean a lot to me now.” I don’t mean a damn to them anymore.

Not a single word escapes Sonata’s lips. A long silence consumes the space between us, almost making it hard to breathe. I can’t tell what Sonata is thinking. I can’t begin to describe how she sees me now. However, I’m still glad I got to meet with her again, no matter what is going on in her head.

“Alright,” Sonata whispers, her eyes looking up at me after the long pause. “Can I meet them before you leave town?”

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

Her fiery hair moves slightly as she walks. The hotel lights shine down on everyone, but she’s the one I can’t take my eyes off of. Every time she looks at me, I can tell just how upset she is. Every part of her gaze tells me that she’s disappointed. It’s understandable. Any hope I had left of fixing things between us is just… gone. It’s pointless. I broke it beyond repair. Our perfect life together. Living in that house together. Waking up to that warm smile every day. It was heaven.

I felt invincible in some aspects. That nothing could break that life. Yet… here I am. As much as I was scared of my subconscious, it was my wrongdoing that caused all of this. As always, I overestimated myself. Thought I could have it all if I made the right plan. All it did in the end was prove that I’m the monster I was years ago. God…

“Adagio, catch up,” Rainbow Dash’s harsh voice brings me to reality, making me realize just how far behind I fell. Everyone’s eyes are on me except Sunset. She simply stands still, her back turned to me. As soon as I get closer, Sunset continues walking, feeling as cold as the winter. At least everyone else looks at me with the same frustration as ever. Most of the time, Sunset’s eyes never look in my direction. When they do, they’re almost empty.

I’m sorry, Sunset…

“Well, have a good rest, everyone. I will be in my room if you need me,” Rarity mentions quietly, avoiding my gaze before walking towards the elevator. Fluttershy follows her without saying a word. Pinkie Pie opens her mouth to say something before stopping herself, looking at me for a second.

“Yeah, same,” she whispers through her deflated pink hair.

“Will y’all be okay handling her?” Applejack refers to me as if I am not here. Twilight briefly nods, causing the cowgirl to shrug her shoulders. “Then I will see y’all in the morning. Rainbow, you’re in charge of the keys.” Applejack tosses a couple handcuffs with keys to Rainbow Dash, the latter catching them with no complaint. Applejack’s eyes finally look at me for a brief moment, but she takes them off of me just as quickly to join Rarity at the elevator.

“Well, let’s keep going,” Dash mentions pushing my shoulder slightly. Sunset, however, stops at a certain doorway. She brings her keycard to the door, unlocking her room.

“Sunset, wait,” I say out loud, despite my desire to stay quiet. Sunset stops herself from walking into her room, turning her head just enough to lend me her ear. Her eyes look straight ahead, making it hard for me to see them.

“What?” Sunset responds in a cold tone that sends a wave of ice down my spine. My heart hurts as if it skipped a beat. Even Dash seems a little surprised by just how minimalistic and distant Sunset’s question is. I’m not surprised at all…

“I’m sorry.” My heart aches again… No matter how I look at it, I will always love her, but… she won’t love me again. It’s clear from her distance. Her cold demeanor. She’s made her choice. All I can do is try to make it up to her. She deserves to know that she didn’t do anything wrong. That I… “I’m really sorry. For all of it. You deserve the world and I gave you lies and dishonesty. I’m so sorry for hurting you.”

Sunset’s head turns a little more, looking at me from the corner of her eye. Despite my hopes, her gaze is not any warmer than her voice. Like a siren would deserve that much…

“Goodnight, Adagio,” Sunset whispers, refusing to acknowledge my words at all. The light from her room disappears just as the door shuts behind her.

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

Cold metal is latched around my wrists. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t be able to get the handcuffs off. I have no reason to escape anyway. All this will end once we get back to Canterlot City. We’ll go our separate ways. All my friends will live their lives. And I will have to start over once again. Just trying to get these cuffs off would erase the little trust remaining.

Still. It makes sleeping a little uncomfortable…

Moving my hand slightly, a metallic jingle greets my ear. It’s pretty much the only sound in this dark room anyway. Sometimes, I can hear a passing car. Or my breath. It’s not the sounds that are keeping me awake. I know that. It’s not even the handcuffs around my wrists that are making it nigh impossible to sleep. I just can’t rest, no matter how hard I try. It’s as if my body is on high alert at all times, despite the fact that the damage has already been done. Nothing I can do can fix it. God damn it…

Turning my head to the side, I look towards the window. I can’t see outside, but a small part of me wishes I could. The blinds are fully drawn together. As if some stars would help my mood…

A clicking sound makes my eyes widen. A light comes into the room from around the corner. Where the bed is located, I can’t see the door of the room at all. However, the light disappears just as quickly as it appeared, the sound of the door shutting echoes off the walls. Light footsteps can barely be heard on the soft hotel carpet. Turning around the corner, magenta eyes connect with mine, automatically confirming who entered my room.

“Are you a vampire? You’re never asleep,” Rainbow Dash mentions in a passive aggressive tone.

“Not much these days, at least.” My response only makes Dash roll her eyes, clearly not satisfied with my words. Why would she come see me anyway? Just to taunt me? I thought she was above that. Walking further into the room, Rainbow Dash sits on a nearby chair, her eyes glued on me. “What are you doing here?” I can’t imagine she’s here to read me a story.

“Just wanted to make sure you didn’t escape. God knows you’d love to backstab us again.” Dash’s comment feels like a slap to the face, especially due to how much I tried to change. However, I guess I’ll never change… She’s right in that aspect. I’m still hurting them years after my original defeat.

“We both know that’s not the only reason you’re here.” My words are left hanging in the air. Dash and I simply look at each other. Her eyes say a mountain of words and nothing at the same time. I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t know what she wants to say herself. Leaning back in her seat, Dash chuckles for a second, pointing her finger at me.

“That’s rich, coming from you. You love to think you know what someone is thinking after all.” The dull light of the hotel alarm clock reflects off her face, giving her normally blue skin a red tint. The time on the clock displays the number three. It’s nowhere near time for us to go. It’s just common sense that Dash would have some sort of ulterior motive for being here.

“Dash, you’re coming to me in the middle of the night without any explanation. It’s pretty obvious that there’s something you want.” Dash refuses to say anything to counteract my claim. Instead, her intense stare remains glued to me. A stare of betrayal and anger lets me know just how she feels, but not what she is thinking. “If you want to say something, go ahead. You have free speech after all. I’m not going anywhere. Take advantage of it and tell me whatever it is you’re thinking. This silent treatment is really annoying me.”

After a minute of biting her lip, Dash finally leans forward in her seat, taking a deep breath. “Alright. Want to know what I think?” she asks me with a low whisper, despite the fact that no one else is in this room. “You’re a greedy, self-absorbed bitch who believes she’s entitled the world. You think your way is the best way at all times and you are a backstabbing monster. You take advantage of a person’s emotions to use them.” Dash chuckles before shaking her head, waiting a second to collect her thoughts. “The funny thing is that even now, it’s hard for me to believe that fully. You really had me fooled that you were better now. That you worked on yourself and you actually wanted us as friends.” Each word that comes out of her mouth is like a giant spike impaling my heart. Her words wouldn’t have hurt years ago. Now, her words carry some sort of meaning because I truly care about her opinion. In a way, I wish I didn’t…

“I did want-”

“I gave you the benefit of a doubt, Dagi,” Dash states in a louder tone just as a singular tear falls down her cheek. “When Sunset told me we were going to bowl with you, I decided to give you a chance. She said you changed and it really seemed like you did. I was one of the people who defended you when Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie didn’t want to meet you again.” Rainbow Dash stands up from her seat, looking down at me with a conflicted expression. “And despite that? There’s one thing that bugs the hell out of me.”

Raising my eyebrow, I can’t begin to imagine what is bugging her right now. Technically, multiple things should be causing her to hate me right now, so what is this one thing?

“If your goal was revenge or to tear us apart, you could have done it so much sooner. That’s what keeps replaying in my mind.” Dash reaches her hand into her pocket, pulling out a shiny metal object. The gun I have had for years is now in her hand. “Funny thing, isn’t it? We found it on you after you passed out. Sunset and I were the only ones who knew about it. Every single time I think about this, I can’t help but wonder why you didn’t use this on us. And if revenge wasn’t your goal,” raising the gun to the temple of her head, Dash looks down at me with an angry glare, “then what was it?”

The trigger clicks.

Lowering the weapon, Dash takes a deep breath, sitting back down. “I want to know honestly. Who are you? And did everything mean anything at the end of the day?” Her eyes stare into mine with a look that tells me she won’t accept a lie.

“Everything we did together meant something, Dash,” I sigh with a slight shake of my head. “You are a good friend. I did value those things we did together. I still do. I could blame everything on my subconscious right now, but I messed up. I’m sorry.” I do my best to keep our eye contact connected, even though my mind wants me to look away. It’s easy to run away from things like this, but… I won’t. “You can get Sunset if you don’t believe the words I’m saying. She’d verify if it is me.”

“I think we both don’t want to bother her anymore than we have to. Especially after the last few days.” Rainbow Dash brings her hand to her eyebrows, rubbing as if she has a headache. “You know, I really want to believe that some of our friendship meant a damn. I can’t stop thinking about this.” Rainbow Dash finally connects her eyes with mine, a hesitant feeling still behind them. I can’t quite tell what she’s thinking, but I know how she feels. “Fuck it…”

Author's Note

Today is the two year anniversary of me publishing the first chapter of A Dazzling World! Two full years of writing Sundagio. I have not regretted a moment of it~ I hope you all enjoy the new updates that come with this anniversary such as this chapter and the two new stories, Games and Treats and Once Upon a Dream~

Hope in the Dark

Chapter XXII: Hope in the Dark

Rainbow Dash walks over to the bed, pulling a key from her pocket. Unlocking my handcuffs, Dash motions for me to get out of the bed. Everything she is doing confuses me to no end.

“Come on. You’re coming with me.” Dash nods her head towards my suitcase, telling me to get dressed without saying a single word. Proving something to her…?

“What do you mean, Dash?” Grabbing my tights, I slip them on with ease. Dash turns away from me to give me some privacy. Honestly, I’m surprised she’s willing to turn her back on me after all she said.

“Just get dressed already.” Dash’s voice is annoyed, but there’s a meaning behind it. Some sort of determination. In a way, it worries me, but I feel pretty curious what she means.

Slipping on my coat, I push my feet into my boots as quickly as I can. Dash turns her gaze to me momentarily before leading the way to the door. Something about her demeanor makes me wonder what is on her mind. It also makes me feel a little worried if I don’t listen to her… A flash of light hits my eyes once Rainbow Dash opens the door. Those first few moments it takes to adjust to the new light level are the hardest, but after blinking a few times, it is a lot more bearable.

The door shuts and locks itself behind me. The bright hallway has no sign of life in it except for the two of us. The sound of our footsteps is almost completely muffled from the carpet. Dash leads the way to the lobby without saying a single word. I have no idea what has come over her. Where are we going? And why this late at night?

Stepping out of the hotel, a cool breeze hits my cheek, brushing my hair to the side. Dash’s hair flows in the wind as majestically as a flower. It would be impressive if she didn’t have her hands in her pocket with a monotone expression on her face. Dash takes a deep breath before finally moving down the sidewalk. The loud sounds of the city have no effect on her. Honestly, I’m surprised there’s any place she wants to go. She’s only been in this city for a few days. Where would she want to go?

“You know, it really sucks,” Dash states without looking back at me. “I really came to accept you as one of the girls. Part of our group.” A car drives past us, but for a brief moment, Dash’s hair shines as if the sun is peeking out after the rain. Some people walk past us, but nothing breaks our stride. For a second, I almost feel nostalgic. I remember walking and talking with Dash like this before. The deepest part of my heart almost hopes that I can fix things with her, but I know that can’t happen…

“What is the point of this, Dash?” I ask her seriously, staring at the back of her head. “You take me out of the hotel without the knowledge of everyone else and here you are reminiscing about times before. Is there some sort of rhyme or reason to your logic here?”

“You’ll have to wait,” Dash tells me with a shrug of her shoulders, just as we turn a corner. The farther away we walk, the less light there is. The direction Dash decided to walk in is towards the outer city limits. Is she planning on just leaving the city altogether? “Dagi,” Dash speaks up with a curious tone, “do you remember going out to get drinks with Applejack and me?”

“How could I not?” Looking towards the ground, I can’t exactly bring myself to remember something like that without a pained expression. Fun memories like those are… hard. It’s easier to bury everything than remember it all. The lights become further apart… The sounds of people in the city get quieter with each passing step. This nostalgic walk is kind of nice, but in a way, it just leaves a bigger sense of dread on my mind.

“You told me that you still treasure those memories. And that you didn’t mean for all of this to happen.” Stopping next to a bus stop, Dash turns to look at me. “If I really believe that you didn’t orchestrate this from the start, then it makes what happened that much worse, huh? Just kinda giving into the temptation of the magic.” A car zips by us, stopping next to the bus stop. Except, it’s not the only thing that stopped… A couple of bugs next to the street light hang still in the air. Dust particles stay still as if they are part of a picture. Not a single muscle in my body can move, but it’s hard to pay attention to anything else except what is in front of me.

Multi colored sparks of electricity appear attached to Rainbow Dash. The light from the sparks makes a blue aura around Dash, giving her an almost angelic appearance. A singular tear falls from Dash’s eye as she walks towards me.

“Funny thing is that magic can be great if used properly.” Dash’s tone is quiet, almost like a whisper. Her eyes focus on my own, seemingly studying me. “Huh. I figured. You can see me.” Her speech would appear to be incoherent ramblings in any other context. “Now that you can’t respond, let me say something.” Dash takes a deep breath, backing up a few steps from me. “You were one of my best friends, Dagi. I would be lying if I said a part of me doesn’t still care about you. As I said before, you were part of our group.” Shaking her head, Dash points her finger back in the direction of the hotel. “Our friends? They loved you too. That’s why this whole situation hurts. I keep trying to rationalize it, but I have no idea what is going on in your head.” Walking towards me, Dash places her hand on my shoulder, staring into my eyes once more. “What if everything you said tonight was just another set of lies? I honestly can’t be sure anymore.”

Without saying a word, the electricity disappears from Dash’s body. In the same moment, the car speeds off with no effort as if it never stopped in the first place. The sounds of the rest of the world suddenly start again, making me wonder what just happened. How could I see her then? I don’t have my magic. Unless… Unless some of it is lingering inside of me after recent use.

“That’s why it’s too big of a risk.” Dash pulls out some cash from her pocket, placing it in my hand. “This is more than enough to get you a ticket back to Canterlot City.” Her hand pushes me towards the bus stop, making me stumble slightly. “Adagio, if you truly meant what you said tonight, please go. You’ve hurt Sunset and our friends enough. Just go and never contact us again.”

“What?” Turning my gaze back to Dash, my mind tries to tell me I heard her wrong. “Dash, what are you saying? The others wouldn’t be-”

“Please, Dagi,” Dash insists with a glare. “Just go. Leave our lives. I’m giving you an out because I once considered you my friend. Take it.” Looking down at the money in my hand, I can’t quite believe what Dash just told me. I thought she was taking me out to talk some more. Not… Not something like this. I did hurt everyone, yeah, but… doing this would break their trust even more. Maybe she’s right… But running away now would only confirm any suspicions they have that I meant to hurt them.

Though, disappearing could help… In a way, they wouldn’t have to deal with me again and they could just move on. I…

“Don’t hurt Sunset any more than you already have,” Dash tells me with a stern tone, making something inside me crack.

“It would hurt her more if I did nothing to try and make up for what happened.” Turning my head back to Dash, I can’t believe that she’s trying to do this right now. “The best thing for me to do is try to make it better.”

“What? So you can get back together with her?” Dash asks me with her arms outstretched in disbelief. “Don’t you see it? Everything is-”

“No.” Taking a deep breath, I shake my head at Dash’s words. “I damn well realize that my relationship with her is done… But you all taught me valuable things about what it means to be a good person. That means accepting your mistakes and owning up to them.” The money in my hand feels dirty. Like a bribe made with blood. Even though it would be easy to run away, I know I can’t do that. “I’m not going to run away like some coward. You should know me better, Dash.”

“Are you really willing to put in that kind of work, Dagi? Really?” Dash raises her voice at me, closing the distance between us. “Are you the kind of person who can really make it better for Sunset? Or are you going to make her suffer more?” Her hand pushes against my chest, but I refuse to let her stagger me.

“Yes, I can. I will do anything to make it better. For her sake,” I almost growl back, pushing against Dash’s hand. Staring into Dash’s eyes, I don’t care how long it takes. I will stand my ground until she gets out of the way. The way she pulled me along just to tell me to leave is torturous. I can expect such from me, but from her? I had different expectations for her.

Just move out of my way…

Now.

Dash’s frown turns upside down in an instant, catching me off guard. “Alright, you convinced me,” Dash tells me in an upbeat tone, taking the cash from my hand. Before I have a chance to respond, Dash’s arms wrap around me. What the fuck is going on?

Pushing Dash off me, I can’t help but give her a dirty glare. “What the hell are you saying? Convinced you? You were just telling me to leave five seconds a-”

“Yeah, I know,” Dash mentions with her hands in the air. “I just needed to be sure.” Once again, lightning shimmers around Dash, making everything else in our immediate proximity around us stop moving. “Listen to me for a second. I’ve been restless for over four nights now. As much as I wanted to believe that it all meant nothing to you, I couldn’t stop thinking about how you had hundreds of opportunities to backstab us.” Taking the gun out of her pocket, Dash shakes it in front of me as an example. I guess that is the other reason she is using her magic. Taking that gun out without moving at super speed would possibly make someone panic if they saw us. “Like I said, I couldn’t stop thinking about why you wouldn’t have hurt us earlier or shown this side to you. The only answer I could come to is that… maybe you’re telling the truth. About the whole broken mind stuff.”

Putting the gun back in her pocket, Dash moves her fingers in the air to make a heart out of the electricity. In the next few seconds, she tries her best to draw an interpretation of Sunset in mid air, chuckling at her bad art skills.

“Still. I couldn’t be certain,” Dash explains with a slightly nervous tone. “So, I wanted to test it out. See if you truly did care about us. And if there is anyone you care about, it would be her.” Looking towards the bus stop, Dash sort of smiles to herself for a second. A look of slight hesitation appears on her face before she forces herself to look at me once more. “If you weren’t lying about your friendships with all of us meaning a damn, then I knew you would reject the offer to leave. But if you truly didn’t care about us, taking the chance to run would be the best option.” A loud crackle can be heard just as the electricity disappears, giving me a chance to move again. “Truth be told, I’m still hurt you gave into the temptation your subconscious gave you so easily, but I’m glad to see that you’re willing to do what it takes to make it right.”

Dash wraps her arm around my shoulder, walking me away from the bus stop. Everything about the past few minutes has confused me beyond belief. There could have been an easier way to test that, right? I guess under our circumstances, not really…

“So, prove it to me. Let’s talk about how we can make this right~”

We…?

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

Setting her glass down on the bar, a slight sigh comes from Dash’s lips. She sounds content with the liquor she’s been served. Thankfully, Dash paid for drinks for the both of us, buying my favorite. Four Roses Single Barrel. On days like these, the taste is the only thing that can make me forget about the drama for a little bit.

“So, let’s focus on the issue at hand,” Rainbow Dash mentions with a slight wave of her hand. The music at the bar is loud enough that it’s hard for someone to hear us without being pretty close to us. “You fucked up. Totally screwed yourself over. I mean you’re in massive shit here,” Dash emphasizes with her arms outstretched to try and explain the trouble I’m in.

“Gee, thanks for the subtle nature, Dash,” I respond with a roll of my eyes, savoring the taste of my whiskey.

“Even I am still wary around you, so that should say something.” Turning my eyes to her, I give the athlete a glare that is almost comparable to how annoyed I feel. “But I trust that you’re telling the truth! Besides, It affected both of us,” Dash tries to reassure me with her hands up in defense. “Still. This is a big problem for everyone. If you want to make things better, we need to fix what happened.”

“I highly doubt that the girls would want to be my friend again. It’s pretty much impossible for me to ‘fix’ my relationship with Sunset.” Taking another drink of my beverage, I try my best to entertain the idea she’s giving me, despite how impossible it seems.

“I know for a fact that the girls are equally torn about this. Some of them want things to go back to normal. Including you as our friend.” Dash sets her glass down on the counter, wiping her lips. “That and I know for a fact that it will be easier to win them over this time than when you were first trying to be their friend~ So, let’s count your cards.” A long pause follows her words, making me turn my gaze towards her. An expectant stare lets me know she wants me to start.

“You really expect me to know what is in ‘my cards’? For all I know, everyone hates me.” An irritated look comes from my drinking buddy, making her roll her eyes.

“Okay, let me do all the work, I guess. Yo, do you have a piece of paper and a pen I could borrow?” she asks the server at the bar. Surprisingly, he actually gives her a small sheet of paper with a pencil. Dash gives him a small thanks before writing something down. “So, we still have to get your magic back since that is what both Umbra and Twilight think will fix your mind. Except Umbra thinks it will make you a villain again, but that is besides the point. AND we have to find Aria again. Everyone is willing to help you finish these two goals, so that gives us a lot of time where you’re forced to be with us. Not to mention we’re meeting Sonata tomorrow- I mean, later today.” With a sheepish look, Dash motions to the clock on the wall, indicating that it is four in the morning. Sliding the page over to me, I notice a series of three bullet points, summarizing what she has just said. “This means that you will have opportunities to make it up to each of us.”

Dash draws small versions of all of us with pony ears. Of course, she is the center of the drawing, flying above everyone else. However, she has a point. It’s very difficult for me to believe there’s a chance to fix things. Especially with Sunset.

“I appreciate your optimism, but I fear that the only thing this siren can do now is apologize. I know that some of you are set on keeping me at arm’s length.” Specifically, the one I adore the most… Even the whiskey can’t dull that pain.

“Yeah, I get it. But you know what the best tool for situations like this is?” Dash looks at me expectantly, only to frown when nothing comes from me. “Persistence. If you can make it better with everyone else and continue apologizing to her, I’m sure Sunset will come around~” Again, Dash makes a small doodle of Sunset with an angry expression, followed by an angel Sunset drawing. Why is she using so many physical depictions today to help demonstrate her point? “And if not? At least you did your best to make it better.”

Finishing my glass, I can’t help but wonder why Dash is trying so hard to help me here. That’s yet another debt I need to repay. All my friends try so hard to help me in any situation, even when my mind is telling me it is useless. I need to find a way to thank them for that later. For now, the priority is making things right.

“Alright. I guess it is time for me to stop moping around and put in some work.” Once my glass is refilled, I take a sip before exhaling. I’m Adagio Dazzle for God’s sake. I have work to do. “Thank you, Dash. I needed someone to give me that push in the right direction.” More like a shove, but still…

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

The RV comes to a slow stop. Despite it being the middle of the afternoon, I can’t help but feel exhausted. Given, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, so it’s hardly a surprise. Everytime we come to a stop, everyone has to stand up in order. There isn’t enough space in this vehicle for everyone to move around at one time. Rarity is the first one to stand up, leading the way outside. Fluttershy follows her with an expression that tells me she is trying to keep up appearances. However, Pinkie Pie is hardly doing the same. Her hair hangs down, startlingly straight for her usually unruly hair.

Dash stands up with a loud groan, stretching her arms and legs. She gives me a small smile as she walks by, reminding me of our plan. Honestly, I’m still surprised that Dash forgave me so easily. She said she was torn up, but still.

“I have to admit that I’m kind of excited. I’ve never met Sonata, but it’d be interesting to meet her after what I’ve heard,” Twilight mentions with a curious tone, walking in front of me.

“Don’t expect her to like you immediately,” I warn her, trying to tamper expectations. I know she’s still hesitant about everyone here, so I don’t want my friends to think Sonata will greet them with open arms. Stepping down out of the vehicle, I turn around to look inside. Sunset stands at the doorway of the RV, being the last one inside. Holding my hand out to her for stability, I give her a smile. It isn’t much, but I’d still like to help her if I can. Even if it is something as simple as helping her down.

Sunset’s eyes look down at my hand, then back up at me. Even though her expression doesn’t tell me what she’s feeling, I can tell that the gesture hurts her from her eyes. Sunset holds her hand away from me, stepping down on her own.

“I can hold my own hand, Adagio,” Sunset mentions in a brief whisper. For some reason, those words send a chill down my spine. I knew she probably wouldn’t forgive me, but I didn’t think she’d reject that gesture… With a few words, I can’t help but feel just how cold isolation feels. It’s like ice trying to freeze over my soul…

“I’m sorry,” I respond quietly, turning around. Everyone else has started walking towards the French restaurant already. Sunset doesn’t bother to wait. Instead, she simply moves away from me. I… really hate this view. The sight of her walking away, only seeing her back. She would always turn to look at me and give me that same warm smile, but now it’s nowhere to be seen. Times like these make me legitimately wonder if my heart is still beating or not…

Taking a deep breath, I quickly catch up with the girls, following them inside. The smell is the first thing I notice. It’s almost overwhelming in some sense. It smells nice, but I sort of wish there was less of the scent. The interior of the building is pretty fancy. Rarity looks like she appreciates the decor the most.

“My my~ If I knew we were coming to a place like this, I would have worn something a little more fashionable,” Rarity states as she looks at the walls. Applejack holds her hand and slightly nods.

“This surprises me, but I agree,” the cowgirl responds with a hesitant tone to her voice. Looking into the restaurant, I try to look for a certain shade of blue among the crowd. It doesn’t take me long to notice the waving girl at the side of the restaurant, motioning us over to a table for ten. A look of hesitation spreads across a few of us, but Applejack leads the way to the table with a proud face.

“Hello there~ I hope you’re all feeling well?” Sonata greets the girls, trying to give a handshake to every one of them. I can tell in her behavior that she’s still nervous about this. I can’t exactly blame her. I am introducing her to the people who used to be our enemies and took our magic away. Hopefully, no one else can notice it.

“Ah, we’re fine. Just waiting to leave this city,” Applejack mentions in a small laugh after shaking her hand. Sonata’s smile disappears at her words, making Applejack’s eyes widen. “Not that I wasn’t looking forward to this! I um… I was just saying that-”

“You’ll have to excuse her, darling. My honey apple doesn’t prefer staying in hotels. She’s just homesick after all.” Rarity gently takes Sonata’s hand and smiles at the gesture. Sonata nods her head in understanding.

“Oh, yeah. I get what you mean. The big city can be chaotic sometimes, huh?” A cute smile dawns on her, making both the cowgirl and siren laugh. “Also, you must be Twilight, right? The human one,” Sonata mentions after turning her gaze to our friend. Twilight’s eyes widen before nodding to her statement.

“Yeah, that’s me. Adagio told me you met the other version of me. Though, I hope you can think of me as a different person~ My counterpart is quite different from me after all.” After grabbing Sonata’s hand, Twilight’s gaze goes down to Sonata’s fingers. “I have to admit that you’re not what I thought you would be like. You’re a lot more… blue.” Oh yeah. She never saw a picture of Sonata before. That newspaper we found was black and white. “Not to mention your personality is different than I thought, but that’s a good thing. I was worried you would hate me.”

“Hate you? I don’t even know you yet, silly,” Sonata tells her in an attempt to reassure my friend. Sonata motions for Twilight to sit down before greeting Fluttershy. “Hey, Fluttershy, right? It’s been a while,” Sonata says with an enthusiastic handshake that jolts Fluttershy’s body around.

“Y-yeah, it has been,” she responds with a surprised expression, composing herself from the motion. I have to admit that I’m pretty surprised by Sonata’s demeanor. Despite how cautious she was when I met with her yesterday, she is trying her best to treat my friends with the utmost kindness. Sunset takes Sonata’s hand and gives her that same warm smile that has been missing from her lips for nearly a week.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Sonata.” Sunset’s voice is sweet and kind, not lacking in sincerity. So far, everyone is avoiding small talk until we can all get settled.

Grabbing the back of a chair, I pull it away from the table. Making eye contact with Sunset, I try my best to smile and offer the seat to her. The same cold look meets my eyes. She sits down next to Rarity, a few seats away from the one in my hand.

Yeah… I kind of figured that would happen…

Sitting down next to Sonata, I briefly look at the menu as she greets Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. The chatter begins to die down as greetings are finally done. I can’t exactly blame them. What could you say in this situation?

“It’s been three and a half years since we’ve all been in a room together,” I mention quietly before looking up from my menu. “A lot has happened, right?” My question is more of an attempt to get someone to talk to Sonata about their life, opening the conversation a little more. Everyone looks a little hesitant to say anything except for Dash. Rainbow Dash makes eye contact with me and seems to understand what I’m trying to do here.

“Oh yeah! A lot has happened. Most of us are in college now. I got in later than everyone else since I was too focused on sports, but now I’m an assistant coach of my university’s softball team~” Dash flexes her bicep with a confident grin. I knew she would be up to the task. Dash takes nearly every opportunity to show off. I don’t mind in this instance. It helps to keep the conversation going.

“Oh, which university do you go to?” Sonata asks in an interested tone.

“Ah, just the local university in Canterlot City. It isn’t a huge college, but it’s an okay place to go if you want to learn. Though, a lot of the people there treat it like a place to party, especially the athletes. I’ve had to talk to them about it and trust me. Some of them aren’t the sharpest tools in my workbench.” Dash laughs at her own words. Her comment even makes Twilight and Pinkie Pie giggle, but Sonata looks a little confused.

“But they aren’t tools though? They’re people. It would be concerning if they were sharp.” Sonata looks so puzzled that it’s hard not to pity her.

“It’s a phrase meaning that someone isn’t that smart,” I tell her with a slight pat on her shoulder. Sonata’s expression changes to one of understanding before nodding. If Aria was here, she’d probably tease Sonata for letting a phrase like that fly over her head.

“Well, I’d kinda argue against Rainbow. Not much has happened for my family. We still live on our farm and all,” Applejack shrugs her shoulders. In a way, her body language tells us she doesn’t have much to say.

“Bullshit, AJ,” Dash instantly objects. “Your little sister is about to graduate. Your girlfriend’s business is getting bigger and you’re about to own the farm. I’d say a lot has happened with you as well.”

A hurt expression comes across Applejack’s face, her eyes looking away from Dash. “I’m not exactly… excited for that. I’d rather avoid owning the farm as long as I can.” Rarity holds Applejack’s hand, making Applejack calm down without saying a word.

“Oh, I see,” Sonata says quietly, surprisingly understanding the context of this conversation. “Well, I do think you’re lucky in a way~” Applejack raises her eyebrow at Sonata’s statement, clearly a bit confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you have a family. It must be a lot of fun~” A smile that could light up any room dawns on Sonata. “I had a couple friends in my life.” Her gaze briefly turns to me, referencing her friendship with Aria and me. “I didn’t have a family though. I’m sure you have a lot of fun with your family, right?” Applejack looks really surprised to receive such kind words from Sonata. I have to admit that it was pretty smart of her to continue the conversation in a more positive way.

“Yeah. It is fun.” A new look of understanding comes across Applejack’s face. Even though she’s the one who was eager to meet Sonata, she still had some reservations. However, it seems with just a few words, Sonata was able to relate to her and cut away those hesitations.

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

Exiting the restaurant, the wind blows against my face. For a moment, I almost wish I didn’t leave the building. All throughout dinner, Sunset avoided my eyes. Instead, she mainly talked with Sonata just like everyone else. Sonata seemed to enjoy herself. That’s the most important part about this, isn’t it? Taking a deep breath, I look back at the girls. Everyone is giving their final regards to Sonata. Fluttershy is the first one to approach the RV. She is followed by the others, one after another until I’m left with her. Applejack waits outside the RV for me, but I don’t care how long she stares. I need to share some final words with my long lost friend.

“Thanks for all of this,” Sonata mentions, her eyes looking towards the sky. “I didn’t think you would actually apologize. I hoped, but I didn’t expect it to happen. It was really nice to put my differences aside with your friends. And you most of all.” Sonata’s eyes meet my own, a smile dawning on her lips.

The sound of the city fills the void between us. To be honest, I am not sure what to say. I didn’t think this would happen either, but that was because I wasn’t sure I could find her again. Sonata extends her hand towards me, but something like a handshake feels wrong for this instance. So trivial… I’m not usually the type to be physically affectionate, but… What the hell.

Taking her hand, I pull Sonata into a hug, holding her as close as I can. There is nothing I can do to erase what I did to her a long time ago, but… I hope this has made up for some of it. She’s made something of herself and I… I can’t be any prouder.

“Thank you for this,” I return the gratitude as Sonata returns the embrace. “I really am proud. I’m glad we got to meet again for two days.” Letting her go, I try my best to hold back from crying. The urge is strong… To make things right with a lost friend and to leave them again… It hurts. “Please promise me that you will keep going up.”

“Not unless you promise to get that confidence back,” Sonata jokes with a smile. Funny thing is that I was pretty confident in myself. Back before I ruined everything with my friends. “Seriously. While it’s great that you changed your life, I’m missing that old charisma.” Sonata nudges my shoulder, making us both share a chuckle.

“I promise I will try. Is that enough?”

“Try?” Sonata laughs a little more. “The Adagio I knew would make sure she gets what she wants. You don’t have to step on others anymore, but dedication still counts.” Funny. Dash told me something similar earlier.

“It has been really nice, Sonata. I will do my best. But-”

“Don’t,” Sonata interrupts me with an apprehensive breath. “Don’t say goodbye. I want to come with you.”

I…

Words fail to come out of my mouth. In a way, I can’t quite believe that I heard her correctly. However, her eyes cement the statement she just told me.

“Why?” That is the only word that falls out of my mouth. Every part of my mind questions what is going on here. I was sure this would be goodbye. Maybe she wants to get rid of her hallucinations. That actually makes sense…

“I don’t want to lose my friend again.” Sonata’s eyes are determined, letting me know she isn’t going to back down on this. “Even if you can’t fit another person, I could drive. I don’t want to live on the other side of the country while my friend is struggling to piece her life back together.” We’re friends…? After everything, she’s so quick to accept me as a friend again?

“I will have to talk to the girls about it.”

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

“She wants to join us?” Applejack’s words easily fill the space in the hotel lobby. Everyone but her are sitting, making it feel like she’s leading the conversation. I mean, she has been the one keeping us all together during this trip, so it isn’t that abnormal. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she’s the mom of the group. Thankfully, she isn’t that overbearing.

“Essentially,” I respond, closing my eyes to avoid the expectant stares of everyone else. It’s still surprising me that Sonata said she wants to come with us. I expected her to stay here. I guess it could be due to the hallucinations and she wants to deal with them as well, but she clearly said she wants to be my friend again. Which, on all accounts, is surprising. Opening my eyes, I look at the girls, noticing how Rarity uses a diamond to hold her drink in the air. Ever since we started this trip, the girls said they would try to be more open to magic just in case we needed it. The one who is the most resistant is my ex… “She wants to be my friend again and told me that she’d like to move closer to me.”

“So, basically moving to Canterlot City,” Dash mentions while chewing on some bubble gum. “I wouldn’t suggest that. The roads back home are terrible.”

“Not to mention that Filthy Rich is mayor,” Applejack responds while rolling her eyes.

“That’s not the issue. We’re talking about Sonata, remember?” Sunset’s voice speaks up, her eyes still avoiding mine. “Are we going to bring her with us? That is the point here.” A hint of annoyance is in Sunset’s voice, one that I can’t exactly blame her for. Everyone here is a little tense due to my own actions. Well, everyone but Dash. For some reason, she seems stubbornly insistent on helping me right this wrong.

“I… wouldn’t mind,” Fluttershy states with half her face hiding behind her hair. “She seems a lot different now. She’s really nice.” I’m glad to see Sonata had such an impression on her.

“I second that,” Pinkie Pie tells us in a dull voice, her arms crossed. Her hair is completely straight, hanging past her shoulders. Instead of vocalizing her own opinion, Pinkie just sits there, occasionally saying she agrees with someone. It’s a dark contrast to the bubbly personality we usually see.

“I don’t see the harm in it. She is pretty sweet and if she wants to stay in touch with Adagio, isn’t that our mission at the end of the day? To reunite them?” Twilight’s question goes unanswered for a few moments. Until Rarity simply nods her head…

“You’re right, darling. I… I suppose that is our goal at the end of the day.” Rarity picks up her cup of coffee from her floating diamond, taking a small drink. “I favor the motion. She can come with us.”

“Rock on. A new person to talk to,” Dash quips with us, chuckling at herself. At this point, anyone who could say no would be outvoted, so it is clear where this is going.

“We would still need to decide if she’s going to come with us in the RV,” Sunset mentions quietly. Turning my gaze to her, Sunset looks at everyone but me for some kind of input. A decisive mood is in the atmosphere and she wants us to choose. The glimmer of happiness has long since left her eyes. Every time I look at her, it just makes me feel even worse, knowing that I caused this. It almost makes me feel… numb. My fingers. My legs…

“I will be back,” I tell everyone without even thinking about it. Quickly, I stand up from my seat, making my way towards my room. The hotel carpet practically becomes a blur. Colors seem more dull. If I was stronger, I would be able to resist this. All I can do is hurt them. God, they’re right… A siren. That’s all I am.

My fingernails dig into my arm. My vision begins to narrow as almost all color drains from my world. Slamming the door behind me, I stumble into the bathroom of my room. I look into the mirror, but the eyes that look back at me are not my own. Only the color red stares back at me…
“Hello, Adagio.”

Author's Note

https://youtu.be/_JjSC1r_zsM
Do you think Adagio will be able to fix things with her friends?

It's a Deal, Darling

Chapter XXIII: It’s a Deal, Darling

“You look tense.” The significant lack of color makes the bathroom feel even darker. It doesn’t help that the mirror reflects nothing but her. A black void is behind her.

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’re here,” I remark with a stare. “Every time you appear, I can’t help but ask myself what I did to be cursed with your presence.” All she does is shrug with a confused look to respond, making me a little more irritated. “Why are you here?” I admit it. My tone is a bit rushed and impatient, but who wouldn’t be? I can’t tell what she wants and the last thing we did together, she nearly killed a man.

“Calm your jets. I don’t know why you have to get so mad every time I am here,” she responds while rolling her eyes. “I’m here because I just woke up. How much time has passed?” I can’t help but stand there in shock as she simply stretches. Is she serious?

“Aren’t you supposed to be awake at the same time as me? You’re my literal subconscious…”

“That’s usually the case,” she responds to me with a chuckle. “But after your friends knocked me out, it made me take control for a couple days. Then I blacked out.” Her eyes look towards me with a confused expression. “Relax. I’m not going to do anything. You look as mad as that one princess when she sent her wizard after us.”

Taking a deep breath, I look away from the mirror, finding it hard to believe she has been asleep this whole time. “You’re seriously telling me you don’t want to do anything when you tried to kill that man? And that you haven’t been awake these past few DAYS?” The look on her face is one of confusion and wonder, bringing her hand to her chin.

“Huh. So I was in control for a few days and then you’ve been in control for a few days. Interesting.” Chuckling to herself, Umbra shakes her head, bringing her fingers to her forehead. “Also, bold of you to act like I was the only one doing something bad there. I admit that I was going too far by trying to kill him and I apologize for that. We agreed to do things your way, but don’t act for a SECOND that you didn’t enjoy it too. I know you enjoyed using your magic on him.” Her hand raises in the air to point at me, directly challenging my stance on the issue. I would oppose her if I could, but she’s right. I did enjoy some of it…

“Still… Listening to you that day was one of my worst mistakes.” Honestly, I can’t believe she admitted she went too far. If she really is being affected by the magic, that’s great. But a little too late…

Sighing, Umbra looks down at the floor. “Listen. I apologize. We agreed to do this your way. I just got… out of control.” Despite the fact that I shouldn’t believe her, the tone of her voice sounds genuine. Not to mention that she and I have the same goal now. Get our magic back. Even if she would like me to use it for myself again.

“I can’t exactly blame you. It did feel… nice,” I whisper before rolling my eyes. Looking back up at her, I find it genuinely surprising that she isn’t taking control. She has the opportunity, but she is letting me stay in control. “You really don’t remember the last few days at all, Umbra?” I ask her with a slight shake of my head, raising my eyebrow.

“Wha…? Oh. That name. Isn’t that the shitty title Twilight gave me?” Umbra laughs to herself, seemingly finding it hilarious.

“I’ve gotten used to referring to you by that in the last few days. Don’t blame me.” Crossing my arms, I lean against the bathroom wall, the shower behind me gives me intrusive thoughts to fall in. Umbra looks at me with a confused stare before sighing to herself.

“Whatever. What happened in the last few days anyway?” At first, I was convinced that she was acting, but now? It is clear that she is telling the truth. I thought she would have seen everything. We must have been hit pretty hard when we were knocked out to make both of us go unconscious for a period of time.

“Where do I start?” A small breath exits my lips. Despite how neutral the hotel usually feels, I can’t help but shiver a little. It feels cold in this bathroom. However, I can’t exactly blame it on the room. This usually happens when Umbra shows up. “Could you stop with all this first? I hate it. Bring some color back. And the heat.”

“What? Don’t like my environment?” She laughs at my request before shaking her head, the black void still behind her. “I would, but I can only really change this if I go away for a while and come back. So, you’re stuck with it for now.”

“God, you’re such a bitch,” I mutter with a roll of my eyes. Though, I guess I’m insulting myself with that one. She’s literally my broken subconscious presenting as a manifestation of my past self. “Firstly, my friends are all disappointed with me now as a result of what we did. And… Sunset broke up with me…” The way she looks at me after this can’t be described with anything short of elated.

“Oh? Really now? That is great to hear! Now she won’t be in the way anymore.” Glaring at her, Umbra scoffs at me. “She’s the major pain when it comes to getting your magic back. Now you can get it back and go on your merry way, once you stop fighting for her.” Her eyes meet mine once again and I can’t help but question what she means by that.

“I… haven’t been fighting for her.” For once, Umbra looks at me with a disappointed stare. I don’t know why she would be upset by that. She’s the one who wants me to stop being with her.

“So, you’re telling me that after these years of telling me she makes you a better person that you’re not fighting for this relationship? That’s surprising… You should have some hope. But this does make our job easier, so I’m not complaining.” Bringing her hand to her chin, she looks at me thoughtfully. “So, have you used Sonata’s number yet or what?”

A lot has happened in the past few days… It seems like forever ago that I have called her. “Yeah, I have. We’ve met twice.”

“Twice?” Her eyes widen almost instantly upon hearing that. However, despite her sudden interest, a long silence follows. Her expression now looks hesitant and she breaks our eye contact. A conflicted frown is painted across her lips, making it hard for me to tell what she is thinking. “How is she?” she asks me slowly, her arms crossed.

“She’s alright,” I whisper in response. In a way, I can’t help but find it ironic. She has been a demon tormenting my mind for years, but now she seems to care for Sonata and Aria. Coincidentally right after we’ve absorbed some magic… “She’s happy. She was happy to see me and she really appreciated the apology. She wants to be a part of my life again.”

Umbra doesn’t look back at me. Her eyes stare off into the black void, simply nodding. “That’s nice.” I can’t quite tell what emotion she’s feeling, but something tells me it is not hate or anger. “Is she still needlessly optimistic?” Umbra asks me in an almost nostalgic tone. Her eyes are glossed over as if she is remembering something.

“You care about them,” I whisper with a smile, causing her to look towards me.

“No, I don’t. They were just helpers. I just wanted to know how she was, that’s all.” That’s a lie. I can tell within a heartbeat. Every part of her behavior betrays herself. Funny. I don’t remember being that predictable. “Whatever. Let’s just focus on getting your magic back as quickly as possible.” Before I can say anything, the color in my vision begins to return.

“Wait, we’re not done ta-”

“What’s that? Can’t hear you.” Opening my eyes, everything is back to normal. The stupid tan bathroom walls as well as the egg-colored shower. Of course she runs away at the first sign of me teasing her. She can dish it out, but can’t take it. Typical.

Sighing to myself, I open the bathroom door. Taking a step out, I can’t help but feel grateful that I’m still in control. Usually, episodes like that end in me blacking out and hearing that Umbra was doing something without my knowledge. However, the overly fake smell of the hotel reminds me that I’m seeing reality rather than some illusion. Seriously… Hotels need to stop using such nauseating cleaning materials.

“Done?”

Nearly jumping right back into the bathroom, my eyes shoot to the left. Leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, Rainbow Dash simply scrolls her phone, her foot leisurely propped against the wall behind her. Her eyes break away from the screen to look at me, seemingly wanting an answer to her question.

“Why are you just standing there?” I ask in an accusatory manner, still trying to calm myself down from the surprise.

“It’s kind of my job to keep an eye on you. You took a while in there, so I let myself in.” Dash shrugs her shoulders, bringing her eyes back to the device in her hand. “Are you done with Umbra?” she asks me with a bored tone.

“How much did you hear…?” I would be surprised, but considering how long she’s been here, I can assume she probably heard me talking to her. No point in hiding it.

“Half of it. Considering I can’t hear her. I can only hear you.” Finally turning off her phone, Dash turns to me with an expectant look. Raising her hand, she gently grabs my shoulder and gives me a smile. The smile of a friend. “So, you good? Any frustrations with Umbra you need to air out?” The sympathy and care Dash shows me is really nice. I do appreciate it, but I am fine.

“No. Umbra apologized actually. And we’re still doing things my way. If everything goes according to plan, she should be changed to resemble more of me by the time I get my magic back. She’s showing some signs of that already.” Putting my hands in my pockets, I can’t help but look away from Dash. It’s not exactly confirmed that Umbra will see my viewpoint… That she will be less evil with the more magic I get back. All I can do is hope.

“So, you think she’ll come around?” Dash asks me with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “Let’s hope so. Twi says the best way to fix your mind is using the magic that broke it. So, we’re kind of stuck here. Speaking of which, we have to go.” Rainbow Dash walks towards the door, motioning for me to follow her. “Oh, and for the record…” Her eyes look at me with a slightly raised eyebrow, seemingly expecting something of me. “I’m putting a lot of trust in you after what happened. So, I expect you to fight for this. If I haven’t made it clear, that is. That includes your relationship with Sunset.” Her stare gives me the feeling that she is deadly serious about this. At this point, I’ve had Dash and Umbra try to tell me I should have more hope. Given, Umbra doesn’t care either way, she was just telling me that since it was jarring to see me like this. Hopeless. Let’s face it. My confidence has been in the drain the past few days.

Rolling my eyes, I chuckle at Dash’s words. “I will try. That is all I can promise.”

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

A blue glow envelopes Dash’s necklace as green magic lingers around us. A surge of power goes up my spine. Twilight holds my gem together and Rarity focuses on complimenting Dash for going through this. I can’t say that I am happy about doing this in a cramped hotel room, but I don’t exactly get to choose. The soft yellow light from the lamps is almost overpowered by Dash’s necklace at this point. I can’t wait to get done with this so I can get some fresh air instead of the stagnant air in this room.

She must really care about your friendship to believe you so much.

The siren stands by my side, looking at Dash with a raised eyebrow. I refuse to respond simply because of the people near us, but I have a feeling she already knows what I would say. However, Dash moves her head slightly, her eyes still closed.

“Who said that?” she asks us with a confused tone, still focusing on the magical exchange between her and I. Moving my eyes to Umbra, I can’t help but look at her with a dozen questions. No one had said anything other than her. Umbra looks down at me with the same level of confusion, shaking her head to tell me she has no idea what happened.

“What do you mean, darling? Everyone was quiet?” Rarity asks Dash, still coaching her to focus on staying conscious while I take a portion of her magic.

“No no. Someone said something. Dagi said something about our friendship, I think?” That… That wasn’t me. That was her. My subconscious. How in tartarus could she hear that…?

Turning my gaze to Umbra, I mouth the word ‘how’.

You expect me to know? I have no idea what just happened. Again, Dash moves her head to try and hear her better, confirming my fear that she is perceiving this interaction.

“What do you even mean, Dagi?” Dash asks in confusion. She almost opens her eyes before Twilight puts her hand on Dash’s shoulder.

“Dash, you have to concentrate or you might fall unconscious. It must be a side effect of the magic being drained from you. An illusion.” It’s almost humorous how Twilight tries to reassure Rainbow Dash. I tried to convince myself for years that she was an illusion, but that simply is not the case.

An illusion? That’s trivial. Of course she would use that excuse for me. And there she goes again… I would tell her to shut up, but everyone else would notice.

“That is NOT an illusion,” Dash tells us with a shake of her head. Disregarding Twilight’s advice, Dash opens her eyes and looks at me. Within a second, her eyes dart over to the figure standing next to me, a look of panic coming over her. “WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?!” Dash yells as she jumps back in her seat. Honestly, I don’t blame her reaction. Umbra appears with a crimson red dress that drips blood half of the time. Combined with the crown and glowing red eyes, she makes for a terrifying sight that I am all too used to at this point. Rarity and Twilight look over to where Dash is pointing, but they don’t seem surprised at all.

“What do you mean, Dash? There isn’t anyone-”

“Like hell there isn’t!” Dash interrupts Twilight, staring at Umbra the whole time.

If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have bothered showing up, she leans over to tell me under her breath, trying to act like Dash can’t hear her. I simply nod to her words, which makes Dash turn her gaze to me.

“Dagi? What the fuck is going on?” Dash asks me with heavy breaths, her necklace still glowing from the magic transfer. I can only assume that Dash can see and hear what I do. This is possibly a side effect of us having a magical link right now. Umbra didn’t show up during any of the other times I drained magic. Well, she was in control when we took the magic from Applejack, but she was across the store. Honestly, it’s a little fascinating that she can see what is in my mind.

Yes, ‘Dagi’. Do tell your friend about this situation. What would be your excuse this time? Hallucination? She’s dreaming? Once more, Umbra teases me, waving her hand at me. However, her jokes are harmless now. She and I are working together for now.

“Dash, meet Umbra,” I mention blandly, making my subconscious look at me with a shocked expression.

No excuses this time? Just straight into it? How mature of you.

“Umbra, meet Dash,” I state with a nod, trying to get Umbra to greet her. Might as well, right? They can see each other.

“Wait. What do you mean? Can Rainbow Dash see… her? Is she here with us?” Rarity asks with a confused expression, her hand on Dash’s shoulder.

Does your friend always objectify me like that? And I thought she was the sophisticated one. Turning her gaze to Dash, she forces a smile before giving a small wave. Hello. I’m Adagio’s subconscious. Umbra keeps her introduction short before turning back to me, seemingly not comfortable with the fact that Dash can see her.

“Um, hi. I’m Rainbow Dash,” she responds with more calm breaths, still clearly surprised by what is happening. “Why are you so… creepy?” Dash asks blatantly, her hand outstretched to refer to Umbra’s apparel.

I don’t ask why you look so plain, Umbra instantly fires back. Despite Dash’s attempts to talk to her, she shuts them down. Clearly, she only wants to talk to me.

“Don’t mind her, Dash. I’m sorry you had to witness this. It’ll end shortly,” I try to reassure her, rolling my eyes at Umbra.

“But you see this on a daily basis? If I had any remaining doubt about your broken mind, I’m sure as hell convinced now.” Dash takes a deep breath before sitting forward. “I mean, she… it…? What do you go by?” Dash asks my subconscious, making Umbra turn towards her with an irritated look.

How about your superior? That sounds splendid. Umbra’s aggressive comment only makes my friend grimace, seemingly seeking answers from me.

“Why does she have to be such a bitch?” I honestly have no answer for my friend. I could just tell her how my mind is broken or such, but that only partly explains why Umbra is so mean.

“You’re just preaching to the choir, Dashie.” I can’t help but laugh when I see Umbra’s reaction to my words, her stare telling me she wants to strangle me.

You’re more like me than you admit. It takes one to know one.

“Yeah, but she’s a good bitch!” Dash interjects in my defense. “She can be sassy and cocky, but at least she respects her friends.”

That is the difference between Adagio and I. I do not have friends. There’s no point. Umbra’s words make Dash and I go quiet, a deadly silence falling on the room. I can’t help but look at Rarity, noticing just how confused she is. Her eyes look between me and Dash, seemingly wanting some more context to this situation. However, Rarity doesn’t ask for it just yet. Twilight, on the other hand, seems fascinated, holding my gem together with her magic as she writes down notes.

“Is this a good time to ask what she looks like?” Twilight asks us, specifically looking at Dash for a description.

“Oh, I think you’ll get your description soon enough…” Dash shrugs her shoulders, sitting back in her seat. Dash’s words remind me that we decided we would drain some of Sunset’s magic today as well. The thought of having two friends see Umbra isn’t exactly appealing… Dash’s gaze is still glued to my subconscious, seemingly making Umbra more uncomfortable.

Didn’t your mother teach you to not stare? Or was she busy having heart attacks back then as well?

…

What the fuck did she just say? That is way too far.

“What did you just say about my mom?” Dash exclaims, instantly standing up from her seat. However, the drained magic takes a toll on her and makes Dash struggle to stay on her feet. Rarity waves her hand in the air, making blue diamonds encase Rainbow Dash’s legs.

“Rainbow Dash, please. Sit down. Trust me, this process is… rather draining.” Rarity tries to talk our friend into sitting back down on the hotel bed, but her eyes are trained directly onto Umbra.

If you wouldn’t stare like a mutt, then maybe I wouldn’t make such comments, Umbra snaps back, clearly stressed with the amount of attention.

“That’s enough. She is my friend and you will respect her,” I state in a loud tone, no longer caring how Twilight and Rarity will react. Umbra looks at me with disdain, seemingly hating the idea that I would give her an order. However, she holds her tongue for the moment. Dash is almost fuming at this point, but I nod to her. “I’m so sorry, Dash. Please don’t take that seriously. She’s just… uncomfortable being stared at. That doesn’t excuse what she said at all, but still.” I try my best to reassure her, to make Dash sit down. “You won’t see her anymore in just a second.”

After a minute of breath in and out, Dash finally listens to us, sitting back down next to Rarity. Her eyes look away from Umbra, telling me she’s empathetic for me from her eyes alone. Taking a deep breath, I hum a small note. The green magic lingering around Dash disappears within an instant, making her necklace’s glowing cease. I can tell that the gravity of the magic transfer has finally hit Dash as she gasps for air, her eyes wide. She tries her best to keep her eyes open as Rarity holds onto Dash.

“That’s it, Rainbow Dash. It’s a… difficult process,” Rarity mentions with a sympathetic tone. Finally, Twilight lets my gem break into pieces once more. Again, it seems like one of the pieces is missing, but that is because the magic is healing it. With a small nod, Rarity’s diamonds disappear.

“You have to tell me what she looked like. This is incredible! This means you two had a brief mental link to each other. This kind of stuff is purely theoretical at this point in time.” Twilight stops herself when she notices Dash shake her head. Rainbow Dash looks over to where Umbra is standing, but her gaze searches the area fruitlessly. At least she can’t see Umbra anymore… “Well, maybe that can wait… We should probably focus on getting you back to yourself,” Twilight tells Dash before grabbing her by the shoulder. Rarity makes more diamonds appear to help Twilight lay Dash down on the bed. I don’t exactly blame Dash for being more exhausted going through this procedure than everyone else. Her heart rate spiked with that comment Umbra made. It makes me feel even more anxious that I’m going to be draining some of Sunset’s magic after this…

“I will be with you and Sunset in an hour. For now, I have to make sure Dash is alright,” Twilight tells me with a small nod before checking Dash’s forehead for her temperature. By now, Rainbow Dash has fallen asleep already. Rarity stands up from her seat, looking towards me.

“How about we leave them to it? I think we would only be getting in the way after all.” Rarity offers for me to follow her. Standing up from my chair, I look to my side, no longer seeing Umbra. She left pretty quickly… I thought she would stick around for a bit longer. Maybe she got bored as usual.

Following Rarity out of the room, I close the door behind us. I can’t lie. A part of me really hopes that Dash or the others won’t see Umbra anymore. I guess I don’t have to worry, considering Rarity couldn’t see her. I’ve already taken a bit of the fashionista’s magic.

“Well, um… I hope you have a good rest of your day,” Rarity tells me quietly, an awkward expression on her face. As she turns to walk away, I can’t help but feel an urge to keep her from leaving.

“Rarity, wait,” I state with a pleading tone, making her stop in her tracks. Her head slowly turns to look at me once more. Despite the fact that she has a neutral emotion on her face, her eyes tell me just how nervous she is about this. “Could we talk?” Taking a deep breath, Rarity turns her body towards me, briefly brushing her hair away from her face.

“I… I apologize, but I don’t know if that would be for the best. I-”

“Please, Rarity… From a siren to a lady.” Looking into her eyes, I can’t help but remember the times she and I went to the spa together. Or those times where she asked for my opinion on a design. I remember every time she and I vented to each other about our fears for our relationships, her insecurities when it comes to the future with Applejack… I truly wish I didn’t ruin everything… That is what I want to fix.

“Alright. We can talk,” Rarity replies quietly. Her demeanor still seems rigid and frozen, but I’m glad she’s willing to listen.

“Rarity, I want you to know that I am still grateful for all you’ve done for me. You made me a new dress for my anniversary with Sunset… And you always lent an ear to my plights, even if you were busy.” Bringing my hand up to the scarf around my neck, I feel the fabric as I try to collect my thoughts. Even now, remnants of Sunset still calm me down, despite the fact that she wants nothing to do with me… “Rarity, I want you to understand that I always valued our friendship. I didn’t… I didn’t want to hurt you or the others.”

Rarity’s eyes break away from mine, a small breath escaping her lips. “The truth of the matter is that you did. The problem is that I could learn to forgive any lie told to me. But the fact is that you and your… other half. You two hurt Applejack.” I wish I could put the whole blame on Umbra. She is the one who caused it to happen… However, she’s a part of my mind. One I need to take responsibility for. To try and fix the mistakes that we have made.

“I’m sorry, Rarity… For all of it.” Taking a breath, I try to formulate the right words in my head, but that seems near impossible. What are the right words to say here? “I’m sorry for betraying your trust. And I am so sorry for hurting Applejack.” Making eye contact with her again, I try my best to seem as sincere as possible. “Applejack means a lot to me, just like you do. You all mean a lot to me. I didn’t want to hurt her. That is the last thing I wanted to do…” No matter what I say, it doesn’t change the fact that I did it. And that is what I need to own up to. “But I still did it and I am sorry… I just wanted you to know that I still care about you. And everyone else…” As the seconds pass, I can see Rarity think about my words. I can’t exactly blame her… It is one thing to apologize, but it is another to actually mean it.

“I would like to believe you,” Rarity whispers with a shake of her head. “It’s not exactly easy for your life to be turned into a madhouse. Conflicting emotions surround you around every step. You can see why I am hesitant, right?” she asks me, looking into my eyes for some kind of answer. Nodding my head, I reassure her that I understand. Of course I can see her point of view. I would probably feel the same way.

“I under-”

“Don’t interrupt, darling.” Rarity holds her hand out, stopping me from saying anything more. “However, with that little display in there, it does make me… a little more sympathetic.” Her eyes briefly look back to the door we just came from. “I remember those times as well. Your friendship meant a lot to me as well. I must admit that I was intrigued when Rainbow Dash’s opinion about you changed on a dime, but I suppose I can see why.” Rarity looks at me, seemingly intrigued. Her hand reaches outward, creating a diamond with two main sides. It floats an inch above her hand and she nods towards it. “Spin it,” she gestures to me, offering me the chance to touch the diamond.

Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but feel confused by her offer. However, I reach my hand out, tapping the side with enough force to make it spin. Her eyes are glued to the spinning gem. At this point, the speed of the diamond is far faster than it should be. I didn’t hit it with enough force to make it spin this much. After a few seconds of this gem spinning faster enough to make a particle accelerator feel jealous, the diamond finally stops, turning to a gold color. What exactly is Rarity doing?

A small smile spreads across her lips as she looks down at the gem. Before I can do anything, Rarity makes the diamond disappear, locking her eyes with mine once more.

“Alright, Adagio. I appreciate your apology and I will consider it heavily. However, for us to be friends again and for me to help you any further with this Umbra situation, I expect an apology given to Applejack by tonight.” Rarity offers me her hand, her smile grows a little bigger. Taking her hand in my own, I can’t really bring myself to believe that she’s actually considering my apology this quickly.

“Why tonight?” I ask her quietly. “I could apologize to her as soon as I am done with Sunset in the next two hours.”

“I think you’ll be pretty busy for the rest of the day,” Rarity mentions with an apprehensive smile, shaking her head. As confusing as her statement is, I try to pull away my hand, but Rarity doesn’t let go. Instead, she pulls me closer, bringing her lips close to my ear. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but considering your apology, I think you should know. Sunset is going to dinner with a previous… friend.” Bringing my head away, I can’t quite believe what I just heard. What friend does Sunset have in Las Vegas? And… why would she be going to dinner with them? Why not just hang out with them?

“Who is she going out with?” I can barely ask, not sure if I want to know the answer. Rarity gives me a cautious look, telling me to not do anything drastic with her eyes alone. Her hand holds onto me tighter, as if she is trying to avoid me doing something like what I almost did to that man…

“Flash Sentry.”

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

The sound of the door opening fills my ears. Twilight walks into my hotel room with a smile, waving to me. Slowly, Sunset follows our friend inside, not even giving me a greeting smile. I can’t blame her… Twilight closes the door to my room, making sure to lock it behind her. I can tell Sunset is anxious to get this done already from the way she sits down.

“Sorry for the wait,” Twilight tells me with an apologetic tone. “I was still monitoring Rainbow Dash until about five minutes ago. Just wanted to make sure she was alright after our little scare.” Looking towards Sunset, I can’t see any indicators of surprise coming from her.

“I suppose you told Sunset about-”

“I know,” Sunset interrupts me without looking at me, simply leaning her chin onto her palm. Her eyes look towards the wall with a blank stare, making her seem bored out of her mind.

Does she really have to ignore you so much? An all too familiar voice echoes in my mind, only being heard by myself. I can tell she’s standing beside me from my peripheral vision. As much as it hurts to be ignored by Sunset, I can understand why she does it. However, my heart aches and begs for her gaze. Just a moment of her attention… I guess her disappointed gaze is worse than her pretending I don’t exist…

Twilight sits down on the second chair, leaving Sunset alone on the bed. It’s a similar situation as what happened before with Rainbow Dash and Rarity. However, Sunset’s cold demeanor makes it all the more… unbearable.

“So, with all the risks in mind, do we still want to go forward with this?” Twilight asks Sunset, pressing her glasses back up her nose. Sunset turns her gaze to me for a moment, looking at me without any emotion. After a few seconds, Sunset simply nods her head. Her necklace hangs around her neck. Besides the few times she has used it to tell if Umbra was in control, she hasn’t utilized her magic that much this trip. “Great. Then let’s make this as painless and fast as possible.” Twilight pours out the content of the glass container, using her magic to piece my red gem back together.

As soon as the last piece is in place, I can feel that same surge of magic ripple throughout my body, being the most powerful in my spine. It was almost overwhelming the first time I had felt this again, but now? I’m starting to handle it… The green mist surrounds me. Umbra reaches out to touch it, almost… smiling. Taking a deep breath, I let out a low hum. In no time at all, the magic reacts, touching Sunset’s necklace. I can’t help but wish that maybe Sunset will experience something different than what Rainbow Dash went through. I don’t want her to see Umbra, but there’s not much I can do.

“Adagio,” Sunset asks for my attention, making me look up from her necklace. “Don’t hide her. I want to see her.” I wish I could hide her like she thinks. I’ve wanted to control her appearances ever since the start, but I don’t have that ability. Only Umbra decides when she appears. Sunset opens her eyes, immediately noticing the figure standing next to me. Her eyes widen considerably, but she maintains her composure. Umbra locks eyes with my ex.

I’m assuming that she can hear me now, considering she’s looking directly at me? Umbra asks me with an inquisitive tone. Her words seem to catch Sunset’s attention, confirming our suspicion. Sunset’s eyes look up and down along Umbra’s frame, but this time, my subconscious doesn’t get angry. I guess she’s already braced herself for the attention. I can already notice Twilight is looking at Sunset with a great deal of interest, intrigued by this phenomenon.

“Hello,” Sunset says quietly, her attention fully fixed on the siren beside me. Umbra simply chuckles.

Hello yourself, Shimmer… Sunset’s eyes look back and forth between me and her for a few moments.

“You’re different than I thought you would be,” Sunset mentions with a neutral, but polite tone. “I thought you would be wearing the outfit from the Battle of the Bands.” It’s kind of ironic that I saw Umbra wearing that exact outfit in my mind. However, she appears now in a crimson red dress with a crown.

Just shows how little you know me. Umbra’s attempt to taunt Sunset seems to have little effect on her. Umbra’s smile dims, seemingly unhappy about this.

“I won’t disagree with you on that.” Sunset takes a moment to collect her thoughts, never breaking her gaze from Umbra. The two of them stare at each other, a tense atmosphere resulting from it. Twilight looks confused from only getting half of the conversation. “Let me make this clear,” Sunset states, getting the attention of my other half. “I will not call you the name my friends gave you. I understand why they created it. They wanted to differentiate the two of you. However, your name is not Umbra. You’re not some ghost in her mind. You’re one half of the same mind.” Sunset’s eyes narrow, her resolve seemingly stronger. “Your name is Adagio.”

Umbra’s expression changes from solemn to surprised. In a way, she almost seems… glad…

Thank you, Shimmer. For the first time, she shows sincere gratitude to Sunset of all people, the person she seemed to hate the most. I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth. To think I would thank the person who caused this. Umbra brings her hand to her forehead, shaking her head with disbelief. Sunset watches her closely… As much as I want to say something, this is a conversation between the two of them. This is something Sunset wants.

“You hate me,” Sunset observes. “I just fail to understand why.”

Why? she asks Sunset in disbelief. Shimmer, you have no idea what I’ve been through. Because of you, my mind was torn in half with this freak. Her hand motions to me, making me raise my eyebrow. Is it really a surprise I hate you?

“I didn’t mean for our magic to have this effect on you,” Sunset responds with a quiet tone, nodding her head to Umbra’s words. “For that, I am sorry, Adagio.” Sunset’s apology makes Umbra’s face contort with anger, but her mouth remains shut. Sunset waits patiently for a response, which seems to make her even angrier.

You’re sorry? Umbra’s question is filled with sarcasm and disbelief. We used to be ONE person, but because of YOUR magic, you sent us into a hell we haven’t been able to fix. I come to find out my “other half” is redeeming herself and falling in love with the very person who got us in this mess to begin with. A thousand apologies can’t fix that. Umbra clenches her fist as the colors around me drain. It almost feels like the world itself is shaking from Umbra’s anger alone. From Sunset’s eyes glancing around us, I can tell I’m not the only one who is experiencing this. I tried to fix things. When I saw the perverted course this other me took, I tried to get us back on track. Get us back to the way of life that I knew, but I’m the bad guy? I’m in the wrong for wanting to fix what is fucking broken?

Umbra’s words lash out in anger, but Sunset doesn’t seem to be hurt by them at all. If anything, she seems… remorseful. Umbra opens her mouth to spew more venom, but Sunset holds up her hand, stopping her.

“You’re not wrong.” Sunset speaks with a level of compassion, making both Umbra and me confused. “Anyone else would react the same way. You’ve only known a strict way of life and you tried to fix it when your mind was broken. I would probably do the same thing too if I was you, Adagio.” For the first time in nearly a week, Sunset looks at me with a sympathetic tone in her eyes. However, it doesn’t last long, her eyes diverting back to Umbra “While I feel sorry for you and I hope we can fix your mind, I don’t forgive you.”

Ha! I’m not the one looking for forgiveness, Shimmer. Umbra laughs at Sunset’s statement, shaking her head. That would be my “consciousness” here. That and I still don’t believe this life you lead is best for me.

“You’re entitled to that opinion.” Unlike Rainbow Dash earlier in the day, Sunset offers her hand to my subconscious. Her gracious gesture and her respect seemingly make Umbra look the most surprised she has all day. “There’s nothing I can say to convince you, so I won’t waste my breath. However, it was nice to finally talk to you. Even if it only confirmed my fears.” Umbra hesitantly looks at Sunset’s hand before taking her gesture. The two of them can’t actually touch each other, but they both pretend the contact is real. “I hope your mind can be fixed.”

And I hope- Umbra stops herself mid sentence, adjusting her snarky tone to something more appropriate. Whatever you say, Shimmer. Umbra looks away from Sunset, unable to come up with the right words. Honestly, I’m surprised how this turned out. I was worried this would be a lot worse. Tell me something. Why in the world are you trying to understand me right now? I hate you and you’re trying to validate my viewpoints out of everything.

“Because you aren’t the bad guy in all this.” For a brief moment, Sunset gives Umbra a small smile. It’s a small token of appreciation, but it is one I’ve been craving for a while now… “Both of you lied to me over and over again, but when it comes to your mind being broken, you’re not wrong for wanting to fix it. I don’t hate you. I may not be comfortable with you, but everyone deserves to be happy. Even you.”

I…

She… just said we can be happy?

Happiness is a weakness, but… I appreciate the words. Sunset’s eyes finally look back towards me, nodding for me to stop this. Twilight can’t stop this process or she would risk something going wrong. Only I can end it…

With another hum, the green mist disappears. Sunset’s necklace stops glowing, making her eyes widen. Sunset weakly lets her arm back down, feeling the drain all at once.

“I have… so many questions,” Twilight finally speaks up, but her tone sounds like she is holding back. “That can wait though… Try to rest, okay? I will get you some water.” Twilight lets go of my gem, letting the pieces rest on the table. She stands up, patting Sunset’s shoulder. “I’m sure that was exhausting. Good job.” Twilight opens her mouth to say something else, but it seems the words escape her. Giving me a small smile, Twilight walks towards the door. Umbra simply looks at Sunset while leaning over to me.

That was… exhausting. God, why does she have to be so… so…

“Confusing?” I whisper in response. Sunset opens her eyes to my words.

Exactly.

“Yeah, it was,” Sunset responds to me, unaware I wasn’t talking to her. Sunset stretches her shoulders, looking away from me. A silence follows her words, one that even Umbra doesn’t dare interrupt. Actually, her presence as a whole seems to be missing… Why do you always disappear at these moments? Do you want to leave me alone during awkward situations? Can’t believe I am wanting her presence…

“Did it… hurt?” I slowly ask her, hoping the process didn’t harm her.

“Physically? No,” Sunset responds calmly. “Mentally, it was like a blast from the past. My magic saw your subconscious’ memories and all of them are associated with the Battle of the Bands. It seems your mind never had a chance to fully adapt to the present.” Sunset brings her hand up to her necklace, trying to make her statement more understandable. Out of everyone, her magic is the most confusing, yet… fascinating.

“Isn’t that what you said you were afraid of? Being able to read the memories of others without even touching them?” I remember the times she vented to me about her magic, especially back in the music studio. She was afraid of letting it get out of control. However, I pushed her to try and master it. Who else knows more about the magic in this world than her?

“Yeah, I was afraid of it, but I’m giving it another chance.” Making eye contact with me, a nostalgic feeling is shared between both of us. At least, I think she feels it too… “Someone wise told me that if there was anyone who has a chance of understanding the magic in this world, it is me.” Sunset doesn’t break our eye contact as she recites the words I told her. That strange silence accompanies us once more, but now it feels… less awkward. There’s still a clear tension between us, but Sunset doesn’t seem angry anymore.

A part of me can’t help but wonder if that is due to her dinner with Flash later today…

“Rarity told me you’re going to dinner with an old friend,” I try to mention casually. The words almost burn my tongue on the way out… Friend. Sure, they were friends at one point. I probably wouldn’t have been jealous under different circumstances. Here she is, going to dinner to catch up with her ex as if it is just two friends talking. Conveniently right after she called it off with me… She could have met with him before I gave in to the urge to take Sonata’s number by force.

“Yeah, I am. Do you remember Flash Sentry?” Sunset asks me with no hesitation. In a way, she almost seems… happy. “I used to date him, but I was kind of using him for popularity back then,” she explains with a slightly embarrassed look. “But he and I remained friends before he moved here after he graduated from Canterlot High. It’s been a while since we’ve talked.” She talks about her relationship with him with a sense of nostalgic pride, looking forward to her time with him. If… If things were different, I would be happy for her. I would be encouraging her to meet with her friend, but now? I just feel a deep ache in my heart… Just when I thought my heart was getting numb…

“Don’t you think that may be… risky? Meeting with him?” Words come out of my mouth before I can stop them. I feel embarrassed by it, but honestly? A part of me feels angry… Sad. Numb? God, I don’t know what I feel anymore. I just want answers. Does this mean I… really want us back?

“Why?” Sunset asks me blankly, raising her eyebrow. “We’re not together anymore, Adagio. Besides, I’ve never been his type and vice versa. We’re just friends.” Like a knife, my heart feels like it is ripped in half. It… It hurts so much… No matter how many times she says it, the pain doesn’t lessen.

“I know… But I still care about you,” I mention quietly. I don’t have the strength to keep looking at her… My eyes drift downward. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t be able to reconnect our gaze.

“I won’t be hurt, Adagio. I’ll be fine,” Sunset tries to reassure me. Although, her tone clearly tells me she’s not exactly happy with this conversation. Sunset stands up slowly, making sure she’s able to walk first. She looks down at me one more time before walking towards the door. The room’s door isn’t exactly quiet as it closes behind. However, the loneliness left inside here is as quiet as death itself…

A tear slides down my cheek, but not a single sound escapes my lips. I can’t even feel the seat I’m sitting in. It just… hurts…

Why does it hurt so much? I’m supposed to be a siren, yet… She’s the one who can hurt me the most…

“But I still… love you…”

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

Why am I doing this?

This is stupid…

Then why am I doing it?

Without fail, my screwdriver unfastens the vent cover, screw by screw. It’s so stupid. Alas, here I am, trying to take this cover off while keeping my balance. Twilight’s arms have a horrible habit of swinging me side to side just when I need her to stay still. Although, I can’t exactly blame her. It is a dark alleyway after all.

“Adagio? Why are we doing this?” Twilight asks me through a strained breath, focusing on keeping me above her head.

“I’m asking myself the same thing,” I respond under my breath, ashamed I haven’t stopped this five seconds ago.

“I get that you want to make sure Sunset is alright, but couldn’t we have gone in through the front door?” In most scenarios, Twilight’s question would be seen as the best way to go about this. However, this situation is not most scenarios.

“This restaurant is for reservations only. They wouldn’t let us in even if we asked nicely.” My hand doesn’t fail to take out one more screw, making the cover looser by the second.

“Then we could use your magic. I could put your gem back together and it would be easy to get in,” Twilight offers with a strained voice.

That would be helpful.

“The last time I used my magic, I lost my engagement to the only woman I have ever loved.” My eyes focus on the vent cover, trying to ignore the deeply personal words I just muttered. I wouldn’t have said that in normal circumstances, but… I need to do this. “This is the most logical option here.”

More logical than using your magic?

“Adagio, you’re wanting us to sneak inside a restaurant through their vent system. Aside from breaking a few laws, I’m pretty sure this is not the most logical way to go about this.” Twilight is right, of course. Out of everyone in our merry little band of assholes, she is the most reasonable one, but here I am, dedicated to this delusion. I even dressed up in one of Rarity’s spare dresses for the occasion. Out of Rarity’s twenty dresses, it wasn’t exactly hard to find one that would be inconspicuous. She even had a matching hat that can cover up the top half of my face at the right angles.

“I only needed help to get to this vent. You can leave after this if you want,” I remind Twilight, trying to reassure her she won’t need to come with me. I know what I’m doing isn’t logical. I know it’s wrong in some ways and I know I should probably go home, but… I can’t. God, I can’t. My heart dies by the minute and I just want to make sure she’s alrigh-

You’re turning the screwdriver the wrong way. Opening my eyes, I notice I’ve been tightening this screw for the past minute. The most logical option in my eyes is to go take a nap, but I have a feeling you won’t listen to that. So, how about we make our entry easier instead of harder? She reaches out and gestures for me to turn the screwdriver the right way.

“We shouldn’t, but… how can I help?” Twilight asks me reluctantly, wanting to assist me.

“Thank you,” I whisper, trying to show my gratitude to both my friend and my subconscious. “I was thinking you could pretend to be an employee. Then you could lead me to a table and cover for us.”

So, breaking and entering, property damage, possibly theft of a uniform, and now we’re falsely impersonating people we are not. Any more charges we want to add? I love it~ Umbra almost laughs at how mischievous this plan is, but that wasn’t my intention from the start. It’s a stupid plan and I admit that. I just need to do this… How about battery? We could add that to the list! Oh, wait. We came close to killing someone last time… We can still threaten a police officer though. I try my best to ignore the suggestions Umbra throws out there. However, some of them are funny…

“Okay. But we never tell anyone else about this. Not for a while at least…” Twilight looks up at me to see if I am close to removing the vent cover, trying to avoid looking up my dress. Finally taking the cover off the vent, I take a deep breath before pulling myself up, trying my best to avoid getting the dress dirty.

“I’ll unlock the back door. Wait here.”

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

“Here is your table, ma’am,” Twilight tells me in a professional tone, trying her best to pretend she doesn’t know me. I have to admit that she looks exactly like any other staff member in this fancy restaurant. Given, I had to go through a lot to get her in here. I had to hide inside a box at one point… The suit she is wearing isn’t even hers, but we will make sure to leave it here once we leave. Now, Twilight’s job is to keep our covers and turn others away if they ask any questions about my presence. Specifically, she will try to pretend I have a reservation. She definitely has the harder job here…

Sitting down at the table, I look around the restaurant, noticing just how nice the restaurant is designed. On the other side of this massive room, Sunset sits at a table for two, wearing a red dress. She looks… stunning…

“I will come check up on you in a bit,” Twilight whispers to warn me not to let go of the act that I’m simply another customer. I nod to her, letting her know it is alright to go.

It seems Flash hasn’t arrived yet… Although, Sunset is here, looking at the menu. I would usually be lovestruck by seeing her right now, but I know she’s not here for me…

Well, you made sure she’s alright. Although, I think we both know that isn’t your real mission here. Sitting across from me, Umbra looks over at Sunset, chuckling to herself. You’re jealous that you're not the one sitting over there.

“For all I know, Flash could flirt with her. She said she just wanted to meet a friend, so that wouldn’t be a welcome advance.” Even to me, my excuse sounds hollow.

I think Sunset is able to handle herself. She doesn’t need “protection”. Before I can respond, I can’t help but notice that man walk over to her. He’s dressed in a wrinkled dress shirt and jeans. That smile of his looks so smug… There’s the man himself. God, is he always so annoying?

“Tell me about it…” I can notice Flash greets Sunset. They both laugh as he sits down. It doesn’t take long for a waiter to come towards them.

What are they saying? Looking towards Umbra, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow, wondering what she means.

“How should I know?”

Oh, come on. Twilight literally told you that your senses are heightened compared to others. You’re a siren. That’s why you can’t stand some strong perfumes.

“Heightened senses. Yeah, but just barely. I’m not some mutant. I can just experience a little more than others. Such as a better sense of smell, taste-”

And hearing. How else would you be so great with music? Just try it. Umbra nods her head towards Sunset and Flash, making me wonder just how dense she is. However, there aren’t too many people between our tables… Maybe…

“And she will have a… vanilla cake? That was your favorite, right?” It strains my ears, but I can just barely hear him from here. Sunset simply nods to his words, despite the fact that his choice is NOT her favorite at all.

Huh. Isn’t her favorite chocolate cake?

“Yes,” I quietly respond, feeling my blood boil. First, he comes to his date with an uninspiring attire, then he gets her favorite dessert wrong? Clearly, he didn’t put much effort into this…

Why are they having dessert first? Looking towards her, I can’t help but wonder what is going on inside her head.

“Let me ask you this. Why are you even here? Don’t you hate Sunset?”

Yes, but we can’t just let her do this without some supervision. Like you said, she might be hurt. Her eyes turn away from me to look at Sunset, almost conflicted. Besides, she’s not the… worst… I can’t really believe what she’s saying…

“You’re the same person who wanted her to go jump off a cliff a few weeks ago. You kept telling me that she was making me weak. You are also the same person who-”

Are we going to fix his mistake or not? We have a golden opportunity to help Sunset get the cake she wants.

I… I can’t believe she is actively trying to help me here. Especially when it comes to Sunset. Is this because I absorbed a lot of magic today…? Is that why she’s kind of more… compassionate?

Looking behind me, I try to get Twilight’s attention. It only takes her a second to walk over to me.

“Are you ready to order, ma’am?” she asks me in a louder tone before leaning in. “What’s going on, Adagio?” Nodding towards Sunset, I point her attention in that direction.

“Flash just ordered a vanilla cake for Sunset. Pretty careless on his part… Anyway, could you switch it out with a chocolate cake? Without actually being the one to give it to them, of course.” Twilight turns her attention back to me, a little hesitant.

“I’m sure he just forgot. Flash isn’t a bad guy like that, but sure. I can do that.”

Not a bad guy… Sure. I’ll keep that in mind.

“Thank you, Twi,” I whisper, keeping my eyes on Flash and Sunset.

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

Sunset happily laughs at one of Flash’s jokes once again. Despite Umbra’s repeated suggestions to go over there and humiliate Flash, I know that isn’t the mature thing to do. Though I would be lying if I said the thought isn’t appealing to me. Their dinner is almost over, so the idea of going over there and pointing out every one of Flash’s flaws is so tempting. However, Sunset seems to be having fun here. Every second of it, she has enjoyed. And my heart has hated every second…

Taking a sip of my glass, I can’t help but sigh. At least their whiskey isn’t that bad. However, it isn’t my favorite brand. I guess I shouldn’t have expected a restaurant like this to have a large selection of whiskey. Wine is plentiful, but other alcoholic beverages? Not so much.

What am I even doing here? Other than fixing her cake, she seems relatively happy without my influence.

Why does she have to be so happy here?

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Taking another sip, I can’t help but feel my heart get heavy.

Eh… Umbra shrugs her shoulders, trying to tell me it doesn’t hurt for her. I have no idea if she is lying about that or not. I honestly don’t care right now. I just can’t get Sunset’s smile off of my mind. Throughout this whole dinner, I have barely been able to hear them, but I could see her smile as clearly as the day.

Sunset and Flash stand up from their seats, giving each other a hug. The simple act alone makes me want to break the glass in my hand. Flash says something about wanting to catch up again soon. As much as I want to hate him, it’s clear that this wasn’t a date for either of them… I wanted to convince myself of that so much, but they are just two friends spending some time together. All the while, I forced myself to watch… This was a huge mistake on my part…

Flash walks away from the table, giving Sunset one last wave. She reciprocates the gesture without moving from her spot. Instead, she stands there for a moment, smiling to herself. As the seconds pass, I keep watching her, wondering when she will leave. She should be going back to the hotel now, right? Sunset takes out her phone, typing something in before slipping it back into her purse. Due to how it only took a few seconds, she was probably texting someone.

Sunset turns her body in my direction, making me turn my gaze away. My hat should block my face from view… Why is she walking in this direction? The exit isn’t over here… Did she see me? No… I was careful. The restroom is in this direction. That’s probably why.

As I take a sip of my glass, I can see orange legs stop at my table, a red dress complimenting her figure. After a second, she sits down on the opposite side of my table, finally making me look up. Umbra has disappeared at this point. Instead, the person looking back at me is the one I’ve been spying on all night. Her beautiful cyan eyes look into my own, a mixture of emotions staring into my soul. A part of me questions how she noticed, but… I guess I shouldn’t question her natural observation skills.

“We should go,” she tells me simply without much emotion in her voice. She lays down a few bills, paying for my drink. “I already texted Twilight that she can leave. However, I’m guessing it will take her a bit longer since she had to borrow a suit.” So that’s who she texted… “Thank you for not interrupting. It was nice to catch up with him without drama.” Sunset’s hand briefly touches my shoulder, prompting me to stand up from my seat. In a way, I’m still kind of ashamed that I came here in the first place, but… it did help reassure me that Flash wasn’t going to try anything.

“You deserved a good time.” Even though I wanted to, I wouldn’t interrupt something like that…

Author's Note

Well, this story is now officially longer than A Shimmering Heartbreak, which makes this story my longest one yet~ Probably the longest one I will ever make. Let's be real. After this, I will probably never make a story that is THIS long again. Especially if you take the word count of the whole series this is a part of into account.
P.S. It has been a whole year since I have started A Dazzling Trio. Good lord, I am sorry for keeping you all waiting so long for this to end.

Light in the Downpour

Chapter XXIV: Light in the Downpour

The sound of the city surrounds us as we walk. Even though the signs of life are all around us, the air feels dead. Sunset walks a few feet ahead of me, but my legs can’t seem to keep up with her. Maybe it is because I am afraid of her gaze. Admittedly, it wasn’t a great idea to spy on her… I should have left her alone to catch up with her friend, but I let my emotions cloud my judgment. There’s not much I can do to fix it now… At least it wasn’t as bad as the last time I gave in to my urges…

The air carries a level of moisture. In normal cases, this would either mean it is about to rain or it has rained recently. Considering the lack of water on the ground, I am willing to bet it is the former… I’m glad that Sunset brought a coat. All I have are Rarity’s spares…

A sprinkle lands on my shoulder just as Sunset leads us over to a pavilion nearby. The sound of the rain gradually picks up after we get under some cover. Some of the yellow streetlights give a warm glow to the rain around us. As a car drives by, Sunset sits down, looking at the downpour.

“I’m glad I decided to stop here. It picked up a lot, didn’t it?” Sunset asks me with a slight chuckle. Sitting down beside her, I gently nod. Both of us simply watch as the rain wets the previously dry concrete. Neither of us say another word. Sunset sits in a very relaxed manner, but I can’t exactly let the tension in my muscles go. Now that I think about it, I haven’t felt relaxed in a while now…

The sound of the water would normally be relaxing, but it’s a different situation now. I can’t quite get her out of my mind. Even though she’s sitting right beside me, I have no idea what is between us…

“I almost feel bad. You didn’t eat anything back there,” Sunset mentions quietly, the sound of the rain being the only other thing I can focus on. The rest of the city might as well disappear.

“Were you watching me that whole time?” I ask her quietly, unable to hold back my curiosity. “I never saw you look over at me.”

“I have my ways,” Sunset tells me with a small smile, turning her gaze back towards the falling rain. “Besides, you were watching me as much as possible. That’s the only reason you were there, right?” I can’t really bring myself to respond to Sunset’s question. She nods to herself, presumably taking my silence as my answer. I know I shouldn’t have spied on her, but… I guess a part of me doesn’t want her to move even further away from me…

To move on…

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, watching the rain hit the ground relentlessly. It feels cold. The water draws a parallel to the wet stain on my cheek. The worst part is that I can’t stop them. The tears fall in tandem with the water, but not a sound comes from my lips.

“About spying on me?” Sunset asks me before turning to look at me. I can’t really bring myself to meet her gaze… I’ve already seen enough shame from her eyes to last me a lifetime…

“I’m sorry about everything.” My words are barely audible at this point. Even though I am trying to talk, the gravity of the situation is really dawning on me. What hurts the most is that I still love her… And even though I thought I had already dealt with the idea that our relationship is over, my heart still aches. I don’t want it to be over… “I’m sorry for lying. I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark. I’m sorry for… betraying your trust.” As much as I want to make excuses for myself, I can’t. I did everything she accused me of. I did lie to her. I have to own up to that.

“There’s no point being sorry now. What’s done is done. We just have to live with it.” Sunset gives a slight shrug with her answer, looking away from me. She plays it cool, but I can’t believe she’s so callous about it all.

“That’s the point, Sunset,” I whisper, finally finding the strength to look at her. “I am sorry about it because you deserve an apology. I… I don’t want us to be done…” I try so hard to keep my voice from cracking, but looking at her stoic demeanor does nothing but break me a little more.

“Adagio, I realize what drove you to this point. I’m not so careless as to blame everything on you.” Sunset takes a long shaky breath, refusing to look at me. “But we are done. I made myself clear on that.” A singular tear falls down her cheek as she finally locks her eyes with mine. “Can’t you try to see it from my point of view? You lied to me for close to three years. Our whole relationship. I gave my all to you and I found out that I don’t even know the woman I asked to marry me…” For a moment, Sunset’s eyes flash with anger as she recounts what’s happened, but she tries to keep her composure. Her tears fail her on that front. “Adagio, I loved you with my whole heart. I stood by you. It’s not so much about you stealing Sonata’s phone number or even what happened after that. I don’t think I can ever trust you again.”

For some reason, those few words strike my heart harder than I could have imagined… A siren isn’t supposed to feel, but… to hear her say that she would never trust me again feels worse than being shot.

“Really…?” I whisper, barely able to let out the word. I know that I hurt her, but I was hoping… I…

“Really, Adagio? I am seriously hurt… You think apologizing a couple of times will fix everything? I wasted three years on us.” Wasted…? That’s how she sees it? Tears fall from her eyes as she shakes her head. Sunset slowly stands up, looking down at me. “I wish I could just forgive and forget. I really do. Then I could have my life back with you.” Sunset walks out from under the pavilion, the rain instantly falling down on her. She looks back at me through tears, crying in the downpour.

This image looks familiar…

It’s… This is the exact sight I saw when I got my magic back for the first time. Her crying in the rain as the light of a yellow streetlight beating down on her. Oh my god…

“But really, did I ever know the real you?” Sunset asks me with a shaky breath, trying to talk through her cries. Her tears blend in with the rain. Turning away from me, Sunset walks further into the rain. The amount of water almost obscures her image, making her seem farther away. The sound of the falling water surrounds me. I am alone…

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

Opening the door of the hotel, I walk inside quietly. It’s warmer in here than the cold outdoors. A few raindrops fall off my dress onto the ground. Even though I waited for the rain to slow down, I still got wet walking back here. I didn’t think to bring an umbrella with me when I hatched the brilliant idea to go spy on Sunset. I guess I kind of deserve to walk home wet and cold…

“There she is,” Dash’s voice states, making me look up from the floor. Standing in the lobby of the hotel, Dash is accompanied by Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight. Twilight turns to look at me with a wet umbrella in her hand, seemingly concerned. I guess they got a little worried since I took longer than Twilight to get back here… Though, they really shouldn’t be worried over me at this point. I don’t deserve that pity.

“Adagio. Are you okay?” Twilight asks me, trying to touch my shoulder. Pulling away from her, I simply nod to her question. It’s really hard for me to make eye contact right now…

“I was wondering where you were,” Dash mentions with curiosity, seemingly back to her old self after I drained her magic earlier. Walking towards Applejack, I grab her shoulder. Surprisingly, the cowgirl lets me, but she still stays eerily quiet.

“Applejack, I’m going to cut out all the hospitality and conversation. I’m wet, tired, and I really need to get to bed to cry my heart out. So, I want to make this short.” Taking a deep breath, I look directly into her eyes. Applejack looks surprised by my sudden touch and my words. I don’t exactly blame her. “Applejack, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for lying to all of you and for the misdirection. Most of all, I’m sorry for hurting you. You might not believe me, but I truly did value our friendship.” I try my best to give her a smile, but it’s hard to do that after what has happened tonight. I would talk some more, but what is there to say? I try so hard to convince them that I’m sorry, but I’ve said everything there is to say. I’m just really tired of trying tonight.

Patting Applejack’s shoulder, I walk past her towards the hallway. I can still feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I don’t really care right now. All I want to do is get to bed…

“I’ll go lock her up,” Dash mentions. From here I can already hear the handcuffs. Even though Dash has forgiven me, she still has to put me in binds since the rest of the group wants to make sure I stay in my room.

“No need, Rainbow,” Applejack speaks up. “Just… leave her alone. I don’t see the necessity for that tonight.”

Turning my head back towards Applejack, I see her look at me with compassion. She gives me a small nod, telling me to go on to bed. I feel like she and I will have to talk again later, but for now, the notion is nice. Gratefully, I return the nod…

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

Can you smell it? The cool air brushes past my face as we stand beside the RV. At this point, Applejack is counting the bags we have to make sure we didn’t forget anything. Rainbow Dash is making some inside joke with Fluttershy as Rarity helps Applejack with inventory. Even though she’s not as chipper as usual, Pinkie briefly makes a comment about attaching a party cannon to the top of the RV. Sunset and Twilight actually talk about the ethics of going with Pinkie’s idea. I, on the other hand, am farther away from the group, waiting by the edge of the parking lot. Sonata said she’d be here soon.

“Smell what?” I finally respond when I’m sure no one else can hear me.

Freedom. We’re finally leaving this city. Even though there’s enough negativity here to fuel our magic for a lifetime, the atmosphere is almost suffocating. Umbra stretches quietly, as if she can’t wait for us to hit the road. This time, Umbra is wearing the outfit I wore back at Canterlot High, ditching her usual intimidating attire. In contrast, I’m wearing the same old black jacket with a purple scarf, both of which are gifts from Sunset… Not to mention the dark purple high-heeled boots that she also gave me during our first anniversary. These items are the sort of things I wear for any outfit. It doesn’t matter what shirt I have on or what kind of pants I choose to wear. I usually wear these items as well. Today, I just kept it simple by wearing a white shirt and jeans. Umbra and I can’t be farther removed from each other in terms of fashion.

“You know we’re leaving to go to Louisiana, right? I highly doubt Aria is in a place that is ‘better’ than this city.” Taking a deep breath, I look away from her, opting to watch the road again. Honestly, I have no idea where Aria is in that state. I will only be able to tell once we get closer. I guess I’m just hoping she’s doing well for herself. Sonata turned out well without me, so I’m sure she is alright as well.

I know that, but I honestly prefer Canterlot City. Maybe it’s because of the magic reservoirs. Besides your friends’ necklaces, there are other locations around that city that have magical auras. It just feels more… alive there. Umbra raises her hand gently to make an understandable gesture. Her eyes look back at me with a sense of confusion, but I refuse to meet her gaze. For someone who is about to get her friend back in her life and find the other one, you do not look that excited. Is this about Sunset?

“Did you hear what she said at all last night?” Obviously it is about her. I could hardly sleep due to our conversation. All I want to do is make things right, but I guess that’s pretty much impossible. Sighing to myself, I slowly shake my head. “You were right. I’m a siren. I’m not equipped for love or those kinds of emotions. I was a fool for even thinking I would be capable.” Rolling my eyes, I finally look over at Umbra, expecting her to agree with me. Instead, she gives me a thoughtful look as if she is thinking of her words carefully. “What? You of all people would love that admission.”

I’m trying to decide whether you mean those words or not. In any case, it speaks volumes that you tie your self-worth to her. I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at her statement.

“I don’t. I used to look at myself like that, but I fully realize that my worth isn’t inherently due to Sunset. It’s based on what I do with my life.” I guess it’s due to my friends that I was able to build my confidence back up again. “Still. When you’re so used to being with someone, it’s a little hard to be ecstatic going forward without them. You take a slight hit to your confidence, but my self-worth isn’t being affected.” At least, not that much.

Regardless, you’re letting her affect your mood. Which is… understandable. What the hell does she mean? I thought she would be the person who would condemn me for still loving her, but she’s validating my feelings? So what? She turned you down, but that’s because she’s still hurt. Give it time. Sunset still cares about you clearly. She just isn’t sure she wants to open herself up again.

“Why are you trying to give me advice on how to get back together with her?” I ask her point blank. I want a serious answer. Last night, she pretty much waved off my questions, but I genuinely want to know why she’s trying to help with this. “Answer me honestly. Please.”

Don’t say please. It is unfitting for a siren of your stature, she tells me with a confident tone as if it is a matter of fact. Although, I will choose to ignore her advice on that one. I… While I don’t see a point in your journey for love, I know I cannot stop you. Besides, out of every mortal on this god forsaken planet, she makes an alright partner in crime… Umbra turns away from me with a slightly embarrassed expression. Just like me, she doesn’t want to be seen when she’s not confident. Not that anyone here deserves to be with you, but if it has to be anyone, might as well be the master of magic in this world. Looking at me, Umbra’s expression seems to change to anger upon seeing me smirking at her. I’m just saying that if she really affects your mood that much, you shouldn’t give up on it just yet. You’re getting your friends back after all. Even though they’re useless compared to Aria and Sonata. And possibly Sunset…

I can’t stop myself from chuckling at Umbra’s words. She rolls her eyes at me, but she doesn’t realize how ironic this whole situation is. Just a month ago, she would have given anything for Sunset to be out of the picture. Now she’s saying Sunset isn’t the worst choice. She still has a long way to go, but still.

“It’s her smile, isn’t it?” I laugh a little, seeing just how annoyed Umbra is.

Fuck off.

“Oh, such uncouth language for someone who values superiority. Did I strike a nerve?” My jab only makes her angrier, giving me a death glare.

Fuck. Off. Bitch. A yellow taxi drives up to the sidewalk I’m standing on. Before I have a chance to retort, the door to the car opens. That smile is all too familiar. Sonata quickly gets out with her bags, paying the cab driver before they drive off.

“Adagio!” Sonata says with a pleasant tone to her voice, putting her bags on the ground and opening her arms to hug me. As if I have a choice in the matter. Sonata hugs me almost as tightly as Apple Bloom. However, I am able to breathe in this embrace. That’s a plus side at least.

Looking to my side, there’s not a trace of Umbra anywhere. It’s as if she wasn’t here to begin with. Given, she is inside my mind, but I still hate it when she does that. It is kind of unnerving.

“That isn’t a lot of luggage for this trip. Are you sure it will be enough?” I ask Sonata, finally ending our hug.

“I’ll be fine. I’m having the rest of my stuff moved in a couple weeks anyway.” Huh. She’s serious about moving closer to me. I guess I thought she would want to keep in touch after this trip, but when she says she wants to come with me, she means it.

“What will happen with your business then? Are you going to give up your position?” I ask her with a hint of concern. A part of me doesn’t want Sonata to give up her success simply because of me.

“Adagio, I can still run my restaurants from a few states away,” Sonata mentions with a laugh, finding my concern funny. “We have the technology to allow that after all~ I was also thinking about making a branch in Canterlot City. Who knows? Maybe I’ll move the headquarters there after a while.” Picking up her bags, Sonata walks with me towards the RV.

“Well, that’s still a while away,” I tell her quietly, trying to temper her ideas. “First, we need to find Aria.”

Sunny Days

Author's Note

For some context, "Natra ven tru, ardo tru nao" means "I love you, but you don't love me".

A big special thanks to NellJoestar for beta reading this chapter! I mainly asked for some input on story decisions and I got some great feedback! Consider checking out the DeviantArt by the same name! :twilightsmile: :raritywink:

Sunny Days

Chapter XXV: Sunny Days

The RV finally starts to move. It took a while for everyone to get settled, but we’re finally leaving this city. Although, this is the city Sonata has called home for a while now. I assume it is a bit more difficult for her to leave. The one bed in this vehicle was unanimously given to Fluttershy since she seems the least rested out of everyone. Everyone else inside the vehicle is scattered around the main area. Sonata sits next to me, closer to the door. Her legs are close together with her palms pressing down on her thighs. Clearly, she is still trying to get comfortable here, but she doesn’t know what we deem as acceptable here. It’s understandable in some aspects. I had to go through the same learning process.

Sonata twists and turns in her seat as everyone else either tries to sleep or they look at their phones. I only use my phone to take calls, text others, or take pictures though… I never really understood why people spend so much time scrolling their phones. From the way Sonata moves her head, I can tell she is thinking about something to say. I can’t exactly help her here. I have no idea what to say either.

“So, um… Pinkie Pie?” Sonata asks for her attention, making my usually optimistic friend look over at us with a vacant expression.

“Yes?” she plainly answers, her flat hair covering one of her eyes.

“What do you do? For a living?” Sonata asks quietly, trying to start up a conversation. “I run a restaurant chain and you already know that, but I was wondering what you do.” Pinkie Pie straightens herself in her seat, an interested look on her face.

“I have two jobs. I’m a baker and a party planner,” Pinkie responds with a monotone voice, but a part of her reaction shows that she isn’t completely bored. Notably, her eyes don’t look so plain anymore. She probably finds some of this fun in a way. I know she liked talking about her work with me in the past. Maybe that’s what is happening here…

“Oh? That must be pretty stressful. Two jobs can’t be easy,” Sonata responds with empathy, but Pinkie shakes her head.

“No, actually. It’s not too difficult. I really love my jobs and I put all of myself into them. It’d give me more free time if I only had one job, but I kinda don’t want to give up either one.” Even though Pinkie’s tone is quiet and bland, I can almost swear I see her hair curl a little. Maybe I’m just imagining things…

Giving Sonata’s shoulder a little rub, I try to reassure her before standing up carefully. With how the vehicle is moving, it’s a little hard to stay upright, but I manage to walk to the door separating us from the compartment where Applejack is driving. It would probably be better for me to let Sonata talk to them alone rather than me constantly watching. Besides… I have to talk to Applejack…

Opening the door, I walk in slowly just as the vehicle makes it onto the highway. Applejack looks back for a very brief moment before motioning for me to close the door.

“Is this seat taken?” I ask her quietly, sitting in the passenger side. A small shake of her head comes from her, even though I am already seated. Nothing about her seems off. I guess I expected her to be a little awkward given the conversation that is coming.

“Nah, I don’t mind the company,” Applejack states, nodding to me. “What’s up?” I’m glad that she’s open to talking with me. I really need to properly apologize to her instead of my attempt that was half hearted last night.

“I wanted to talk with you… To say that I’m sorry again.” I don’t really pay attention to the road outside at this point. We’re going to be traveling for a long time as it is. Until we get to Texas at least… Before I can say anything else, Applejack pulls out her phone.

“Do ya mind if I call someone before we continue this conversation? It’s a bit important.” Shaking my head, Applejack presses something on her phone before placing it by her side, keeping her eyes on the road. Within a second, the ringing of the phone is played by the RV’s speakers inside this little compartment. I honestly didn’t know this vehicle had the ability to take calls… In a way, it makes me feel upset that she decided to make a call at this very moment, but if she says it is important, I believe her.

The ringing stops to the sound of the call getting answered. I can hear what sounds like people talking in the background for a few seconds before the sound of a door cuts them off. Now, the background is filled with wind and rain, making me wonder who Applejack called.

“Hiya, big sis! Whatcha calling for?” A young and familiar voice answers the call. Ah. It’s Apple Bloom. I’m guessing she answered the call but went outside for a little privacy.

“Hey, Apple Bloom. How’s your party going?” Applejack asks her with a cheerful voice, only giving me more questions than answers.

“I told you that you didn’t have to call. We’re doing just fine over here~ I promise Granny is alright,” Apple Bloom reassures our driver. I feel a little guilty taking everyone away from their families for this little trip, but they all said it would be alright.

“I’m just calling to wish you a happy birthday, that’s all,” Applejack chuckles, teasing her sister.

“Uh huh. Totally not keeping an eye on me from halfway across the country.” Apple Bloom’s snarky response makes both of them laugh just as Applejack changes lanes. “Still though. Thanks for the thought. I love the gifts, but I hope your trip is going alright. Did y’all find Sonata and Aria yet?” From Apple Bloom’s tone, it doesn’t sound jaded or full of anger. I guess Applejack didn’t tell her about how exactly I got Sonata’s phone number. I’m glad…

“Adagio’s actually sitting next to me. How about you ask her how it’s going?” Applejack’s eyes turn to me for a brief second, giving me a smile.

“Oh? Hi, Adagio! It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. Then again, I’ve been pretty busy.” A small laugh comes from the teen on the other side of the phone. She’s not exactly wrong. I could have called her sometime during this trip. For the last week, I’ve just been… stressed. “How are things going? Are you all going to be home soon?” Apple Bloom asks me happily, but still clearly hoping for us to come back sooner rather than later.

“Well, we found Sonata. She’s actually in the RV with us. She wanted to be my friend again if you can believe it.” Should I tell her about… everything else? The fighting? Umbra? My relationship with Sunset? No… She has her own problems right now. It’s her birthday and maybe I can fix most of it by the time we get back. Maybe. “Dash is actually happier than she was when she first came on the trip, but I will have to tell you about that later.” That’s if I’m allowed to. Dash’s family problems are her private matters.

“I can believe it. I mean, I wanted to be your friend after all. Now all ya have to do is find Aria. You’re close!” Apple Bloom’s attempts to reassure me bring a smile to my face. I have to admit that despite her endless optimism, she’s pretty funny.

“I know that, Apple Bloom. Of course I can fix things with Aria. Do you think I would be insecure about that?” The funniest part is that she’s right to think that. Although, I’m also right to believe I can fix things. I proved it with Sonata. Maybe I can befriend Aria again as well.

The biggest question is if I can fix things with Sunset…

“How’s Diamond Tiara?” I ask after a moment. “Surely an altruistic apple scout like yourself has checked up on her recently, right?” My question goes unanswered for a few moments. It goes so long that even Applejack moves her head to look at the phone in confusion. The sound of rain is still clear, so I know the call hasn’t died. She’s choosing not to answer.

“Um. She’s good. She and I had a small fight, but it’s nothing to worry about. I’ll tell you both about it later.” Apple Bloom’s tone sounds guarded and tired. I doubt I can get anything out of her, even if I tried. I just hope this isn’t ruining her birthday. I know she’ll be able to fix it. She’s resourceful. She shouldn’t wait too long though. “Hey, I need to get back inside. Big Mac’s telling me the cake is ready. Talk to y’all later?” Applejack chuckles while shaking her head, amused by what her sister said for whatever reason.

“Alright, Apple Bloom. Tell everyone I said hi. Take care, okay?” Applejack brings her hand to the phone, but before she hangs up, I gesture for her to wait.

“Have a happy birthday, Apple Bloom,” I tell her with a smile, glad I can give her pleasant wishes. The phone call ends without Apple Bloom saying anything. I know she’s not upset at us. She’s not the kind of person to hang up without saying something if she feels bad. She would try like hell to talk it out.

“Sorry about that. I meant to call her before we got ready to leave the hotel, but Rarity had a nightmare. I kinda got busy,” Applejack explains, shrugging her shoulders a little. Honestly, I can’t help but feel a little jealous. She still sleeps in the same bed as the person she loves. Meanwhile, I’m stuck at arm’s length away from Sunset if not more. “What were you wanting to talk about again?” she asks me quietly, an appreciative smile showing that she’s glad I waited. Honestly, I’m surprised she forgot. I literally told her five minutes ago. Tis another power of the almighty Apple Bloom apparently...

“I… I kind of wanted to talk about last night some more.” Directing my gaze to the landscape outside, I honestly can’t think of the words to say. Everything sounds… wrong. At least on some level. Too flippant. Too quick. Too insincere. I’m not really sure how I am supposed to word this without sounding like I am only saying it out of obligation. “Listen, Applejack. I was a bit quick with my words last night. I don’t want you to think that I gave you an empty apology though. If anything, I want to be a siren of my word. So, I’m-”

“Adagio, you don’t need to apologize again,” she interrupts me with a small hand wave, shaking her head as she drives. “I know you mean it. Rarity talked with me about it some more after you went to bed last night. While you did a lot of things in the last week that have hurt, I think it would be better to let it go rather than let that anger build up.”

Huh… Rarity talked with her. That’s really surprising. She said she’d only forgive me if I gave a genuine apology to Applejack, yet she’s helping me here. Maybe she was just teasing me. I wouldn’t be surprised when it comes to Rarity.

“Adagio, our friendship means a lot to me too. Your friendship with Apple Bloom is just as important to me. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what you did with Umbra and I think it’d be for the best if I don’t hold it against you.” Patting my shoulder, Applejack gives me one of her signature grins of sincerity, proving she’s telling the truth. “I forgive you. And so does Rares. I won’t tell my little sister about all of this as long as you do your best to change that other side of ya.” My other side. Yeah. Her. Changing her is easier said than done, but there has been some progress.

“I’ve actually done that. A little.” Applejack’s eyes look at me with a sense of confusion. I don’t blame her for not understanding what I mean. It’s a lot more complicated than I would hope… “Umbra has been showing signs of… change. At first, it was just some increased interest in Aria and Sonata, but she's been a lot more encouraging recently.” Not to mention that she’s trying to get me back together with Sunset, which has me feeling all kinds of weird. I never expected Umbra to help with that.

“I’m glad to hear that, Sugarcube,” Applejack sighs with a peaceful tone, patting my shoulder again. I’m glad she accepted my apology. It brings me one step closer to making everything alright.

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

Power is special. It’s the whole point of life to begin with. Although, I ended up chasing the wrong kind of power. Love and happiness is what everyone should search for. While sitting on a throne can be all kinds of fun in its own right, the best feeling in the world is holding someone you care about. Even thinking about something that intimate is embarrassing, but it is true.

Rubbing my hand down her back, my breathing is slow and steady. Her head rests on my chest. The sunlight spilling into our room gently kisses her face. She looks so peaceful… No matter how many times I’ve seen this sight, it never becomes boring for me. If anything, I wish these sort of serene mornings would last longer. These moments never last as long as I would like.

Pressing my lips against her forehead, I gently exhale, a smile painted across my face. Looking at her like this, it’s hard to not smile… Her breathing is calm, despite how tight she holds onto me. Basking in the glow of the morning, I can’t help but wish it could be this peaceful all the time. No one here to bother us. Just the two of us resting together.

Pulling back, my eyes trace every feature of her face, making me smile even more. It doesn’t last though… Sunset stirs a little, pressing her face into me and clenching her eyes shut. A low groan escapes her lips, showing just how much she wants to go back to sleep. If I could, I would sleep as well. Unfortunately, our minds have some sort of clock that prevents us from sleeping too much. As much as it sucks, maybe it’s there to help us enjoy the life we have… After all, it would be a disaster if we never made memories together.

Still. Sleep is nice.

“Thank you for riding Adagio 1608 Sleep Airlines. You may now enter the world of living again. Don’t forget to fill out our survey. We’d love to hear from you,” I whisper in her ear, kissing her cheek. My teasing isn’t exactly inaccurate. She’s been laying her head on me all night, so I guess it could qualify as riding. Regardless, it seems my joke has made its impact. A smile is now present on Sunset’s sleepy face. She doesn’t bother opening her eyes, but I can tell she’s awake.

“I love you too,” Sunset whispers back, resting her head in the crook of my neck. “Why do you make it so enjoyable to wake up?” Sunset’s question makes me chuckle quietly, running my fingers through her hair.

“I could ask you the same thing, Sunny.” The one person who was able to catch this siren’s heart is also the person who makes each day feel worth it. If anything, I should be the one asking that kind of question. Sunset pushes herself up on top of me, giggling to herself before kissing my nose. Despite how red my cheeks are, it feels nice…

“You know how happy I am to wake up here with you every day?” she asks me quietly, drawing circles on my cheek with her finger. “We come from completely different backgrounds, yet… You get me on a fundamental level.” Her dreamy smile makes my heart flutter. I could spend an eternity looking at the picture in front of me.

“If anything, I’d say you understand me more,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her. “I mean, you’re the one who turned a power-hungry siren into someone willing to lay around the house all day. So…” Sunset raises her eyebrow, looking down at me with a humorous expression written across her face.

“Well, the only reason I could do that is because I went through what you did… Despite how different we are, you’re a lot like me.” Sunset’s smile gets a little bigger as she lays her hand on my cheek, seemingly sentimental. “I love you so much,” she whispers, almost as if she’s afraid the universe will hear her. In a way, I can understand her hesitancy.

The small rumbling stops. Has this room been shaking this whole time? Sunset kisses my cheek, but I can’t feel her embrace. Instead, some cool air brushes against my face. Sunset’s hand feels… distorted. What is going on?

Time to wake up, beauty queen.

What? Wake up? Oh…

“Time to rise and shine,” Applejack’s voice states in a cheerful tone, shaking my shoulder. Opening my eyes carefully, the light of the sun shines in through the RV’s windshield. The last I remember, we were driving in the middle of the night. Applejack said she’d stop at some hotel… I remember checking up on Sonata and the others before I fell asleep. That dream I had was… a real memory. She and I woke up like that a couple of times before. Of course I’d have a dream like that… I thought we would be at a hotel by now. Did… Did Applejack really drive all night?

Standing up from my seat, I look at my phone’s clock. It has been a full twenty-one hours since we left Las Vegas… Applejack seriously shouldn’t have stayed up this long. I guess I should be happy we aren’t dead. I know I have a history of overestimating my own abilities, but still. I didn’t expect Applejack to stay up the whole night just to get us to Houston, Texas.

“Why would you-” before I can finish my question, Applejack opens the door to the rest of the RV. Inside the main area, everyone is asleep in odd positions on their chair of choice except for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The former scrolls on her phone and the latter is in the back of the vehicle, resting in the bedroom of the RV. It’s pretty dark inside… I’m guessing that they closed the blinds when they went to sleep. Rainbow Dash looks up at us with a smirk.

“We’re finally here?” Dash asks us with a teasing tone.

“Just help us wake up the others, will ya?” Applejack’s request makes Rainbow Dash chuckle to herself, standing up from her seat. “We can even get some sightseeing out of the way after we get settled in the hotel.” At the thought of seeing some more landmarks, Dash’s expression seems to brighten. Considering how she’s been taking a lot of pictures for her mom, I don’t blame her.

“You won’t be sightseeing today,” I tell Applejack with a stern tone, making the cowgirl raise her eyebrow. “You drove for twenty-one hours. You need to sleep. We will have more time tomorrow.” From the way she looks at me, I can tell she’s not used to being told what to do. However, she turns her gaze to Rarity, gently brushing the hair out of her face. Kissing her forehead, Applejack quietly hums before rubbing her shoulder.

“It’s time to get up, Sugarcube,” Applejack whispers in the most caring tone I have ever heard from her. Considering how family-centric she is, that’s quite a feat. It’s kind of… cute. In a weird way. Seeing someone else’s love life is usually annoying, but it’s nice to see just how much they care for each other.

“Mmm… I don’t want to, Darling,” Rarity responds in a groan, pouting as if it will convince Applejack to leave her alone.

“Come on. You’ve had enough beauty sleep,” Applejack responds by shaking her a bit more. When Rarity doesn’t respond, she leans down and kisses her forehead again, making the fashionista smile. “You’re always beautiful to me regardless.”

Rarity opens her eyes to Applejack’s compliment, a bright pink blush appearing on her normally white cheeks. This is probably the most flustered I have ever seen her. The fact that she loves to make Applejack flustered makes this so ironic.

“I… Wha… I-I mean. You didn’t have to-” before Rarity can stutter on even more, Applejack gently kisses her hand, gesturing towards the door.

“Come on. Step out of the vehicle, my lady.” Applejack’s southern accent is the heaviest on the last two words of her statement, but it doesn’t take away from the impact. Rarity’s cheeks go from pink to red as Applejack escorts her out of the vehicle personally. Turning my gaze to Rainbow Dash, both of us laugh a little at what just unfolded before our eyes.

“That was corny as hell. I guess we should wake up the others while they’re gone,” Dash tells me with a small shake of her head, clearly finding this humorous. “I’ll handle Fluttershy first.” Dash stands up from her seat and, after a quick stretch, retreats into the back of the vehicle. It’s mostly quiet here except for the occasional snore from Pinkie Pie. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that Pinkie Pie’s hair is back to being curly. I know that she talked with Sonata a lot, but I didn’t think it would make her hair go back to normal. Then again, why does her hair change with her emotions?

Looking over at Sonata, I can’t help but smile a little. I’m glad she got comfortable enough to sleep around my friends. It’s nice to see her warming up to them. Her head leans against the wall. How exactly could she sleep with all the rumbling of the RV hitting her head?

I guess it doesn’t really matter. She needs to wake up now.

Reaching down into Pinkie Pie’s bag, I pull out a bag of crackers. It’s one of the many snacks that Pinkie Pie keeps on hand at all times. She’s quite literally a human vending machine at this point. Opening the bag, I pull out a single cracker, snapping it in half.

“Huh?” Sonata’s eyes open almost instantly, blinking a couple of times. Looking at me, Sonata seems confused for a second before noticing the cracker. “Oh, hi, Adagio! Can I have some of those?” she asks me politely, not disturbed at all that I woke her up. I knew that would work. Sonata’s always had an uncanny ability to wake up to the sound of crackers. She can sleep through the sound of the ocean or a busy city, but as soon as she hears a cracker or a snack similar to it, she wakes up. Maybe it is because they’re like the shell of a taco.

“Only if you help wake up the others,” I tell her with a smirk, holding the bag in a teasing way. Sonata happily stands up and takes the bag from my hand, eating one before walking over to Pinkie Pie.

“Hey, Pinkie. Want a snack?” Sonata asks in a cheerful tone. For whatever reason, the curl in front of Pinkie’s forehead bounces a little. Pinkie Pie opens her eyes a little, yawning loudly enough to make Twilight groan. Twilight looks over at us with a tired stare. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, seems as awake as ever as soon as her yawn is over.

“Ooh, yummy!” Pinkie exclaims before taking one of the crackers. I guess she hasn’t noticed that they’re the same ones from her bag. I doubt she would mind either way. She has twenty other snacks in there.

“Time to get up?” Twilight asks me in a tired voice, pulling out her glasses from the protective case in her bag. I give her a small nod, offering my hand to help her up. Taking my hand, Twilight stands up from her seat, grabbing her purse. “I assume we’re at a hotel by now? Although, why is it daytime?” she asks me while staring at the blinds, confused by the time.

“I’m just as confused as you are. We’re going to be bringing our luggage to our hotel rooms before we go sightseeing. Go ahead and help out Rarity and Applejack, Twi,” I respond with a small nod, gesturing for the door. Twilight walks past us with blurry eyes. Sonata and Pinkie Pie follow after her. I find it impressive how Pinkie can seem so awake after just being asleep a minute ago…

“I promise we’ll be able to get a bagel, Shy,” Dash’s voice states as the door to the back opens. Rainbow Dash walks out with an arm wrapped around Fluttershy, the latter’s pink hair going in every which direction. There’s no way she slept for the full twenty-one hours of our ride. Right? Surely not. “Hey, Dagi. You’re almost done, huh?” Dash looks to her side, noticing Sunset still asleep close to the wall. Her face is towards the wall, away from everyone’s point of view. She isn’t the most comfortable sleeping around strangers… I’m guessing that she fell asleep like that because of Sonata. Hopefully she can get used to her soon. “Go ahead and wake her up. I’ll see you out there.” Dash gives me a smirk before walking towards the door. Fluttershy waves at me a little bit, still clearly trying to wake up. Of course they’d leave me to wake up Sunset…

I doubt that I’m the person she would want to be there in her waking moments. Taking a deep breath, I sigh heavily to myself, wondering what kind of reaction I will get. Will she get angry at me? I have no idea… Sitting next to her, I can hear her calm breathing. In times like these, I honestly wish I knew if she is dreaming or not.

“Sunset?” Placing my hand on her shoulder, I try to shake her as carefully as I can. “It’s time to wake up.” Sunset doesn’t move at all besides her breathing. It’s hard to disturb her… All I want to do is let her sleep as long as she wants.

Not to mention how she might react to me waking her… Shaking her shoulder again, she doesn’t wake up. Instead, her head turns to face the ceiling. Seeing her sleeping face is… painful. She’s so peaceful. Serene. Beautiful…

“I’m sorry.” The words come out of my mouth as a whisper before I can stop them. “I miss you so… so much. Out of everything in this world, I never thought I’d need you. But…” Looking towards the ceiling, I try to hold back. Nothing I’m saying makes sense… “But I know you want me to be out of your life… I promise I will respect that once we get done with this trip.” I can feel that same urge again. The urge to cry. Or to scream. Just because my life is spiraling out of control doesn’t mean I have to make hers anymore confusing… Gazing at her face, I try to smile the best I can. “Naytra ven tru, ardo tru nao…”

Taking a deep breath, I look away from her, trying to muster up the strength to wake her up. Before I can say anything, something presses against my shoulder. Looking over, I see Sunset’s head leaning against me, still fast asleep. I… This embrace is nice…

“Come on, Sunset. It’s time to wake up.”

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

“Alright, everyone! Listen up,” Rarity addresses us louder than she probably needs to. Everyone in the hotel lobby looks at her, making her blush for a second. “I apologize. Anyway, I trust that everyone is rested and looking forward to the rest of our day. We have a lot of sightseeing to do after all.” Even though Applejack would typically be the person who tells everyone what to do, Rarity is the one taking over that role today. I’m glad Applejack took my advice to go to sleep. She needs it. “Due to some suggestions from Rainbow Dash, I think we should go in groups of two. We all want to see different things here, but we need to decide who will stick with each other.”

“Groups of two? That’ll be a lot slower,” Dash mentions with a slightly annoyed tone. “Eh, fine. Yo, Shy? Wanna be my teammate?” Dash asks her with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy looks up, surprised.

“Sure. As long as we can go see the Bayou Bend. I would love to see the garden and art~” Fluttershy almost looks like she’s imagining the sights as she says those words. I can’t exactly say I’ve heard of the place before, but if it makes Fluttershy excited, I’m sure it is worth it.

“Of course. I want to take pictures of all kinds of stuff after all,” Dash reassures her with a thumbs up.

“Ooh! I pick Sonata!” Pinkie exclaims with a smile, but her look of joy turns to conflict when she looks over at me. “Unless you or Sonata want to go with each other?” Sonata’s expression looks pretty happy that somebody picked her, but she keeps to herself in case I want to go with her. This is probably a good opportunity for her to get to know Pinkie more… Even though they talked for the majority of the trip here.

“No, you two can go together. I don’t mind,” I respond with a small wave of my hand, trying to reassure Pinkie. Sonata and Pinkie share a smile with each other before whispering something. Why do I feel like I already know the kinds of places they will explore?

“I wouldn’t mind going with you, Rarity,” Twilight says with a confident tone. “I’m actually pretty excited since I thought you and I could go to the Galleria.”

“That sounds like a splendid idea~ Although, I suppose that leaves Sunset and Adagio together…” Rarity turns to look at me, her gaze switching between the two of us. Sunset puts her phone away before looking up at Rarity, smiling.

“It’s alright, Rarity. We’ll be fine.” Sunset holds up her hand to try and gesture for Rarity to not worry about it. Honestly, I’m surprised Sunset is alright with this. I figured she would want to explore with anyone else, considering what she said to me last night.

Can’t really trust me, after all…

“Are you quite sure?” Rarity asks, seemingly conflicted with this arrangement. She’s not the only one…

“We’ll be okay. Don’t worry,” Sunset quickly responds, giving a nod with her answer. “I’m sure everyone is eager to go. We can all meet back here by the afternoon.”

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

Sam Houston Park. It’s not exactly that different from other parks other than its sheer size. Canterlot City has a park that is almost this big, but not the exact same size. Sunset seems to enjoy the fresh air. We’ve already seen the historical buildings in the park, but now we’re just walking around. I guess I can understand why Sunset likes it. In a way, it’s peaceful. The wind blows through her hair as we walk. If only my eyes could take a snapshot of this moment…

“Sonata seems like she’s enjoying her time with us,” Sunset mentions with a small smile. The sounds of people are sparse in the park, giving us a sense of pseudo privacy. “She talked with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash a lot last night.”

“About what?” I ask her quietly. I would be lying if I said I’m not curious. I spent most of my time in the front of the RV with Applejack, so it interests me to know what they talked about.

“Eh, random things. Their jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes. Sonata seemed pretty interested in Pinkie Pie’s party service. Of course, Rainbow Dash gloated about her ‘vast’ achievements in sports.” Sunset uses air quotes to emphasize her jab at Dash, making both of us laugh. It’s nice to hear her laugh and see her smile again… “Sonata also got pretty confused when Pinkie explained how her magic works.”

“How does it work?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow. Honestly, I remember how everyone else’s magic is used. Sunset can read memories and thoughts. Rarity can create diamonds. Applejack gets super strong and Rainbow Dash is super fast. Twilight can levitate objects and Fluttershy can talk to animals. The only one I don’t know at this point is Pinkie Pie.

“She explains it in a vague way, but basically Pinkie can blow anything up. Either in a big explosion or down to the molecular level. Testing that was a bitch, but Twilight finally figured it out. She can also essentially create anything from the pieces. That’s how she often pulls stuff out of her hair. She breaks down one strand and creates whatever she wants.” Sunset looks towards me and, from her nervous smile, seems to understand my confusion. “Believe me, it’s a weird ability.”

“Weird doesn’t even define it,” I state in a low whisper, looking towards the ground. “That’s… godly power. Being able to create and destroy anything? Why the hell did the universe decide to give it to Pinkie?” That kind of power is… I can’t even imagine why it exists in this world. Creating something with magic is hard, but creating anything she wants? She could create keys to any door. Any kind of weapon. Instead, she uses it to be the most effective baker and party planner in the world.

Maybe the people in this world should count themselves lucky…

“I have no idea, but Pinkie Pie uses it for good, thankfully.” Sunset laughs at the cruel fate the universe assigned to Pinkie, giving her the ability to pass righteous judgment on any mortal she deems unfit for this world.

It is pretty comical in a way.

Sunset stops in the middle of the sidewalk, looking at a hill of grass. Skyscrapers overlook the park, making this sight simply divine. Only the sound of the wind and trees accompanies the landscape in front of us. Sunset’s expression tells me she enjoys this even more than I do.

“It’s nice to try and relax after the drama in Las Vegas,” Sunset whispers, keeping her gaze glued in front of us. I can’t agree more…

“You want a picture?” I ask her, pulling my phone out. Sunset steps away from me as if she’s trying to give me full access to the scenery. “That’s… not what I meant. I wanted to know if you wanted your picture taken.” Sunset raises her eyebrow at my request, hesitant to answer or move. I guess she doesn’t even trust me when it comes to my motives for a picture. “You deserve some good memories of this trip, Sunset. Not only the memories surrounding me…”

Sunset opens her mouth as if she wants to object, but nothing comes out. Probably because she understands that I’m right here. She won’t be able to take trips like this every day. She should enjoy some of her time here instead of thinking about my drama all the time.

“That’s really kind of you, Adagio,” Sunset responds with a conflicted tone. Regardless, she walks forward, standing in front of the beautiful landscape. The sun bounces off her skin, making her hair shine as well. She gives me one of her best smiles just as the wind blows her hair to the right.

The shutter effect takes over my screen, but before long, the photo appears. It’s almost as beautiful as the real sight in front of me. Of course, my phone can never hope to be as accurate as the naked eye. Motioning to her, Sunset walks forward, looking down at my phone’s screen.

“That’s great~ Thanks for the suggestion,” Sunset sighs happily at the picture, taking my phone into her hand. “Go on. It’s your turn.”

My turn…?

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

“Okay, so now that you know of how draining this can be, are you ready, Pinkie?” Twilight’s warnings of this process don’t go unnoticed. Even though both Sunset and Twilight have told her to be careful and not to stand up during this, Pinkie doesn’t seem the least bit worried. I’m honestly glad. Draining her magic wasn’t something I was looking forward to, but it has to be done. Might as well do it today, right?

“I was born ready!” Pinkie exclaims with the biggest smile before putting a lollipop into her mouth. She is sitting on the bed to try and limit the amount of dangers. We don’t want her falling on the ground after all. Sunset sits next to me on the opposite side of Pinkie’s hotel room, facing the pink party machine. Twilight, on the other hand, sits in-between us with the few red gem fragments laid out in front of her. Only three small pieces remain disconnected from the larger whole. Funny… Three is the exact number of people I have left to drain magic from. The universe sure loves irony.

“Tell us if you need to stop, okay?” Sunset tries to explain to Pinkie. “I promise this doesn’t hurt, but you need to tell us if you feel like you’re going to pass out.”

“I won’t pass out, silly! I stay conscious when I’m shot from a party canon. I can handle a little drowsiness,” Pinkie tells us with a smile before nodding to Twilight. “Hit it, Twi Twi!” I can’t say I’ve heard that one before… Twi Twi. That’s one unique nickname. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since it came from Pinkie of all people.

Twilight takes a deep breath before a purple aura envelopes the pieces of my gem. One by one, she presses them together until a sharp shock reverberates through my body. The magic almost feels like electricity, overcharging my cells. I hate to admit it, but I love the feeling. Magic isn’t the key to satisfaction in life…

But it does feel good.

“Alright, Pinkie. This will feel a little… off,” I whisper, taking a deep breath. A low hum reverberates in my throat, making a green cloud of magic surround me. Almost like some trepidatious animal, my magic moves forward slowly, finally grabbing at Pinkie’s necklace.

“Ooh, that tickles!” Pinkie giggles at the feeling, enjoying this as if it is some sort of amusement park ride. As fun as that sounds, this is far more serious. I wish I could be riding some Ferris wheel instead of draining her magic. It’s not exactly fun to watch each one of them almost collapse from this. The only fun part about this is how the magic feels in my veins.

Ow! What the…

That was way more juice than I expected… Usually, when a powerful surge goes through my body, it’s as if I drank twenty energy drinks at once, but this one was slightly different. This surge was almost like an electric shock hitting every nerve.

Fuck! Why the hell? There it was again…

“Hold on, Twilight. Wait,” I tell her with a hesitant breath, bringing my hand up. Something here isn’t right… It feels wrong.

“I thought Pinkie was the one we were worried about,” Twilight responds with an almost teasing tone until she turns to look at me. Her expression changes to one of concern.

My upper lip feels warm. And wet… I can’t help but feel dizzy. I try my best to feel my nose. On my fingers, all I see is a deep red…

“G-give me a minute.” Grabbing onto the chair, I try to stand up. I can barely tell left from right. My breathing is out of control. What the fuck is happening.

I can’t feel my legs under me.

Why is it so hard to think?

I…

Opening my eyes, I can barely concentrate. When my vision finally focuses again, I see Sunset above me. She’s… She’s holding me above the ground, a worried look in her eyes. She caught me. Did I just faint?

“Don’t do that,” Sunset whispers with bated breath, clearly wanting to say more, but unsure of what.

“Don’t do what?” I can barely ask. My head is still spinning a hundred miles per hour. However, I can still see the concern in her eyes. Sunset’s worried about me…? Why does that make me feel happy? Sunset opens her mouth, but nothing follows. Instead, she stares into my eyes for a few seconds, thinking of the words.

“Don’t scare me…”

Weary Souls

Chapter XXVI: Weary Souls

A blinding light is aimed right at my eye. As much as I want to close my eyes, I can’t. Twilight’s hand forces me to look directly into the light, much to my annoyance. I get that this is supposed to help her determine what happened to me, but I honestly feel fine.

“Pupils are fine,” Twilight states in a monotone, factual voice. Finally, her flashlight turns off, letting me see the rest of the room. Pinkie looks confused, as if she’s wondering what she can do in this scenario. Applejack stands in the back of the room with her arms crossed, looking like a rigid statue. Being the only other one taught in first aid, she was called by Twilight to come help. However, nothing has required Applejack’s skills as of yet. Finally, Sunset is sitting next to me on the bed. She holds my hand like a reassuring friend.

Not like a lover…

“What in the hay even started this?” Applejack asks with a slightly agitated tone. I know she’s not meaning to be angry. If anything, she’s probably just worried and protective. Not to mention that we woke her up with something concerning when she is already sleep deprived.

“Adagio was draining my magic. It tickled, but… then she started acting weird. That’s when she started-”

“Bleeding,” Twilight interrupts our pink friend, wiping my upper lip again. The blood hasn’t stopped, but it has slowed down. I don’t feel ill otherwise. It is the weirdest feeling to have a stuffy nose because of blood and not because of mucus or such.

“Then I want to know what you felt, Adagio. What happened from your point of view?” Applejack asks me in the same tone as before. Despite the really serious voice, her eyes show the same level of worry as everyone else in the room.

“When I was draining Pinkie’s magic, I felt really powerful surges. It was like my nerves got set on fire. I’m used to this, but it felt different. It hurt…” Shaking my head, I can’t help but wonder exactly what caused this. I’ve used magic all my life. What made it feel like it was searing my veins this time? “Next thing I know, I couldn’t tell which direction was which, my legs were weak, and my upper lip felt wet. Of course, I should have sat back down, but I… didn’t think of it.” That is really weird for me… I’m usually pretty quick with my wits. I should have been able to think of that solution in half a second. It was hard to think for whatever reason…

Twilight nods her head at my explanation, but Pinkie and Applejack seem more confused than they were at the beginning. Sunset, on the other hand, has a blank expression, staring down at the floor.

“Arcane Narcosis,” Sunset whispers in an understanding voice. “Of course. You have drained so much magic in the past few days that you’re overdosing your cells.” Ah… I remember that. Sirens had a different name for this condition, but still. I should have been more careful. I guess I was too focused on my friends and Sunset to be concerned about the magic I have been absorbing.

“Could I trouble you for an explanation?” Twilight asks Sunset with a curious stare.

“It’s a condition when a creature takes in too much magic of some kind. Usually, it makes the pony, or siren in this case, drowsy, tired, weak, and feel pain through most of their nerves. Thankfully, it’s simple to fix. Adagio just needs to take a break from magic for a couple of days.” Sunset pats my shoulder before standing up. From the look on her face, she seems content that I’m only dealing with this instead of some serious disease. I am pretty lucky, but it does put a damper on my plans. I was going to finish draining everyone of their magic by tomorrow, but I guess I will have to wait.

“So, Adagio is fine?” Twilight asks with a raised eyebrow, confused once more. “How did Gloriosa Daisy not get Arcane Narcosis when we defeated her? Or me? I feel so lost here.” Twilight brings her hand up to her brow, rubbing as if she is trying to get rid of a headache.

“Most kinds of magic produce this effect. I’m assuming the magic of friendship doesn’t afflict people like this,” Sunset tries to explain, chuckling nervously.

Huh. I never thought we would feel those effects. Magic has always bent to our will. I mean, sure. Other sirens experienced it, but we were better. The voice I’ve come to recognize as distinctly my own and not at the same time rings in my ear. I was beginning to wonder when she would show up. Something like this would not go unnoticed, so she’d have to talk my ear off a little.

Turning my gaze to the left, there she stands in the darkest corner of the room. Always so dramatic… Instead of a gown of blood, she wears… a purple scarf.

What…

What the fuck is she doing wearing that?

Out of everything she could wear, she is wearing a purple scarf, a hoodie and jeans. The exact daily outfit I wore when I was falling in love with Sunset… Is this some kind of jab? Some kind of insult? I thought she was trying to help now… That…

“You bitch,” I whisper, feeling my teeth grind against each other. My jaw is clenched shut as hard as it can be. If she was a real physical person, I’d love to hit her in some way… This mocking insult of an attire.

Both Sunset and Umbra look at me. I know I shouldn’t have said that out loud. I know I shouldn’t let myself get angry so fast, but-

What did I do? she asks me quietly, looking at me as if I am crazy. Her voice is much more… moderate now. Instead of taking the opportunity to taunt me even more, she talks to me in a calm and collected tone.

“What?” Sunset asks with a tone of disbelief, seemingly insulted by my words. Before I have a chance to explain myself, her eyes shine white, looking over in the direction of Umbra. In an instant, her expression changes to one of surprise, not anger. Is… Is Sunset using her magic to see her? “Why are you wearing that?” Sunset asks in confusion, pointing at Umbra.

“Wait. You can see her? Right now?” Twilight tries to clarify, but Sunset doesn’t say a word. Instead, she seems fixated on my other half. I’m really interested too… I want to hear whatever excuse she has for wearing something so important to me…

What? I didn’t exactly choose this outfit. It just kind of… appeared on me. Umbra looks down, dragging her finger along the purple scarf. Even though this is probably here to provoke me, she doesn’t seem… vengeful. It felt right. Looking back up from her attire, she raises her eyebrow at Sunset, clearly impressed. Nice. You have got a hold on your magic. At least you can control it enough to see me.

She’s… right. Sunset’s biggest fear was her magic being uncontrollable. Yet here she is, using it to read my thoughts and see Umbra. I’m not just impressed. I’m proud of her. Wait. If she’s reading my thoughts…

Turning my gaze to Sunset, I see a slight blush on her cheeks. Damn it. You heard that, didn’t you? She avoids my gaze, her eyes going back to normal with a small shake of her head.

“It’s um… It’s just the two of them. Anyway, Adagio should be fine after a couple of days,” Sunset tells the others, filling in the space with information she already told us before. Probably because she doesn’t know what to say…

“Are we just going to brush past the fact that you just talked to Umbra like it was no big deal?” Applejack asks with a tone that suggests this is pure lunacy. “Also, why is she here in the first place?” Sunset looks back at me with… sympathy? I’m not sure what feeling she’s trying to get across to me.

“I’m not sure, but I really think Adagio could use a moment alone,” Sunset tells the others, trying to give me a few minutes to talk with Umbra. For a moment, Twilight objects, but after seeing how serious Sunset is, she quietly cleans my nose again.

“Alright, but we need to check on her condition every ten minutes at least,” Twilight responds. Even when Sunset tries to tell her that this kind of narcosis isn’t that dangerous, Twilight does not seem convinced.

“Hmm. Alright, stay safe! Don’t get the weird funny feelings again,” Pinkie tells me with a small wave as Sunset escorts them out. Before they leave completely, Sunset looks back at me, seeming like she wants to say something. However, she closes the door before letting herself speak her mind.

Huh. I can’t believe they actually decided to leave us alone. Taking a deep breath, I turn my head back towards the only other person in the room. Well, in my mind actually…

“Couldn’t you have shown up a little bit later?” I ask out of irritation. A part of me is still angry to see that same purple scarf wrapped around her neck. I can’t tell if she’s telling the truth that she didn’t choose to wear it. That part pisses me off the most…

My timing could have been worse, she tries to assure me. Especially if I appeared when you had her resting her head on your shoulder. Nice move by the way. Moving away from the corner of the room, Umbra stands in the center, looking down at me.

“I didn’t make that happen. Her head just sort of shifted…” As soon as the words come out of my mouth, she looks at me with a smirk, clearly not buying it. I have to admit that it isn’t exactly the easiest thing to believe. It was a really nice gesture from her… Even if she was sleeping.

Regardless, it seems she enjoyed spending time with you yesterday anyway. I’m glad. Her hand moves up to the scarf around her neck, rubbing it with a thoughtful look on her face. If this isn’t a ploy to tease me, clearly Umbra is changing much faster than I thought she would… Adagio, can I confide in you? she asks me with a deathly serious tone to her voice. Her body faces away from me, but I can tell she feels conflicted by just how still she is.

“Go ahead,” I whisper, feeling really… weird. My subconscious is asking if she can confide in me. She’s been the same person making my life a hell for years, but now, she is actively trying to help me and she wants to be vulnerable with me. Am I in the wrong for feeling… skeptical? For being cautious about this?

Things are changing pretty quickly… I guess you were right that I would see your point of view eventually. Don’t take that as a reason to be smug, bitch… She takes a deep breath before turning to me. The way she looks at me tells me a thousand words that mean nothing at the same time. It feels weird to have so much information but I don’t know what any of it means. That’s the sort of look coming from her eyes… I’m afraid, Adagio. Everything is turning upside down. It’s like the air from my very lungs is being taken from me, even if I’m not breathing. Her hand shakes for a moment, pacing back and forth in the middle of the room. I’ve only ever known one viewpoint for life and I’ve tried to fix your life. Now I can see some things differently and… It scares me, Adagio. Looking at me, a conflicted stare penetrates my soul, showing me she’s petrified but also anxious for the future at the same time. I can’t help but feel a little bad for her… I’ve been in her same shoes. When I was trying to be friends with Sunset. Except she’s experiencing all of this over the course of a couple weeks, not months like I did. You really love her… Don’t you? She really completes you.

The way those words come out of her mouth almost sounds happy for me. The frown gives her true feelings away though. She isn’t sure what to do next. The scarf isn’t some act. This is legitimately how she feels right now. Like a memory from years ago when I was just making friends, she is the spitting image of me. Fear and everything.

“Yes, I do,” I whisper in response, standing up from my seat. “And I have a feeling that you do too…”

Love her? You’re crazy… She may be the best option for you out there, but it doesn’t mean that I like her. Her eyes look away from me, once again grabbing the scarf around her neck. It sounds crazy, but… I can see why you hurt so bad when you two fought. I thought it was a pathetic weakness… Something to exploit in you to get you back on the right path. However, she makes you stronger… You have an urge to protect her and your friends and I am coming to understand it a lot faster than I am comfortable with. Her frown turns into a grimace of annoyance, probably thinking more about this odd situation she’s caught in. In a way, I feel sympathetic…

“It’s not as crazy as you think. We’ll get through this. I promise.”

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

“Are you sure you’re alright to walk around the city some more?” Sunset asks me pretty much as soon as we leave the hotel. Despite the fact that I feel fine, both her and Twilight are concerned.

“The effects of Arcane Narcosis won’t hit me again unless I absorb magic within the next two days. I’ll be fine.” I try my best to reassure her. It seems to work since all she does is smile at me before turning her gaze to the city around us. Unbeknownst to her, my other half walks on the other side of me, looking at Sunset with a certain air of interest. This time, we don’t exactly have a plan for where we are going, but I guess that’s a part of the excitement. We get to do whatever we want. Even if we only end up walking around for a few hours, I hope it will be enough to make some meaningful memories. Sunset deserves that.

Sunset walks a little further ahead of me, the sun shining down on her. A certain weightlessness is in her step, despite how concerned she was over me just a few minutes ago. Looking at her right now, it almost feels like nothing happened between us. That for a moment, I could pretend it is alright. Yeah… Sure. This siren isn’t so lucky though… It’s like whatever god there is likes to see me in pain.

I guess it doesn’t matter. As long as I can see her happy… As long as she can smile, nothing matters.

“Adagio, I feel… glad,” Sunset tells me with a content sigh. Unlike her, I don’t need to have a magic necklace to tell what she’s thinking. It’s almost second nature by now. You live with a pony long enough, you will get to learn exactly what she thinks.

“Why is that?” I ask her with a slow nod. Sunset turns to look at me with a small smile. For some reason, Umbra blushes right after seeing her smile. Sunset has that effect on me…

“You were right. I’m getting my magic under control. It isn’t as scary as I thought and…” Motioning towards her body, Sunset giggles a little. “I’m not a she-demon again. So, I guess I have to thank you.” Slowing down she walks beside me again. The busy streets of Houston are much louder than I thought they would be, but when I look at her, the sounds almost disappear.

“You don’t have to thank me, Sunset. I knew you had it in you. You were the one who beat me at the Battle of the Bands.” I chuckle a little to try and lift the mood of my statement. “And beating me isn’t some small feat, Shimmer. I conquered armies of ponies, remember?”

Until we were exiled. Thrown out of our native world. Umbra sighs in anger before looking over at Sunset. Yet she makes it feel… oddly alright. Doesn’t she?

“Yeah,” Sunset says quietly, her eyes looking down towards the sidewalk. I wonder what part of my statement made her feel this way. “Can I ask you a question? A serious one?” she asks me curiously, wanting to voice something on her mind.

“Of course. I would always answer honestly if you want me to.” The way she walks makes it apparent she isn’t sure what to say. Either that or she’s not sure if she should say what she wants to ask me.

“Once you get your magic back, what will you do?” Her question is almost monotone. A blank statement as if she is asking me if I would go back to my old ways. I… It’s saddening that she still thinks that of me, but… She was the one who said she can’t trust me.

“I don’t know. I know I wouldn’t go back to Equestria.”

Why would I? This world is far calmer and… it has people like you, Umbra speaks my mind, even though Sunset can’t hear her. She’s usually the one who likes chaos, but recently, she’s been surprising me a lot.

“Why? Equestria is the place you were born,” Sunset says with a sense of curiosity, looking up from the sidewalk.

“The same reason you stay here, Sunset. Less drama and this is my home now.” Turning my gaze to her, I try to smile, but a part of my statement hurts my heart. She is my home…

Home isn’t where you rule or the place you have the most power. It’s the creatures closest to you, she whispers in realization, a conflicted look in her eyes.

“I guess you’re right,” Sunset responds by tilting her head. “And Twilight was correct in her guess about your subconscious.” I can’t help but raise my eyebrow a little. What exactly does she mean by that? Sunset seems to pick up on my confusion as quickly as it appears on my face. “You know. You and her theorized that your subconscious might act more like you once you get your magic back. I didn’t believe it, but… I guess seeing that purple scarf proves something, doesn’t it?”

Umbra looks a little embarrassed from Sunset’s words, but even she knows it is true. Her hand touches the scarf around her neck and I can almost swear I feel it too. Probably because I have touched it so much over the years that the fabric is imprinted in my mind.

“Maybe. Who knows until I get my magic back in full, right?” A part of me tries to remain optimistic, but seeing her smile is almost like my own personal hell. I’m a selfish siren. I want to be the reason she smiles. However, all I can do is make her cry if I get too personal with her.

“You remember how you said you were proud of me earlier?” Sunset asks me slowly, her eyes aimed straight ahead of us. Her eyes aren’t glowing white, so I don’t think she’s reading my mind.

“You mean how I thought that?” I remind her, making Sunset blush a little.

“Yeah. Sorry… Still though. Did you mean that?” Her question is filled with curiosity. Honestly, I don’t know how she could think I lacked sincerity in that statement…

“Yes, I did. It’s impressive and I knew you could do it. Anyone would be proud of you for that.” Sunset’s face looks a little more surprised from my words. I thought this kind of stuff would be obvious coming from me. Maybe it is just the sincerity of the words getting to her.

“I’m proud of you too, Adagio. For actually finding Sonata and fixing your mind… And hopefully finding Aria.” Sunset clears her throat, seemingly trying to compose herself. My cheeks feel like they’re burning from what she said… I didn’t expect her to say she’s proud of me as well. “Anyway, I’m glad you decided to come with me. It would have been lonely exploring the city without some company.” Even though I could use some sleep, I do like these moments with her.

It’s the closest thing to normal you have.

I look to my side, but Umbra is nowhere to be seen. She’s not behind me either… I thought she would want to stick around for a bit. Maybe she needs a rest more than I do. Looking ahead of us, I notice just the thing to lighten the mood.

“Sunset, do you want a snow cone?” I ask her with a smile, nodding towards the stand. “It’ll be my treat.” Sunset shakes my head at my offer, making my heart sink.

“No, we can split the bill. We could also split the snow cone if you want? I don’t think I can eat a full one,” Sunset mentions with a laugh, lifting my spirits a little. At least she likes the suggestion.

“Well, come on then.” Grabbing her hand, I walk towards the snow cone stand, feeling a little spark in my heart. I already know the flavor she’ll probably want as well. Either grape or cherry.

Walking up to the window of the stand, I look at the sign with the options they have. The prices aren’t the cheapest, but it’s still affordable. Of course, they have grape and cherry as options. Finally noticing us, a man quickly makes his way to the window, opening it.

“Hello, ladies. What can I do for you today?”

I turn my gaze to Sunset, waiting for her to order. I try to give her the go ahead to get what she wants, but Sunset still looks a little conflicted.

“We’d like a medium cherry snow cone please. Two straws,” Sunset responds as pleasantly as she can, making sure to pull out half the price of the treat from her bag.

“I’ll have it ready right away,” the man tells us with an extremely polite tone. I can’t help but notice that our hands are still entwined, despite making it to the stand over two minutes ago. It seems that she noticed that too, finally pulling her hand away from mine. After a few minutes, the man brings us the frosty treat. Sunset and I hand over the money before taking the snow cone, prompting the man to wish us a good day.

The straws are cut off at the end, intended to be used like an impromptu spoon of sorts. Sunset holds the cup for the two of us, stabbing her straw into the snow cone. She takes the bite of shaved ice into her mouth, smiling a little more. She’s so cute when she enjoys something like this. The way she seems so… happy.

Sunset nods to me to take a bite, still clearly enjoying the taste of the snow cone. Her nonverbal cue is enough for me, pushing my straw into the ice. Bringing it to my mouth, I can already feel how flimsy the plastic of the straw is with my tongue. However, that sensation is quickly overcome by the sweet and cool ice. It melts within a moment, but it still tastes good.

“Cherry is your favorite, right?” Sunset asks, taking another bite of the ice.

“Did you get this because of me? We could have gotten grape, Sunset.” I try to convince her, but Sunset shakes her head, chuckling.

“I like cherry too. It’s alright,” Sunset laughs with the cutest face possible. Shaking my head, I eat a big piece of the snow cone.

Ow. Wait. Why does my head hurt? God, that- Ugh! That hurts! What the hell?

“Are you alright?” Sunset asks me, but it’s a little hard to even concentrate on her.

“Brain… freeze…” I’m sure my words were barely understandable. I can hardly think with this headache. Gah, why did I eat so much in one bite?! Holding my head does nothing to mitigate the pain…

Something presses against my nose, making me open my eyes. In front of me, Sunset touches me with her finger, a humorous expression on her face. What is she amused by? And why is she touching my nose?

“Does this help?” she asks me, giggling a little at me. My confusion only grows by the second.

“How exactly would this help-”

“It is distracting you, isn’t it?”

I…

My head still feels numb, but… Yeah, I don’t feel it anymore. All I can really focus on is her finger and… just how beautiful she looks. My cheeks are burning… Being so easily fooled by her is embarrassing, yet… fun.

A bright blush comes over Sunset’s face, looking away from me. She pulls her finger back from my nose, shrugging her shoulders.

“A-anyway, we should keep walking, Adagio. Don’t get another brain freeze this time.”

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

The sounds of a lively restaurant fill my ears. The smell is almost too overwhelming. It’s just some typical fast food place that sells burgers, but I can smell the food, sweat, dust and trash. However, it doesn’t seem to bother Pinkie Pie. Twilight did say something about heightened senses when it comes to my siren DNA. Out of all things, why did it have to make my sense of smell heightened?

Pinkie was the one who picked this place out. This is probably one of the worst places to eat, but Pinkie Pie does have one of those child-like personalities. It just kind of fits her. Just like the mountain of fries in front of her that are conveniently put together in the shape of a castle, all while a piece of ketchup is still on her nose. I wish I could make this up, but no, Pinkie Pie sticks her tongue out of her mouth while she carefully places the last fry on the palace of insanity she has built.

The weirdest part of this whole encounter is that she didn’t pay for these fries at all. She made them with her magic. Probably by destroying a hair and making it into a fry. If she can literally make something as small as that into an edible item, then why does Pinkie ever pay for food? Well, I guess she can’t exactly make something taste a certain way? Maybe that’s why. Just because she can make a burger doesn’t mean she can make it taste exactly like the burger that comes from this place.

Or maybe I am just gaslighting myself into believing that Pinkie makes sense.

“Thanks for coming with me, Adagio! I was starving,” Pinkie mentions with a smile, her burger long since digested at this point. “Are you going to eat the rest of your fries?” she asks me with an excited smile, clearly scheming something. At this point, I bet it is something like making a horse stable for her castle.

“You can have them,” I reply with a humorous roll of my eyes, pushing my tray closer to her. Pinkie takes them and immediately starts building something new. It’s hard to not watch. It’s not like there is anything else interesting happening other than some kids ironically running into poles in the play area. I would be lying if I said it was sad to see those annoying little gremlins hurt themselves. Kids are usually annoying anyway… Other than Apple Bloom. She was tolerable when she was younger.

“Where was I? Oh yeah! So Cheese Sandwich promised to help me with the party and I was a bit hesitant about that. I mean, who am I to say that I’m THE number one party planner if I need help, right?” Pinkie explains as she places the fries down, roughly making the shape of a house. I can’t bring myself to admit that the name Cheese Sandwich slips my memory, but the topic is pretty interesting in an odd way.

“Aside from this one, how many parties did you get help with?” I ask her, genuinely wondering what stories the master party planner has in store.

“Five,” she immediately responds without taking her attention off her little structure. “Out of the 1,572 parties I have thrown, I only needed help with six. Cheese Sandwich helped with one, and then our friends helped with the other five.” Looking up from the fries, Pinkie seems a little confused for a moment, scratching her head. “Sunset didn’t help with one of those actually. Remember the birthday party you wanted to throw for her on the beach?”

“How could I not?” That was probably the third most dramatic point of my life. It was the first time I serenaded Sunset. I really wanted to surprise her since she was having a hard time back then with her friends. Our friends. “You really came through for that one. Thank you.”

“A party on the beach is nothing. You should try planning a party on an airplane,” Pinkie laughs, almost knocking over the castle she built. I’ll admit it. I have no idea what she means by that and I’m not sure if I want to know.

Still. This lunch reminds me that I need to spend more time with Pinkie. She has some incredible stories to tell. Despite how surprising she can be, she is a lot of fun. Unless I’m only running on an hour of sleep.

“Hey, Pinkie. I kind of wanted to-”

“Apologize? You didn’t do much to me. It’s alright,” Pinkie interrupts me with a shrug of her shoulders, continuing to focus on the little house. “I was just angry because you hurt Sunset and Dashie, but they seem to forgive you~” Pinkie’s tone is cheerful, but she has no idea how incorrect she is. Dash has forgiven me, but… Sunset made it clear that she hasn’t. I doubt she will. “Sonata also explained it a little more to me. That subconscious sounds pretty disturbing.” Pinkie’s eyes look up at me, giving me a smile. “As far as I’m concerned, most of it wasn’t your fault~ We’re still friends, Dagi.” As if it is some sort of knighting ceremony, Pinkie taps my shoulders with a French fry, laughing to herself.

“You’re so weird, you know that?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, taking the fry from her hand and eating it. Yeah, that… That doesn’t taste like the other fries. It kind of tastes like… bland potatoes. I guess that confirms my theory that the food she makes doesn’t taste like the thing she’s trying to emulate.

“I’m aware,” Pinkie responds with a small nod, bringing her focus back down to the art she’s trying so hard to finish.

“Also, I wanted to thank you, Pinkie. You’ve given Sonata a pretty fair shot and it seems you two enjoy spending time with each other.” The thing I was afraid of the most was for Sonata to be treated like me. I remember how no one trusted me after I tried to be Sunset’s friend… I didn’t want Sonata to go through that.

“She’s tons of fun! She and I went to the mall earlier today and I got to teach her how to skate on the ice. She also introduced me to some new board games too.” Excitedly, Pinkie pulls out her phone, showing me a few pictures of them. Sonata looks pretty happy and… it’s nice to see Pinkie’s hair back to normal. “It was pretty nice, especially since Sonata is anxious about meeting Aria again,” Pinkie mentions nonchalantly, as if this is common knowledge. Sonata hasn’t told me this… I thought she would be happy to see Aria like she was with me.

“Hi, girls,” a soft spoken voice catches my attention. Turning my gaze, I notice a familiar veterinarian standing a foot away from our table. Behind her, I notice Rainbow Dash at the counter, presumably ordering food. “Sorry we’re late. Rainbow Dash had a call from her mom and we got held up taking pictures. I hope you haven’t been waiting for too long,” Fluttershy mentions quietly, postulating that we would find it a chore to wait.

“We’ve been waiting for-” before Pinkie can finish her statement, I gently kick her in the leg. I try to tell her to cut down the amount of time with my eye contact. I can’t imagine how Fluttershy might react if she hears we have been waiting for forty-five minutes. “We’ve been here for around fifteen minutes,” Pinkie asserts with a smile, clearly taking my advice.

“Oh good,” Fluttershy sighs with a peaceful tone, sitting down next to Pinkie Pie. Not much can be said before the sound of sneakers inches closer to us. Slamming a tray down on the table, Dash sits beside Fluttershy, despite the seat being made to sit two people so that she can put her feet up on my side of the booth. Although, Fluttershy is small enough that no one seems uncomfortable. Putting her arm around Fluttershy like an arm rest, Rainbow Dash seems like she is at the peak of comfort. And laziness.

“Yo, Dagi. How are you doing?” Bringing her fist up, Dash offers me a friendly gesture with a smile. Slowly, I accept Dash’s fist bump.

“Tired mostly. That’s a lot of food you ordered, Dashie,” I can’t resist teasing her, shaking my head.

“I’ve been running around all day! You think my speed doesn’t deplete my energy? I have to regain it somehow,” Dash explains with a laugh of her own, grabbing one of the three burgers she ordered. Fluttershy grabs a small order of fries, eating them with a content expression. “Also, Twilight told me about your little incident. I guess we’re gonna be here for a little longer than I thought, huh?” Dash asks me as soon as she’s done swallowing a bite. Not a second passes before she takes another bite. She isn’t lying about being hungry.

“A couple days at least if I can help it. I’d rather get moving as soon as possible than wait here.” A part of me doesn’t want to get home because… this is probably the last time Sunset and I will go on a trip together. Or do anything together.

“I’m really glad everyone is feeling better now,” Fluttershy mentions with a happy smile. I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at her statement, feeling a little confused. Thankfully, our friend seems to understand that, opening her mouth to clarify. “You know. Everyone seems happier than we’ve been in a week or so. I guess you’ve made it up with everyone?” she asks me innocently. I wish I could say yes, but that isn’t really the truth…

“Almost everyone.” My response seems to elicit an understanding nod from Fluttershy.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be able to be friends with Aria again,” she tries to reassure me with a small wave. I’m glad she seems glad that we’re moving on, but she has no idea how wrong her statement is.

It isn’t Aria I am worried about…

Author's Note

Hello, all! This chapter is sort of meant to take a break from the normal drama and roller coaster we are accustomed to at this point. Especially since my new semester at university just started. They can't stop me from writing this though. I also wanted to make this chapter shorter and more light since the next couple of chapters are going to be a bit more... emotional.

Never Too Late

Chapter XXVII: Never Too Late

Well, I somehow did it again.

I have absolutely no clue how I end up in situations like these. It always starts with me talking to someone and then I get dragged into something I would rather avoid. Usually, Apple Bloom is the one to punish me for opening my big mouth by forcing me to help with some innocuous yet meaningless task. However, Twilight is the one keeping me here against my will this time. All I did was talk a little bit about how sleepy I feel today and now I’m being subjected to endless torture…

“Hmm… Well, we’re almost done with your physical,” Twilight tells me, writing down a couple notes. That’s an odd way to refer to torture. Sure, “physical” fits the bill of making me stretch in inhumane ways and test my muscles. Totally.

“Are we done yet?” I ask in a tired tone, hoping that I can go to bed finally. All I fucking want is a nap. Not like there’s much reason for me to stay awake. The hotel lobby is not the most ideal place for me to rest… Nor is it the best place to stand around, looking like a moron.

“Almost,” Twilight responds with a nod. “I still have yet to test the effects of Arcane Narcosis on your ability to run.” Run…?

“Uh, no. I don’t exactly feel like running anywhere. We can test that tomorrow.” Despite my statement, Twilight shakes her head, holding her hand up. Great. Here comes the whole science talk about how she needs to learn more about this. I honestly can’t care any less… I’m tired.

“I figured you would say that.” Twilight moves her finger in a “come hither” motion, making me raise my eyebrow. “This is important, Adagio. I just want to make sure everything is alright.”

The cool air instantly hits my neck as something pulls against my neck. Looking down, the purple fabric I am accustomed to is gone. What? Where is my scarf?

“Come on, Dagi,” Dash’s voice teases me. As soon as I look at her, I can see it… The one gift that means more to me than anything else rests gently in her hand.

“Dash, what are you doing?” I ask her in a low tone. Electricity sparks through my veins at this sight… “Give it back… Right now.” I hold my hand out to her, but Rainbow Dash quickly takes a step back, chuckling at me.

“You heard Twilight. This is important.” She shakes my scarf in the air, only succeeding in making me angrier. Dash takes a few more steps backwards, moving in the direction of the hotel entrance. “Three.”

“Dash, don’t-”

“Two.” Dash holds up my scarf with a smirk, taunting me to move forward. I can’t believe Twilight would plan for something like this. I’m tired, yet she is insistent on testing me by using my favorite item as leverage. That’s dirty… “One.”

Kicking myself forward, I grasp at my scarf, only for Dash to pull it away. Laughing, she runs ahead of me, right out the hotel doors… Fucking hell.

Sprinting out the door, I can’t help but stare daggers into Dash’s back.

“Dash, come back here right now!” I yell at her, disregarding how people may stare. The only thing that matters right now is getting my scarf back. Dash is going to regret going along with this plan…

“Make me,” Dash taunts me, moving further ahead. I’m not as fast as her. There’s no way I can win against her, especially if she uses her magic. This is unfair all around, but… I can’t stop. It’s irrational. If anything happens to that scarf, I… It’s one of the only things I have left of Sunset… I can’t just stop. It would be smarter to refuse to participate, but my feet won’t stop. Dash makes it look effortless. That’s not a surprise… She’s trained in this stuff.

Sprinting forward, I try to grab the scarf, only for her to pull it away again. We run past dozens of people, all of them staring at us. This is ridiculous. We look ridiculous, running through the streets of Houston. Dash suddenly turns into the road, running away just as a car passes us by.

“Are you trying to get me killed?!” I can feel my anger bubbling under the surface. All the while, she has a stupid smirk on her face.

“Nah, I’m just trying to have fun,” Dash yells back to me before running again, forcing me to cross the road. This chase is already boring. All I want is my scarf back, but this is so clearly rigged against me. Jumping over a trash can, I can already feel myself getting tired. I can’t let that stop me… “Hey, Sunset!” Dash exclaims, making me look up. As she gets farther away, Dash waves my scarf at Sunset, standing on the opposite side of the street. Rarity stands next to her. Sunset looks so confused that it makes it kind of… adorable.

Her eyes meet mine with a raised eyebrow. Time seems to slow in her gaze… My cheeks burn in embarrassment, but she gives me a smirk. As if she is trying to tell me something, Sunset waves at me, all while the rest of the world slows down.

“You can do it,” Sunset’s mouth moves. Not a single syllable can be heard, but I know what she said. It’s all too clear when she looks at me like this… “Go.”

Wind hits my face in an instant as time resumes at a normal pace. Slamming my foot into the ground, I push myself forward as fast as I can. The distance between Dash and I is closing. I can’t feel that anger anymore… All I can feel is her eyes on me. It causes a whole new kind of burning inside my soul…

Dash looks back at me just as I jump over a trash can, pushing myself forward. Her eyes go wide in an instant.

“What the-” I grab her arm, holding on as Dash increases her speed. I’m not used to running this fast, but I still grin at her. She turns a corner. It is hard to keep my balance, but it will take more than that to make me lose my grip.

“Give it back, Dash.” As soon as she looks back at me, I sprint forward, pulling my scarf from her hand. For the first time in this chase, I surpass Dash, running ahead of her. A big smile comes across my lips, feeling the scarf. The soft fabric reminds me of years in an instant.

“Okay, GG,” Dash calls out with a laugh, making me look back at her. We finally stop running, Dash snickering as if this is the most humorous situation ever. She holds her hands up in a T formation to ask for a time out.

“G… G?” I can’t say I’ve heard anyone say that before… Not that it matters. All that I care about is keeping my scarf.

“It means good game,” she explains with a shake of her head. “I really can’t believe you caught up to me. I was planning on slowing down in a few minutes, but I guess you didn’t need that.” Dash looks at me with a big smile, still chuckling at the situation. “We should do this again.”

“Dash, if you ever take my scarf again, I will burn that rainbow hair off your head.” It’s my turn to laugh at Dash’s reaction, walking forward to pat her shoulder. “I’m going to go to bed now. Do not wake me up.” I’ll need the rest. My legs barely feel strong enough to walk back to the hotel as it is.

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

Stepping out of the hotel, I rub my eyes a little more. I don’t think I’m fully awake, but that’s one of the side effects of sleeping so much. The past few days have been really tiring, but that’s just another side effect of Arcane Narcosis. I’ve probably been sleeping at least twelve hours each day. It’s surprisingly not as rejuvenating as I thought it would be… I finally finished draining Pinkie and Fluttershy’s magic yesterday, but that made me even more tired. It kind of makes me feel bad since everyone had to explore the city without me… After all my sleeping, it’s time to leave this city, even though it feels like we just got here. For everyone else, it’s been days.

For me, it was a matter of hours… All of which were filled with thoughts of Sunset.

“Alright, everyone. Are we double sure we have all of our belongings with us?” Applejack asks the group, a clipboard in her hand. She’s already counted our bags, but she always wants to make sure we didn’t leave anything in our hotel rooms. I didn’t buy any souvenirs, so it would be a little hard for me to leave something here.

“We’re sure, AJ,” Dash speaks up with a bored look, making the cowgirl a little irritated. Nonetheless, Applejack puts the clipboard back into the RV.

“If y’all are sure, then we can get ready to leave. We probably won’t stop until we get to Louisiana though.” Applejack looks at us after her warning before finally stepping inside the vehicle. As Fluttershy and Dash follow after her, Sonata turns to me as if she wants to say something.

“Adagio. I know you’ve been sleeping a lot, but… do you think you’ve got what it takes to narrow down where Aria is?” Sonata asks me hopefully. I look down at the broken gem around my neck with only one piece missing… Honestly, a part of me feels afraid to try it. I know Aria is probably fine, but… I have a small nagging feeling deep down. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try and narrow down where Aria is now instead of when we get to Louisiana…

“Twilight, can you help me with something?” I ask her before she gets to the RV, making both her and Sunset look back at me. “I… I need to use my magic once before we go anywhere. To try and locate Aria.”

“Are you sure? You’ve dealt with a lot of magic recently,” Twilight tries to warn me, bringing the last piece of my gem from her pocket.

“I get it, but I can handle it. Okay? It’s just a simple spell that won’t last more than a minute.” Even though I tried to assure her, Twilight still looks hesitant to help me. After a few seconds, she takes a deep breath, levitating the piece closer to my neck. Sunset looks at me with an expression I can’t quite understand. I can’t tell if she’s sad, neutral or something else. It doesn’t last long though. Sunset follows the others into the vehicle right as the same surge of power flies through my veins.

Sonata’s eyes look at me with a hopeful stare as Twilight holds my gem intact. This is the first time she’s seen my gem repaired, isn’t it? I definitely thought it was impossible back then, so I can understand just how inspiring the sight is.

Humming a small tune, the magic swirls around me, giving me a more vivid idea. It almost feels like the magic itself is tugging me in a certain direction. While there is no map, I can feel Aria’s energy somewhere… A place with a lot of people. A place that can give almost anyone a headache. It’s… big.

“New Orleans,” I whisper, opening my eyes again. Twilight takes the piece away from my neck, making me feel tired. “She’s in… New Orleans.”

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

“My legs feel stiff,” Sonata tells me with a pout on her face, trying to stretch her lower body. That’s what four hours in a vehicle will do to you. I find it a little comical that she is complaining about this when she should have expected it. She rode for more than twenty hours with us just a few days ago.

“You’ll be fine in a few minutes,” I reassure her with a slight chuckle, unable to hold my laughter completely. Looking back at the RV, Rainbow Dash helps Fluttershy down from the steps, offering the same assistance to Twilight. Sonata finally stands straight, looking over at my friends.

“How long do you think it will be before… we find her?” Sonata asks me nervously, watching the RV as if her question is nothing out of the ordinary.

“Truth be told, I don’t know. I can’t narrow her location any further without having my gem fully healed… So, we will have to make a plan with everyone else.” Placing my hand on Sonata’s shoulder, she looks over at me in a confused state before nodding. “Sonata, I actually need to talk with you before we find her. Pinkie told me something…”

“Like what?” she asks me cluelessly. Sonata gives me an inquisitive stare, but I can tell she knows what I’m talking about.

“She told me you’re anxious about this.” Out of everyone here, I should be the most anxious. I hurt both Sonata and Aria years ago. Now it’s time to make it right and for some reason, I feel less anxious about it than Sonata does. This is not how it is supposed to go at all. “Sonata, I understand feeling anxious about this. I just can’t understand why you would. I should be the one dreading this meeting, not you.”

“You’re not the only one who has done things wrong, Dagi,” Sonata tells me with a small smile, avoiding my gaze. How does she expect me to know what that means? Does she think she did something wrong when we last saw each other? All she did was get a little frustrated at me.

“What do you mean by that, Sonata?” She keeps staring at the RV, despite my best efforts to make her look at me. “Did something happen? Between you and Aria, I mean.”

“A lot,” she slowly responds, feeling as stiff as a rock. She shrugs before sighing to herself. “It is… sorta similar to what happened between you and Sunset.”

I assumed the two of them were like roommates when Sonata said they lived together, but… I guess it was a little more personal. That would mean the two of them broke up right around the time I was trying to get on the good side of Sunset’s friends. They were together for a year, whereas Sunset and I were… Well, we spent three years together. Three wonderful years.

“What happened?” I finally ask quietly, not wanting to question her too extensively. Questions like why they got together or what they did together can wait for later. What matters is what separated the two of them.

“You know my restaurant chain?” she asks me with a curious tone, finally bringing her gaze back to my own. “Aria and I were pretty poor and… Well, I wanted to start up a restaurant. She didn’t want to do that and… well, we couldn’t come to an agreement. I kind of said some things I regret.” Sonata’s eyes move downward towards the sidewalk. I can’t really imagine what she has to apologize for, but it can’t be equal to all the mental abuse I put both of them through.

“Sonata. Listen to me. If I can come across the country to apologize to both of you, I’m sure you can find it in yourself to make up with her. All you can do is take responsibility. It is her option if she wants to accept it or not.” Sunset told me something pretty similar at the beginning of this trip. I still feel anxious about seeing Aria again either way, but… I’m sure we can do this.

“I’m glad you think so,” she mentions with a tilt of her head, still seeming unsure about my words. However, we don’t get a chance to say anything else as Applejack steps out of the RV. Sonata leads the way back to the group. Sunset looks back at me with an inquisitive look, but she doesn’t say anything. She just opts to give us a greeting smile as we come back to the group.

“Alright, darlings~” Rarity speaks up with a small clap of her hands. Applejack has her arm wrapped around Rarity, but that doesn’t seem to impede on the fashionista’s speaking ability. “Even though I know some of us are dying to take pictures and be a proper tourist, our main goal today is finding Aria. Thankfully, this shouldn’t take too long if Adagio can narrow down her-” Rarity abruptly stops speaking as she looks over at me. I can’t help but shake my head, pointing one finger at the gem around my neck. Until I get my magic back fully, that won’t be a possibility. “Oh. Well, um… It might take a little longer than we thought. Still. Our goal today is to at least narrow it down by determining where she isn’t. You know… Um… Process of elimination.”

Narrowing it down will be one hell of a task. This city is larger than Las Vegas in square miles. New Orleans is nearly two times larger than Las Vegas, so we will definitely have our work cut out for us. Unless I find a newspaper with her face in it, but the odds of finding Aria in the same way as Sonata is incredibly small.

“Um… Okay, fine… I have a suggestion?” Dash responds with her hand up, a hesitant expression on her face. “I wasn’t planning on doing this, but… I could run around the city to see if I can find her. Without trespassing of course, but yeah.” Rainbow Dash nudges Fluttershy with an annoyed frown. “Your turn, Shy. This was your idea after all.”

“Um, yeah. I was kind of thinking… Well, it was a silly idea,” Fluttershy responds with a blush, moving her body in place. “I could talk to the animals and ask if any of them remember her. I’m not saying it will be a fast process, but it could work better than asking around.” It’s a lot better idea than anything else we have on the table. From the expressions of everyone else, it seems they agree with me. “What? I-is that a bad idea?”

“Just the opposite, Fluttershy,” Applejack responds with a big smile. “That’s a great idea. I just don’t want you two to tire yourselves out.”

“How about another suggestion?” Rarity asks before pointing at Dash and Fluttershy. “You two will proceed with your idea while we set up our hotel rooms. Once we’re done, we will help with the search by asking around town. By then, you two should probably take a break.” Despite Rarity’s idea, Sunset looks a little… uncomfortable. I usually know what she’s thinking, but right now, I can’t read her.

“These are great ideas, girls, but there’s a couple things we need to work out first. We should all probably have maps of the city so we don’t get lost or cover ground one of us has already gone over.” Sunset reaches into her pocket, pulling out her phone. Within a few seconds, a notification buzzes on all of our phones. Curiously, I turn my phone on, looking at the text Sunset sent to the group chat. She sent two pictures. One of them is a map of the city and the other is a picture of Aria from one of the “official” photos of the Battle of the Bands. Even though it is a few years old, Aria shouldn’t have changed that much.

“Why would we use this picture of a map rather than a map of the city on the internet?” Sonata asks with a perplexed look, gazing down at her phone as if it is some puzzle.

“To mark what areas we cover,” Twilight explains, turning her phone to show her ability to edit the image. Pinkie looks at her phone with an excited grin, her finger quickly moving across her screen. I can only imagine what she is drawing. In a way, I can’t wait to see how Pinkie will show us what areas she has covered.

“Okay, I guess that covers the boring details.” Stretching her legs, Dash yawns while shaking her head. It’s easy to tell she isn’t excited about this. “This is going to be a lot of running. Good luck, guys. Gotta dash.” In a moment, the rainbow blur is gone to the wind, leaving a breeze in her place.

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

“Excuse me. Have you seen this woman before?” The light of the sun is dwindling. If there is one thing I can say about New Orleans, I would say they have great lights. Well, in certain parts of the city. Night is approaching and it brings a cool wind with it. As Sunset asks a local man, I can’t help but listen to some of the music playing at a bar across the street. We’ve barely made a dent in the city. While someone like Sunset would say that we need to stay optimistic, I feel a little disappointed. To be fair, I haven’t seen the areas that everyone else has covered yet. “Oh. Well, thank you for your time,” Sunset gratefully mentions behind me. It only takes her a few steps to catch up with me, marking her phone again.

“Another resounding no?” I ask her rhetorically, already knowing the answer. The two of us walk forward on the sidewalk, the music from the bar getting quieter. Sunset shakes her head as she looks at her phone more intensely. Despite the fact that everyone else went off on their own, Sunset chose to walk with me. “Sunset?” My attempt to ask for her attention gives me a small hum of acknowledgement from her. Her attention is still focused on the map. “Why did you want to come with me? I could do this alone and we could cover more ground.” Not to mention it is probably awkward for her to spend so much time with me…

“I… figured you could use some support,” Sunset answers me with a busy tone to her voice, tapping her phone a little more. Finally, she brings her eyes up to me, giving an apologetic nod to her phone. “I know this kind of situation. Approaching an old friend to try and mend things. I did the same thing with Princess Celestia. It is hard without having someone’s support.”

“I have Sonata,” I whisper in response, trying to get a reaction out of her. She’s spent a lot of time with me the past few days when she could have… Regardless, she’s certainly not acting like someone who hates my company. Or someone who doesn’t trust me.

“Sonata is coming into this situation at the same angle you are. It is just as awkward for her. Despite everything that has… happened. I still want to help.” Sunset diverts her gaze to the street ahead of us. A beautiful hue of pink and orange bids farewell to the sun’s last light.

“That’s the thing with you, Sunset. You can’t help yourself from trying to make the world a better place…” Walking a few steps ahead of her, I sigh a little to myself. It makes sense. She always has that urge to help others, no matter how badly they hurt her before. That’s a lesson she’s learned and sometimes keeps her from asking for what she really wants. “It’s admirable,” I whisper, keeping my eyes ahead of us. Even though my heart wishes for it, this is no sign of some better outcome. She just wants to help. Just like every other time. It doesn’t mean things will be the same once we get back to Canterlot City…

A large gust of wind hits my back, making my hair flow forward for a second. Something grabs my shoulder, spinning me around at the speed of sound. Blinking a couple times, I see Dash stare right at me with a frantic look on her face, holding both of my shoulders.

“Sunset! Dagi! We found her!”

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

I can’t believe my eyes. Surely this has to be a mistake. We’re on the very outskirts of New Orleans and the only thing in front of me is some seedy looking club. This part of town isn’t the place I would imagine Aria being in. This is a mistake. It has to be… Sonata did well for herself. There was no reason to worry about Aria. Until now.

“I’m sorry, but who found her here of all places?” I ask in disbelief, throwing my arms forward. I was in a very similar situation a few years back, but… No. I don’t want to believe she is actually here.

“Um… Well, a rat told me he saw her here. He seemed to have a good memory,” Fluttershy explains. Her body language tells me she is clearly nervous by my attitude, but honestly? I just hope she’s wrong…

“We’ll see the validity of that rat’s statement,” I sigh, trying to be as respectful as possible. Sunset turns to the others, but my eyes stay glued on the building in front of us. I really hope fate has something better planned. If Aria is actually here, then… I have no idea what she will do. Working at a place like this for fuck all pay made my own life seem worthless. If she is here, I should have found her first…

“Adagio, Sonata and I will go in. She’s liable to freak out if she sees all of us,” Sunset tells our friends. That is if she is in here. In all likelihood, that rat had its facts wrong. I mean, it is a rat. It probably can’t remember human faces that well.

Probably.

Sonata touches my hand, giving me a reaffirming smile. I can see the hesitancy in her eyes, but she is letting me know it is okay to lead the way now. Taking a deep breath, I nod to her, walking towards the club. The cool air of the night only makes this place seem worse. There’s not even a bouncer standing outside. The club I worked at had that convenience at least… This place just seems so… I don’t know.

Gently opening the door, I take a second to breathe before entering. It’s dark inside aside from the blue or red lights. The heavy stench of alcohol permeates the place. Everyone talks amongst themselves as heavy music blasts my ears. Sonata’s nose scrunches up, reacting to the smell. Scanning the stage and the people around it, no one vaguely resembles Aria. Leaning against the bar, I can’t help but feel a bit better. The rat was wrong.

“What would you like, punk?” A familiar voice asks me. Sonata and Sunset look in my direction, their eyes widening in a second. Then again, maybe the rat was right…

Turning my gaze behind me, a woman with purple skin looks down at a notepad in her hand, ready to take an order. Her darker purple hair has green highlights in them, strung up into twin tails. She wears a really short black skirt and a white top. In every way but physical, she looks beat up… I really don’t want to believe my eyes…

“Aria?” I ask quietly, hoping to whatever deity there may be that this is just some lookalike. She finally looks up from her notepad. As soon as she makes eye contact with us, her eyes go wider than I have ever seen them. The shock on her face confirms my fears. This is Aria…

“Adagio? Sonata…?” Aria’s voice is barely audible. She drops her notepad as she stares at us in disbelief. Even though the club is far too loud, there is so much silence between us. Aria’s hand shakes, clearly unsure what she should do. I understand that hesitation all too well…

“Can we talk?” I ask her with a small nod to Sonata. Sunset watches us, but thankfully, Aria isn’t focusing on her.

“What do we have to talk about?” Aria responds in a defensive tone, stepping back with a singular tear falling down her cheek. “I really can’t do this.” Aria quickly walks out from behind the counter towards the back of the club. Without waiting for a moment, Sonata follows after her.

“Aria?” Sonata calls after her. Sunset and I quickly walk behind her. Aria opens the back door, walking out of the club. As soon as I make it outside, I can’t help but feel a sense of deja vu. This alleyway is cramped and the last time Aria, Sonata and I were in an alley, we left each other. That was the last time I saw both of them…

“I can’t do this. You should have forgotten me by now,” Aria almost growls at us, but I can tell some of that hatred is aimed at herself.

“Aria, wait. Please.” My words stop her in her tracks, finally making her look back at us. Tears soak her cheeks, but a grimace is on her face. She’s always used anger to mask her emotions. She really hasn’t changed… Not much at least.

“What do we have to talk about? Huh? Did you come to demand an apology, Dagi? I get it. I ruined us,” Aria lashes out at me, her voice full of anger and hatred.

“You ruined us…?” Sonata asks in confusion, clearly questioning the same thing I am.

“Aria, we came to apologize…” Taking a small step forward, I hold my hand out. This isn’t what I expected at all… “You didn’t ruin us. We all did through misplaced values and miscommunication.” Aria’s eyes widen to my statement, her tears stopping for a moment.

“You want to apologize? For what? Some sort of relationship with me again?” she asks us defensively, her body language closed off.

“Hopefully,” Sonata responds with a small nod. “We miss you…”

“You…” Aria’s voice trails off in shock, blinking a couple times to Sonata’s words. “You two miss me…?”

“As harshly as I treated you, I miss you, Aria,” I whisper with a slow nod, trying to get closer to her. “I’m going to tell you something that someone wise told me.” Looking back at Sunset for a moment, I see her ever supportive smile. Her eyes remind me of a very similar night years ago. “Maybe you won’t believe this, but… you can be happy too, Aria.”

As soon as I say those words, Aria’s tears start to flow again. Falling to her knees, Aria begins to cry, making Sonata rush over to hug her. In a moment, I find myself on the other side of her, holding her as well.

“Damn it… I’m sorry,” Aria barely makes the words through her cries. Patting her back, all I can do is try to keep my own composure. And God, that is hard…

I whisper, “We all are, Aria. We all are.”

Author's Note

My next chapter will be out on Valentine's Day~ :twilightsmile: It's never too late for our favorite sirens to come back together.

As It Was

Chapter XXVIII: As It Was

“Excuse the mess,” Aria tells Sonata and me quietly, unlocking the door to her apartment. She isn’t exactly proud of bringing us here, but I can understand that feeling. I remember living in a place like this as well… As soon as we enter, I notice takeout trash as well as some magazines scattered around. This apartment is pretty simple. The main area is a living room with a connected kitchen and a small hallway leading to what I assume is the bathroom and the bedroom. Aria walks over to the couch, cleaning it off and gesturing for us to sit down. “Are you going to stand there the whole time or what?” Aria asks us, still as grumpy as ever.

Sonata and I take her offer, sitting on the couch. Honestly, this place can be seen as comfortable… In a way. Okay, not really. I’m trying my best to see the best in the situation. Aria looks at us as if she doesn’t know exactly what to do now.

“Oh, um. Do you want a drink? I have…” Her voice trails off as she walks into the kitchen. The sound of the fridge opening is followed by an audible sigh. “Water. I have water,” Aria mentions in an annoyed tone. I understand how she feels embarrassed by this, but this isn’t some diplomatic meeting. We’re just… old friends meeting again.

“That sounds nice~ We’ll take some,” Sonata responds with a positive tone, even though this situation is probably more nerve wracking for her than it is for me. Honestly, I am probably the most calm out of all of us. That is really surprising…

Aria walks back into the living room, handing us both a water bottle. Moving a pile of magazines to the opposite side of the table, she uses them as an impromptu seat. She can see both of us from here… It’s a little sad that she doesn’t have a chair to sit at our height level though. Sonata sinks off the couch, sitting on the floor with a smile. Ah, I see… She’s right, of course. It would be better to sit at the same height either way. Unlike the last time we saw each other, we’re all equal here. I’m not the leader.

Following Sonata’s lead, I sit down on the floor, noticing Aria look at us with a surprised expression.

“What are you doing? The couch is a lot more comfortable,” Aria tries to explain with her hands up, once again offering the seat.

“If you sit down here, so do we,” I respond quietly, raising my hand to try and reassure her. Aria looks at me as if I am crazy, raising her eyebrow.

“But Adagio. You’re usually the one wanting the best of the best. Why would you-”

“I am no leader here, Aria.” Taking a deep breath, I look up at her. “Listen. In a lot of ways, I am the same Adagio as four years ago. However, there are a lot of areas I have changed. We all deserve equal treatment here.”

“I think we have all changed,” Sonata whispers with a sheepish look. She chuckles as if it is a humorous statement, but the truth is that she’s right. We’ve all changed.

“Can I start?” I ask both of them. After a moment, they nod to me, both of their gazes directed towards me. “I’ve already talked with Sonata, but… still. A little more than four years ago was the last time I saw both of you at the same place. Back then, I… I didn’t appreciate you two as friends and I often manipulated you and abused you. You both didn’t deserve that.” I still remember that night pretty clearly. “For all I’ve done and said, I’m sorry. You two were my only friends.”

Aria lowers her gaze in response. I can tell she’s thinking of what to say, but nothing comes out of her mouth. Finally, she places her hands on the table, sighing to herself.

“It wasn’t all your fault, Adagio,” Aria whispers. “I didn’t treat either of you that great either. I… I admit it. I was wrong. I regret that night as well since… I thought you’d never want to see me again.” A tear slides down her cheek as she stares down at the table. “I’m a hateful, awful person. I’m sorry, Adagio. And I’m sorry for fighting with you, Sonata… Your restaurant turned out to be a great success, but I… God, I didn’t believe in you.” Aria presses her head down on the table, trying to hide her shameful tears. Sonata, on the other hand, seems surprised.

“You know about my business…?” Sonata asks her with confusion. “It was only an idea when we fought about it…”

“I kept tabs on that idea,” Aria briefly explains, shaking her head without bringing her gaze up from the table. “I’m really glad you did it. I… I knew you wouldn’t want to see me again. Either of you. I-I thought it was too late to say sorry.” Aria’s shoulders shake a little with her cries. Tears fall down Sonata’s face after hearing Aria’s words. Even I can feel a tinge of pain in my heart. It’s not too late. Maybe it is a few years later, but we can always try to make things right.

“I’m sorry too,” Sonata whimpers, wiping away her tears. However, it doesn’t do her any good since her crying continues. “I never meant to insult you, Adagio. And I’m sorry for saying you never had a heart, Aria…” Sonata hesitantly reaches over and grabs one of Aria’s hands, trying her best to smile. While I don’t know what Sonata is referencing, I can assume this happened when the two of them separated. “I-I do want to see you again.” Reaching out, I grab Sonata and Aria’s spare hands, finally making the latter look up.

“I want both of you to be a part of my life again,” I whisper, trying to hold back my own emotions. Gripping their hands a little tighter, I feel a tear surface in my eye. “I don’t want to keep going without my best friends. The ones I grew up with. Can we all… forgive each other?” Sonata and Aria look at each other before all three of us nod in unison, a smile finally forming on Aria’s lips.

“You want me in your lives?” Aria asks in a soft tone, almost sounding like she’s ashamed to ask such a personal question.

“I do. We do,” Sonata enthusiastically nods. “I’m going back to Canterlot City with Adagio. You could come with us.”

“W-what does that mean? I don’t exactly have the finances to move and… I’m not great at texting back.” Aria shakes her head, a frown replacing the brief smile she had.

“You could move in with me,” I respond quietly, making her look up at me. Even though I’m going to have to move out of the house once we get back, I’m sure I could find a decent apartment with my new job. Sunset deserves the house… And pretty much everything else we own. “I even have a job at my place you could have. What do you say?”

“So, you’d be my boss again?” Aria asks me with a small chuckle, trying to wipe away her tears. After a few moments though, Aria slowly nods. “If you’re sure, then… Yeah. I-I wouldn’t mind coming with you two,” Aria agrees, making Sonata and I smile. “Although, I guess you will have to talk with your new friends, Adagio. Speaking of which, how exactly did you get wrapped up with the people we hated?” Her remark is in a teasing tone, but I can tell she is actually curious.

“That’s… a long story.”

“Well, it sure is a pleasure to meet ya. Um… Again, I mean,” Applejack greets Aria with a full handshake, almost shaking her full body. After blinking a couple times, Aria looks at Applejack with a reclusive stare.

“Um… Thanks.” I expected this. Aria is hesitant to meet them again, especially since she was more angry at the Rainbooms than Sonata was. Despite the shining sun and beautiful park around us, there’s still quite a bit of tension. This was expected though. “What’s your name again? I only remember you as the cowgirl,” Aria explains while rolling her eyes, presumably annoyed by the memories. In a way, it’s almost comical. I remember how much of a pain the Rainbooms were back then, but… Well, Aria hasn’t had the experiences I have.

“That’s not a problem. My name is Applejack, Sugarcube. I wouldn’t expect ya to remember my name since we barely talked, but I’m looking forward to getting to know you better this time around.” Applejack has a hearty smile, clearly trying to be as welcoming to Aria as she can be. However, Aria only seems more uncomfortable by her attempts.

“Right,” Aria responds with a small shrug.

“I’m sure you remember me, right? I’m Rainbow Dash. Only the most awesome of us.” Dash’s smirk only makes her look stupid, but that’s a little bit of her charm.

“It’s a bit hard to forget the most arrogant of you all,” Aria remarks with a raised eyebrow, walking away from Dash.

“Hey! What is that supposed to mean?” Dash retorts with an offended tone. I pat her shoulder with a chuckle, trying to tell her that it’s okay. This is just how Aria is. She’s kind of an asshole.

“Hello, Aria. I’m glad to meet you again,” Sunset greets her, offering a handshake. Even though Sunset was with us when we went into that club, the two of them haven’t had a chance to exchange words. Aria doesn’t take Sunset’s gesture, only furrowing her brow.

“Shimmer,” Aria responds quietly. The way she stares at Sunset is full of distrust, but Sunset doesn’t seem affected by it. “Adagio told me about the past few years, but that doesn’t mean I trust you yet.” Sunset’s smile doesn’t waver to Aria’s words, simply nodding to her while lowering her hand.

“That’s alright. We all go at our own pace. I’ll just have to earn your trust in that case.”

Aria nods to Sunset, moving away from her. Sonata eagerly smiles at Aria with Pinkie by her side. I can tell Aria feels confused, but I know what is coming up.

“Aria, this is Pinkie,” Sonata introduces her, but Pinkie doesn’t wait a moment to grab Aria’s hand.

“Hiya! Sonata has told me a lot about you!” The way Pinkie shakes her hand makes Aria’s body jump up and down in place. “Things like your fear of heights. Don’t worry though! I have no plans of bringing you skydiving any time soon!” When Pinkie finally lets go of Aria, she has to shake her head to get over the gesture that probably rattled her brain. Her purple cheeks look a little more pink, an embarrassed expression overcoming her.

“I am not scared of heights. I have no idea where Sonata would come up with that.” She’s clearly lying. Sonata and I can tell that easily, but I’m not sure if it is that obvious to everyone else. Aria looks at Pinkie with a shrug, sighing to herself. “I’m glad that you and Sonata are getting along so well,” she states hesitantly as if someone had to drag it out of her. Walking past Pinkie and Sonata, Aria meets the gaze of Fluttershy.

“H-hello there. I hope you’re feeling okay,” Fluttershy tries her best to greet Aria, sounding awkward in the process. Rainbow Dash sighs as if she wants to help her. I can’t help but chuckle a little at this sight.

“Hi… You’re flutter something, right?” Aria asks her with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m Fluttershy. A lot of people forget my name, so it’s perfectly fine with me.” I can tell Rarity looks a little offended by Fluttershy’s sentiment, nudging her elbow.

“Darling, you need to be more confident in yourself. Present yourself as someone to be remembered. If someone truly cares about you, they will remember your name.” Rarity’s hand gently rubs Fluttershy’s shoulder with a caring smile on her face. “You’ve got to-”

“Make a show of it?” Aria finishes Rarity’s statement, making the fashionista surprised. It’s not too difficult to make her break character. Rarity often gets surprised by others’ actions.

“Precisely, Aria dear. I must admit that I was not expecting you to know that.”

“My whole life has been a stage performance practically. It’s one of the skills you pick up.” Aria raises her hand in annoyance, fanning her face. “Just like with some rich snobs, you have to-”

“Fake your interest?” Rarity interrupts her, raising her eyebrow with an intrigued smile.

“It’s not even just feigning interest. You have to pretend to be extremely excited for those pricks or else you might be ridiculed for it.” Once again, Aria rolls her eyes at the idea, making Rarity laugh a little.

“You don’t have to explain half of it to me. I know the feeling quite well.” Offering her hand, Rarity tries to compose herself. “Although, one thing I have learned is that you never have to put on a faux expression with those who truly care.” For the first time this whole meeting, Aria seems to smile or rather smirk. Taking her hand, Aria nods to the fashionista. The two of them seem to share some thought, but neither of them say anything before they chuckle. Aria then turns her gaze to Twilight, the last person she has to meet.

“Hello, Aria. I’m Twilight Sparkle, but not the same um… version. I’m the Twilight from this world rather than, you know, Equestria.” Twilight nervously chuckles before putting her hand out. “Regardless, it is nice to meet you! For the uh… first time.”

“Are you always this awkward?” Aria asks her with a bored tone, taking her hand as if it is some chore.

“Well, um… Not always. Sorry. I just don’t know what to say here since everyone else has met you before.” Twilight’s nervousness seems to evaporate a little, instead being replaced by embarrassment for being called out.

“A simple ‘hello’ is good enough.” Aria pokes Twilight’s glasses. She’s clearly confused about this new detail. “You have glasses… That’s weird.”

“Oh, yeah! Well, the other Twilight you knew didn’t need glasses presumably because of her different biology. Despite how similar we look, people originally from Equestria have a slightly different DNA make up.” The scientific rant only seems to get lost on Aria. I honestly can’t help but smile. I remember the first time Twilight talked about this with me. She asked me for a blood sample. I was extremely hesitant until… Sunset calmed me…

“So, you’re the nerd of the group,” Aria states with a chuckle. “Should have guessed it. Nice to uh… meet you too.” Turning back to the rest of us, Aria shrugs, making her way back over to me. “I’m glad to meet you all again,” she gives them in a monotone voice. That’s sadly the most we can ask of her. It’s still enough to make Sonata run over to us, grabbing us in a hug.

“Well, then we’d love to have ya join us. It might be a little cramped in the RV, but we don’t mind bringing you back with us,” Applejack explains with an almost relieved expression.

“Yay! The Dazzling trio is back together,” Sonata exclaims happily, holding onto the two of us as if we were some life raft. However, the sentiment feels… hollow. Clearly Sonata and Aria are happy about this, but something in my soul still feels numb… Sunset smiles at me, but it is the kind of empty smile that shows something is on her mind. Despite the nice few days we’ve had together, I can still feel that same tension.

The trio is back together… But is there no room for a fourth?

“Okay. So, you have to relax. I’m not sure how this will work with you draining my magic. That and uh… Your gem will probably be whole again after this.” Twilight’s attempts to instill caution in me does nothing but make me more anxious. I wasn’t worried about this, but her concern makes me wonder if I should be. She and I are the only ones in the RV at this time. Everyone else is packing up, including Sonata helping Aria with her few belongings. Well, the few she actually cares about. However, Twilight’s worry is making me think about how we should have someone else here.

“I am relaxed,” I tell her quietly, lying down on the table. My legs hang off the table at my knees. This table was made for eating lunch, not an impromptu resting place. Nothing can happen to me unless I fall over, which would require me to move quite a bit. Either that or the light bulb above me could spontaneously fall onto my face, but that is unlikely.

Twilight takes the last red piece out of her pocket, breathing for a moment. She looks at me as if she is going to ask me if I am sure, but no words come out of her mouth. Probably because she knows my answer.

“Well, here’s to fixing your mind,” Twilight gestures with the red fragment. A purple aura surrounds it, levitating close to my neck. Without any build up or drum roll, the piece is connected to my gem. That same surge of power rushes through me, but it is just par for the course at this point. Twilight sits down next to me so that she can steady herself. “Whenever you’re ready,” Twilight whispers with a nod. Closing my eyes, I try to concentrate, humming quietly. I can tell that it is working from a spark that races up my spine. Honestly, it is a little nerve wracking to be this close to getting both my magic and my mind back. A part of me wants to race ahead, but another part makes me want to wait. I have no idea what happens after this point.

The magic comes in waves, washing over me. It feels nice. Just like any form of power, it needs to be controlled or else chaos will ensue. So, I have to keep my concentration…

“This isn’t so bad,” Twilight mentions with an intrigued tone. “I was kind of hoping I would see Umbra, but I guess she didn’t want to show up.” The statement she just made is a little ironic, considering how much of my life I didn’t want to see her.

“It will get pretty tiring, trust me. And she appears at random. Even if you did see her now, her demeanor and appearance are far different to what they were when Rainbow saw her.” A small sigh escapes my lips. As much as I try, it is hard to relax. It is a combination of the uncertainty of the future and my hopes that keeps me rigid. The magic is getting stronger with each passing second. It’s not an emotion I like to admit, but… I am afraid. I’m not supposed to feel fear here, but I do because the future is full of uncertainties. Things I can’t control. I’m not sure what will happen.

In all honesty, a very small part of me wishes I never went on this trip. While I would never want to give up Sonata and Aria, losing Sunset is… Well, it hurts. There’s not much else that can describe it other than a deep, resounding ache.

It’s beautiful.

Opening my eyes, I look up at a ceiling that is far too familiar. Nothing like the RV at all. Instead, I’m laying down on a couch that Sunset and I bought together… Raising my head, I look around the living room of our home. A bright sunny day is outside the window and everything seems… alright. In the right side of the room, Umbra looks at a framed picture of Sunset and me. Her attire is the exact same as mine for some reason. It’s a curious sight… Her hand gently rests on the wall as her eyes turn to look at me.

You know, I hated this place when you moved in. However, I see the appeal of it now. It’s… comfortable. Umbra looks around at the furniture with a small nod, only further confusing me. Unlike the dark red scenery with a cracked sky like before, this is a lot more calm. Peaceful. It has changed a lot…

“Thank you,” I whisper in response, standing up from the couch. Even now, I can feel the waves of magic come over me, but this vision still remains. “Tell me. Why are we here?”

I thought it would be fitting. The place we call home. Umbra picks up a flower from the vase between two of her fingers. A melancholy look is sprawled across her face, clearly thinking about something. I thought that you deserve some peace. You know, after all the times I tortured you. It is odd that she is bringing that up now, but I appreciate the sentiment.

“That’s kind of you.” Taking a few steps, I look at the pictures on the wall. A serene feeling encapsulates this place. Even if it isn’t real, the vision of this home is nice… “This means something, doesn’t it?”

What do you mean?

“You being here. This vision. This is supposed to mean something, right?” Turning my gaze to her, I notice her stare at the couch in nostalgia.

Come on, Adagio. You should be able to answer your question. She leans back against the wall with a deeply saddened smile. In every way but personality, she is pretty much a mirror to me now.

“My mind is almost fixed.” She brings her hand up and points a finger gun at me.

Bingo. She gestures for me to look away from her and take in the living room’s cozy appearance. I postulate that your mind will be whole again by the end of this little… vision. That explains why she looks exactly like me… Though, there are a couple things still on my mind.

“Are you still afraid?” I ask her quietly. The sound of a breeze and birds can be heard outside, even if they aren’t real. She’s right. Things have moved pretty quickly… I wouldn’t blame her if she is still scared.

No, I’m not. I’m just wondering what the future will be like. A few seconds pass by as she looks at the living room with a wandering eye. This is one hell of a life you’ve made for yourself. It’s an accomplishment, she tells me in admiration, finally meeting my gaze.

“Our accomplishment by now,” I respond with a slow nod. Even though she’s often worked against me, she has given me valuable advice and she is a part of me… It’s our achievement.

I don’t count and you know it. This is your life. I can’t help but smile a little at her. She’s just as stubborn as me. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe her personality is a mirror of mine as well. Still. It’s an achievement. Your friends… It’s not the life I would have chosen for you, but they have their own charm to them.

“A certain charm?” I ask her with a small chuckle, making her push my shoulder.

You know what I mean. They make life a bit more… bearable.

“Enjoyable.” I know what she means by that. My friends are a big part of my life by now, even if I don’t admit it at times. My pride forces me to make fun of them first before I admit I care about them. It’s true though. They hold a special place in my heart.

In a way, happiness is its own form of power. A smile spreads across her lips, happy but seemingly in disbelief. I guess you got what you wanted, huh? I nod to her question, even though I lost the person I valued most to get it. Umbra raises her hand, watching as it becomes transparent. Her chuckle sounds melancholy while she pushes herself off the wall, walking over to me. I guess I should admit it. You were right. Life is better this way. And… Yeah. It’s hard to not love Sunset at this point. Offering her hand to me, Umbra has a serious expression, seemingly begging me for something. I just want you to promise me one thing once your mind is fixed.

“I will do my best,” I whisper in response, taking her hand in mine. Her shoulders get more transparent as the seconds pass. The light in this room gets brighter, but I keep my eyes on hers. “What is it?” Sharing a smile with me, she simply chuckles as the light becomes blinding.

Promise me you’ll make it up to her…

I feel strange… As if I’ve been in a deep sleep for a thousand years, my body feels weird. It’s as if everything feels new and old at the same time. My eyes feel really heavy… However, I can still feel the hard table under me. Good. I’m glad I didn’t fall during that. That… That dream or vision. That was surprisingly peaceful, compared to every other time I’ve talked with her. Was that the last time…? Everything she said seemed to point in that direction. My mind isn’t broken anymore…

“Adagio? Are you awake?” Twilight’s voice asks me, making me open my eyes. The light above me is annoyingly bright. However, it’s still not enough to make me frown. If anything, I feel a new sense of energy in me. Oddly enough, optimism can fit the emotion.

“How long was I unconscious?” I ask her with a shrug, sitting up on the table. My muscles feel like they’re being used for the first time in years.

“Fifteen years,” Twilight responds with an eerie voice, raising her hands to her face as if she is screaming. “It was two hours. Longer than I thought, but I guess you needed it considering the magic you absorbed.” Twilight motions towards my neck. Looking down, I see an intact red gem, shining in the light. Bringing my hand up, I fiddle with it between my thumb and forefinger. I can feel the magic somewhere, entwined with my soul. For some reason, it feels more resilient than it did before the Battle of the Bands. More… permanent. Maybe that is just me trying to convince myself.

“It’s hard to believe… After all this time, I have my magic back.” It’s hard to bring my eyes away from the gem. It has been so long. Snapping my fingers, a small flame dances on my fingertip. A small laugh comes from my lips. I’m not exactly ecstatic at this. It’s more of a deep gratitude. It’s like my life force itself has been restored after so long of feeling like my purpose was stolen from me. Would anyone blame me for wanting to shed a tear? It’s comparable to losing my sight and getting it back or suddenly being granted the ability to walk again. For a siren like me, this magic is… a part of me.

“I assume that means you aren’t evil again?” Twilight asks in a half-joking tone, her eyes staring at the flame. With a simple hum, I turn the flame into an ice cube, pressing it against Twilight’s cheek for even asking that question.

“Obviously not.” Hopping off the table, my feet almost feel like I am walking on a cloud. The magic I have feels refreshing… Energizing in a way. I remember when my body used to feel like this. It was nearly impossible to get exhausted back then. To think that I won’t have to worry about that anymore… “Where are the others?” I ask Twilight looking down at my hands. “I thought they would be back by now.” Is it vain of me to want to show off a little? Probably.

“They came back while you were out, but they decided to go out and have some fun at some music club,” Twilight tells me with a shrug of her shoulders. “I wanted to stay here until you woke up to make sure you’re fine.” They… went to have fun. A part of me feels conflicted at that idea. I bet Sunset is probably standing at the edge of some room, watching our friends having the time of her life. Ever the careful and observant one… She deserves some fun too.

“How long ago did they leave?” I ask her quietly, holding my hand. I should feel more nervous about inviting myself, but… I don’t. In fact, I feel more confident than I have in a long time.

“About twenty minutes ago. Why?” I ignore her question in order to concentrate. Dragging my fingers across my scarf, I sing one note. By the time I open my eyes, I’m wearing a purple dress, simple yet striking. Matter manipulation spells aren’t exactly easy… Returning an object back to its original state is the exact opposite though. “Woah,” Twilight states with wide eyes, surprised by my sudden spell. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I can do a lot more than I let on. Now are you coming with me?”

Walking into the club, an easy beat hits my ears. It is something that anyone can dance to, but there are still some couples using a more intimate dance. Honestly, I have to respect this kind of beat. It is difficult to make a piece of music that fits multiple moods and genres at the same time. From here, I can already notice Pinkie skating around the dance floor. Thankfully, she isn’t bothering anyone, but I can only wonder where she got those roller skates from. All things considered, this isn’t a bad environment.

Sonata and Aria are talking together while the former does a little shimmy to the music. Aria simply stands there as if she is bored. Rarity and Applejack are dancing together. The fashionista’s arms drape over Applejack as the cowgirl is as stoic as ever.

“I wonder whose idea this was,” Twilight mentions from beside me. She put on her best dress that she packed with her. The color is as dark as the night with some sparkles on it, making it shine in the light. It’s a bit hard for me to hear her with the other people talking and the music, but I nod my head.

Turning my gaze, I can’t help but notice a woman in a red dress. Standing at the edge of the room, eyes like the ocean look at the crowd. A smile that could warm the room stands out among everyone else. Her fiery hair reminds me of a spark in my heart. A spark for her. I wouldn’t be able to look away if I tried. She hasn’t noticed me yet, of course. Her eyes are aimed at the crowd, rather than the front door.

“Go to her. I’m sure you can talk with the others later,” Twilight encourages me with a nudge. I was already planning on it, but the pep talk is nice. Patting her shoulder, I walk away from her, making my way past some people. The lighting around Sunset is dim, but I can’t mistake her for anyone else. As compared to the light on the dance floor, it is kind of dark in the edges of the room. Sunset’s head turns in my direction, her eyes recognizing me in a second. She looks at my dress with an amused expression.

“Where did you get that?” Sunset asks me as soon as I make it to her side. Her hand reaches out to feel the fabric, a confused look on her face. I, on the other hand, can’t help but find it funny that I was right about my assumption that she would be on the outskirts of the room.

“I turned my scarf into this dress. Don’t worry. I can change it back.” I bring my finger up to my now restored gem.

“Ah. So, you got your magic back and your mind is fixed, huh?” Sunset asks me with a teasing smile. “How does it feel?” Sunset’s question is filled with honest curiosity, despite her humorous tone.

“Honestly? I feel great,” I tell her with a nod, letting my feelings of anxiety leave me. The music changes to one of a romantic tone, significantly changing the landscape of the dance floor. Now, only couples are dancing out there except for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. From here, it looks like the two of them are simply dancing for fun, Dash spinning Fluttershy with a laugh. “I could use one thing though.” Sunset’s eyes look at me with curiosity before I hold my hand out. “May I have this last dance, Shimmer?”

Despite how I try to pretend this is the final dance of the night, I can tell she knows what I really mean. If this is really the end of us, would it really hurt to end it with a dance? To have… one more good moment. Is that too much to ask?

“You certainly can, Dazzle,” Sunset whispers in response, taking my hand in hers. I lead the way to the dance floor, where the lights finally dance across her skin. Her eyes shine like never before. Her free hand moves up to my shoulder and with a nod, she lets me have the lead. I can’t help but smile as we start to move. The lights only make her seem more angelic in my arms. We turn together just as the beat takes a dip.

The music guides our dance. Our feet move across the floor without a second of hesitation. The two of us have done this nearly a hundred times by now, but we are both putting in one hundred percent this time. The way Sunset glides across the floor from my lead is far above anyone else’s skill. At least, she is the best to me. The way her eyes sparkle makes everything feel alright. The people around us might as well not exist. The only person I can focus on is her. The music fills my ears as she truly smiles at me. Just as the music comes down from a high point, I lower Sunset into a dip. Her hair hangs towards the ground. At this moment, she can’t look any more beautiful. If she did, it would be a crime against the universe itself. Letting go of my shoulder, Sunset holds the back of my head, her eyes staring into my soul.

“You’re killing me softly,” Sunset whispers with a soft gaze seconds before bringing the dip to an end. I’m caught off guard. Usually, it is the person leading who ends the dip. Without giving me a chance to think, Sunset brings her hand to my hip, taking the lead. Now it’s my turn to glide through Sunset’s movements. My feet slide across the floor, Sunset supporting me through each turn. It feels like moving through the clouds… The lights seem like stars from how we’re spinning across the dance floor. With each second, I can feel myself get lost in her eyes.

Letting go of my hip, Sunset twirls me, holding my hand above my head. There is not a moment that goes by where her hand doesn’t touch mine. With careful expertise, Sunset brings me back into her arms just as the song comes to an end. However, she doesn’t let go of me for a few moments. I can’t help but stare into her eyes. I can see her breathing has increased. I’m sure that I am probably flushed as well, but I can’t feel it. The only thing I can feel is her warmth. Our final dance is done, but… I never want to let go.

A conflicted expression dances across her face. Despite the music starting up again and the people dancing around us, she stands still with her fingers intertwined with mine. Each second that goes by feels like hours with her. Eventually, Sunset pulls away. As if reality comes crashing back in, I can finally hear the other people around us. Sunset nods to me with a smile full of sorrow.

“Thank you for this last dance, Adagio,” she whispers, turning away from me. Without a second of hesitation, Sunset walks through the crowd towards the exit, leaving me standing alone. Instead of embarrassment for being left to my own thoughts, all I can feel is a deep ache. My eyes watch her fiery hair disappear behind those doors, making me wonder if this dance was worth it.

Yes. It was…

“What the fuck are you doing, Adagio?” Aria’s voice insults me as something slaps my shoulder. Looking to my left, I see Aria stare at me in anger. I would say that I am wondering why she is mad at me, but that would be a lie. I just feel numb.

“What do you mean?” I respond, trying to pretend to be interested.

“Why are you still standing here? Sunset just left,” Aria states while pointing her whole arm towards the exit. “Go after her already.”

“I thought you of all people hated-”

“Shut up, Adagio.” Aria has a deadly serious glare that is shooting daggers into my skull. “You two were tearing up this dance floor. Everyone saw the passion between you two. I may not have trusted her, but it’s clear to everyone that you care about each other.” Aria grabs my arm and points me in the direction of the door. “If anyone is capable of giving you the care you deserve, it is her. I’ll be damned if I just let you stay here and fuck it up.”

“Are you seriously-”

“One more word to me and I’ll punch you, Dagi,” Aria threatens me with a fist. “Go talk to her. Now.” Aria pushes me forward. When I look back, her stare tells me she doesn’t want me to stay here. Maybe she’s right… Talking to her will at least try to smooth things out. Taking a deep breath, I walk past the groups of people. I still want Sunset in my life, even if it is just as a friend…

She’s my best friend…

Rushing forward, I push the doors open. The cool night air hits my skin as the moon shines down on the city. A couple people walk by me and the music of a couple different stores fills the air. However, all it does is distract me. Looking down the sidewalk, no one looks like her at all. How could she have gone so far in so little time? How long was I standing there? Looking around, I see a man reading on a bench. Out of everyone here, he looks like he has been here long enough.

“Excuse me. Have you seen a woman with red and yellow hair walk by here?” I instantly ask him, bringing my hand up to my head. “She is about my height with orange skin. She was wearing a beautiful red dress. I really need to talk to her.” The man looks up from his book at me before seemingly thinking about my request.

“Actually, I did. She was walking towards the city park. It’s only a few minutes away from here,” he explains with a helpful tone, pointing me in the direction he saw her walk in. Nodding in appreciation, I run down the sidewalk. The wind hits my face and blows against my hair. I can feel some people staring at me, but they don’t matter right now. She is all that matters to me right now…

After turning a corner, the entrance of the park greets my eyes. On any normal day, it might be worth it to stop and admire the trees, but I can’t this time. Sprinting forward, the light of the city falls behind me. Only the occasional lamp posts light the sidewalk aside from the full moon. By now, the sound of my shoes hitting the ground is far louder than any far off city sound. I can’t help but hope that I am going the right way. Hope that maybe… Maybe she is just a little further ahead.

Coming into a clearing, I take a deep breath, looking around the branching paths. The bright blue light of the night illuminates the park better than I could ask for. Turning my head to the left, I stop myself. There, just a bit further ahead, is a small stone bridge across a little opening of water. Leaning on the ledge, Sunset looks down at the water with a defeated stare. Her normal lively energy is nowhere to be seen. She is so still that this might as well be a painting in an art gallery. Walking forward, I feel a little more calm, knowing where she is. The sound of a slight breeze is only accompanied by slow water. Taking my first step onto the stone bridge, Sunset turns her head to me, seemingly surprised.

“You followed me,” she mentions before looking back down at the water. “You should be enjoying your time with the others.” Walking a bit closer, I can’t help but notice just how pretty she looks under the moon’s light. That same conflicted expression is on her face, but I can’t tell what it means.

“So should you,” I respond to her quietly. She simply shrugs at my statement, leaving the air quiet once more. “Can we talk?” A slow breath exits her lips before nodding to me, turning her body in my direction.

“We probably should. It will help both of us. If you’re going to try to convince me that we should give this another shot, I-”

“Don’t worry, Sunset.” I hold my hand up, trying to reassure her. “I’m not here to convince you at all. I just…” Taking a deep breath, I try to think of the right words to say. “Listen. Our connection matters a lot to me. I’m well aware that it is over for us as a couple, but… I would still like to be your friend. You saved my life all those years ago by offering me a new point of view. I still really like you and… I don’t want our friendship to end too.” Sunset’s eyes widen to my words, a surprised expression coming from her as if I said something wrong.

“That’s the thing, Adagio. I didn’t save you,” Sunset tells me with an almost proud tone. “You chose to follow my advice back then… You chose to be happy all by yourself. You should be proud of yourself.” After a few seconds, Sunset walks towards me, grabbing my hand in hers. “And, Adagio… I… I don’t like you,” she states with her eyes closed. She takes a deep breath before opening her eyes, looking at me with some newfound sense of determination. “I love you…”

Author's Note

So... If I said I lied about a tiny little thing, would you be mad? When I said this wasn't going to be a special chapter for Valentine's Day, well...

I lied :)

This chapter is titled after a very special song to me that has inspired a lot of Sundagio~ As It Was by Harry Styles. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Terms of Engagement

Chapter XXIX: Terms of Engagement

The coffee in my hand has long since gone cold. Barely any sound can be heard from inside this 24-hour cafe aside from a buzzing lightbulb and some drunk person mumbling on the opposite end of the store. The two employees here spend most of their time in the back anyway. I wouldn’t doubt it if they were using their time to do some kind of drug. They seemed stoned out of their minds anyway. I guess that is what you get when you come to a place like this at nearly two in the morning.

What makes this even more awkward is that we are vastly over dressed.

Sunset’s red dress almost looks like a completely different attire in this lighting. The color of the dress is similar to a strawberry here rather than the deeper red that it looked like in that music club. Sunset has idly sipped her coffee a couple times since we got here, but neither of us have said anything. Ever since she said those three little words, all I could say was something to the degree of “Let’s talk about it”. It’s kind of hard to find the words to say right now because… everything feels so conflicting.

“So,” Sunset says with a trailing tone, looking over at me. Her word has a hint of awkwardness to it which is completely understandable. “Do you think the girls went back to the hotel by now?” she asks me to try to break the silence. It’s a comical question really.

“I would assume so. It is pretty late,” I tell her quietly, raising my drink to my lips. The taste is bitter and bland, but I honestly did not expect any better from a place like this. “However, you all were packing your bags. We were going to leave by tonight. I’m guessing they went to sleep waiting for us since they haven’t called.” A small nervous smile comes over Sunset, making me wonder what she has to say.

“Yeah, I kind of feel bad for staying out this late… I guess if they are really wondering where we are, they could just call us.” Sunset raises her eyebrow as soon as I pull my phone out, putting it on the table. Using one hand, I set my phone to not disturb, all while keeping eye contact with her.

“I think the conversation we need to have is a lot more important right now,” I tell her while motioning towards her purse. After a moment, Sunset takes her own phone, turning it off before setting it down. From the look in her eyes, she can tell we’re finally about to talk. “So… You love me,” I whisper, trying to find the strength to believe this is real. Sunset simply nods to me in response.

“I would understand if you don’t feel the same way by now,” Sunset states with a stoic face, but I can tell how she’s really feeling under the surface. She wouldn’t want that…

“Of course I love you too, Shimmer,” I respond with a slightly irritated tone. “I’m just quiet because this is… confusing.” Earlier tonight, I was done accepting that our relationship was done. There was no hope of fixing things. All I wanted was to stay friends, but now… Well, here she is, saying she still loves me. It’s almost ironic that I said the same thing and she completely rejected me days ago. I get that she’s been healing from how much I hurt her, but it is a little frustrating.

“I understand that. I’m sorry that you’re confused. I was too…” Sunset looks away to gather her thoughts, seemingly worried about something. “I really hate the past few weeks. I wish we could redo them, but we can’t.” Sunset’s eyes peer at me as if I am some confusing painting, trying to decipher what I am. “I want to know what you are thinking, Adagio…”

“Isn’t that the primary utility of your magic?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, pointing at her necklace. Sunset looks like she isn’t exactly happy about my comment.

“I only use my magic if I have to. I wouldn’t read your mind without your permission.” Sunset’s tone is genuine, albeit annoyed. I’m glad that she wouldn’t use her magic like that. Although, I never actually thought she would. I mainly said that because I’m frustrated.

“You want to know what I’m thinking. Well…” Taking a sip of my bland coffee, I try to think of the right combination of words. “I’m a bit irritated. I spent two weeks trying to make things right with you, but you kept me at arm’s length the whole time. You made it clear you didn’t trust me. Tonight, I accepted that we were done and had no desire to even try anymore, but now you love me again? In all honesty, Sunset, it is… unbearable. Though, I guess you felt the same way after my lying, so I don’t blame you.” Leaning back in my seat, Sunset and I look at each other for a long time. Both of us understand how we feel. It hurts that she basically ignored me for a long time and when she finally did start to pay attention to me, it was apparent that it was in a more platonic way. By the same token, I hurt her for lying for years… At this point in time, we’re both pretty wary and aching.

“I understand,” Sunset whispers in response, finally breaking eye contact with me. Her gaze is aimed down at the table, her hands holding each other. “Maybe it is too late for us,” she tells me with a quiet pessimism. However, a small shrug comes from her as she looks up at me with some hope in her eyes. “But maybe not? All I know is that I still love you, especially after seeing you fix your mind. It was a slow process, but… still. I’d understand if you don’t want the same, but I’d like to give us another try.” Sunset smiles at me.

A warm smile…

Something I haven’t seen directed at me for a long time. Full of love and appreciation. God, I missed seeing that… Despite how beautiful the sight is, I can’t just accept this eagerly without some sort of communication. This situation hurt both of us a lot… It would be foolish to rush in without talking about it a little.

Reaching my hand out, I look at her with a small nod. Slowly, I state, “We need to come up with terms if we really want this to work, Shimmer. I don’t mean things like terms of affection. I mean rules. Guidelines to follow so we don’t ever have to go through this again.” Sunset’s eyes widen, but her smile gets a little bigger. Gratefully, she takes my hand in hers.

“I think that’s necessary too. It’s the best way to avoid anything like this again.” Holding my hand a little tighter, Sunset seems serious about this. A part of me finds it hard to believe this is happening, but another part is not surprised. I can’t help but feel… Well, I wouldn’t say I'm worried. More like concerned. “We shouldn’t lie to each other. I think that’s obvious at this point.” Sunset nods to me, trying to nudge me to come up with something as well.

“Mutual respect,” I tell her quietly, trying to think of a way to explain myself. “I think it is important for us to talk about things. To trust each other with everything.” Without trust, there’s nothing to hold onto. It would just be a game of wondering when we would betray each other again. Sunset nods at my suggestion, seemingly trying to think of something else to say. Before she can open her lips, one of the only workers in this establishment comes to our table.

“Sorry for the wait. Here’s your cherry cheesecake and chocolate cake,” the waitress tells us before setting the plates down in front of us. She gives each of us the wrong cake, but before anyone can correct her, she retreats towards the back again. Sunset meets my gaze, making both of us chuckle. Without a single word being shared, I can already tell what she is thinking. Taking a fork into my hand, I carve out a bite of the chocolate cake. Sunset doesn’t take long to follow my action, both of us holding out the forks towards each other. This is something we used to do together. Every Valentine’s Day at least. Taking the bite of cherry cheesecake, I can’t help but savor the taste. Sunset looks at me for a second, gently biting into the piece of chocolate cake. Her eyes don’t break away from mine for a second.

“I’m sorry, Adagio,” Sunset whispers after swallowing her bite. From the way her eyes sparkle, I can see the love in her gaze. Clearly, she is trying to think of more rules to follow for our relationship, but I don’t blame her for drawing blanks.

“I am too,” I respond with a small nod, switching my plate with hers. We definitely need to sit down and think of more guidelines for this to work, but… for now? It’s nice to have some feeling of closure. That… we’re going to try this again.

“I love you,” we both whisper at the same time, making me widen my gaze. Sunset seems decently surprised as well, a big smile spreading across her lips. Holding her hand from across the table, I take another bite of my cake, feeling a small blush come to my face.

“You’re sure you want to give this another try?” Sunset asks me with that smile on her face making her look like she’s in disbelief. She’s cute when she’s the one asking for affirmation.

“I’m sure. One hundred percent,” I tell her with a wink. A cute giggle escapes her lips and… for the first time in a while, I feel like everything is going to be alright.

The hotel hallway is just as quiet and stale as ever. I was hoping we could leave by tonight so that I wouldn’t have to spend another night in a stupid hotel, but that’s not an option by now. By the time we were done, the RV was empty. I don’t exactly blame everyone for going back to their rooms. Waiting for us until three in the morning isn’t exactly ideal. By now, everyone else is surely asleep. Everyone except… us.

Holding her hand, I can’t help but dread the next minute or so. Despite the fact that we’ve talked a lot about the future tonight, it’s still clear there is some tension between us. That’s kind of a given when it comes to our recent troubles, but still. I expect that we will still sleep in separate rooms for the remainder of this trip and we will have to build back up to where we were. That’s just the process… I guess I should just be happy that we are starting off in the best possible way.

“What about ‘you have to make me breakfast in bed once every week’ as a rule?” Sunset asks me with a smirk, breaking me away from my thoughts. This is the sixteenth rule we have come up with so far, but half of them have been more of joking suggestions. “You are a good cook after all~”

“I am not. I follow after your recipes,” I immediately correct her with a humorous roll of my eyes. “And if we make that a rule, then you’d have to stop being so nagging about the alarm all the time.” I stick my tongue out at her, causing both of us to laugh quietly to ourselves. If it wasn’t for the fact that we’re in a hotel in the middle of the night, I feel like we would be a lot more open to laugh.

“But if I don’t, you’ll just turn off your alarms and miss work,” Sunset tries to add logic to our little conversation, but she knows more than half of her suggestions have been illogical anyway.

“Because I’m a tired siren, Sunset. You should know this by now.” Pressing my shoulder against hers, I see her roll her eyes at my response, chuckling to herself. The way she sighs indicates that I have won this round of debate. I expect her to say something else by now, but only silence follows us. An… awkward silence. The pace of our steps slows down dramatically as we come up to the door of her room. Sunset’s eyes trace the door just as I try to think of what to say. Even though this night has been magical enough, I know it has to end somewhere.

“Well, here we are,” Sunset awkwardly tells me with a smile, her eyes avoiding my own. I share that sentiment all too well… The silence that fills the air is far from the perfect score a romance movie would play right about now. All those cheesy films Sunset made me watch taught me that they like to portray life in an idealistic way, but it’s quiet here. No music to help me decide what to say or do. No cues that the universe is giving me to indicate where I’m supposed to go…

Bringing her hand up to my lips, I gently kiss her, looking up at her. I try my best to give her a reassuring gaze, breaking my lips from her hand. I know how weird this situation is, but… I’ll make the move to break this damned silence.

“It has been fun, Sunset,” I whisper with a smile. “Out of everyone in this world, you make me feel the most… alive. I feel like I don’t need this gem to be happy if I can be with you.” Holding her hand as tight as I can, I try to keep my smile on my lips. Don’t crack… “I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. Have a goodnight, S-”

“Please,” Sunset whispers, bringing me closer to her by grabbing my shoulder. Her eyes look into my own with a glassy appearance. If I say the wrong words, it looks like she could cry at any moment. “Please don’t act like we’re still distant. Please let me know everything is alright. Please…” Her fingers trace along my cheek, gently holding my face with a begging look in her eyes. Despite how she is normally so confident in public, she’s finally showing me her more vulnerable side. “Stay with me, Alligator,” she whispers in an almost frightened tone, letting me know where I need to be. She hasn’t called me that name in what feels like an eternity… My heart feels like it is on fire just from hearing her say it. It’s not like a scorching pain, just a warmth that has been absent for too long.

“Don’t you want some time for yourself?” I ask her quietly, touching the hand cupping my cheek. For such an emotional night like tonight, I was expecting for us to take some time away from each other.

“We’ve spent enough time apart… I… I don’t want to spend another night without you.” The pain in her eyes is genuine. Every little thing about the way she holds herself screams to me that she doesn’t want to be alone. Even though it might be a good idea to still take some time to think things out, she is clearly reaching out to me. As she holds my cheek, I can’t help but smile, nodding slowly.

“Alright, Sunny,” I whisper in kind, leaning my head forward. In one movement, our lips lock together. The warm embrace of her soft lips is something I have missed for a while now. I can’t quite believe this is happening. I have her in my arms, kissing her as much as I can. This moment is… heaven. It almost makes me want to laugh. It doesn’t seem real. The way she bites my lip is electrifying…

Reaching behind her, Sunset unlocks the door to her room without breaking our embrace. Instead, she leans further into our kiss while pulling me back. Finally breaking the lip service, Sunset turns on the lights right as I close the door. After her dress hits the floor, she helps me out of my own just as our lips find each other again.

“I’ve missed you,” Sunset utters in-between kisses, holding me as close to her as I can. Before I can say anything, Sunset lifts me off my feet, pressing me against the wall. A spark runs along the course of my back, her lips tenderly touching my neck. A small gasp leaves my mouth due to the surprising touch. It’s been a long time since she’s kissed me so boldly.

“Me too, Sunset. I’ve missed you too…” Forcing her to look at me, I kiss her as passionately as I can, the fire in my heart roaring at this point. “You’re the most important to me, silly pony…” Sunset breaks the kiss to look at me with a humorous smile. Leaning down, she bites down on my neck enough so that it tingles but it doesn’t hurt.

“And you’re MY siren… Don’t forget it~”

Sheets stir ever so slightly. This bed is so warm and comfortable that I’d probably never want to leave. The person I have my arms wrapped around totally has nothing to do with that at all. The opportunity to hold her for a long amount of time is just a bonus. Alright, it’s probably the main reason I feel comfortable, but still. The weights of the world are magically gone here. With her head laying on my chest, I can’t help but sigh in content peace.

Sunset’s leg moves over mine, holding me close with all of her limbs. Chuckling softly, I rub my face against the top of her head. From an outside perspective, it would seem that nothing is being said here, but it’s different from my eyes. Thousands of words are being communicated with this simple yet complex embrace. Words of trust. Words of love. Words of respect. From her breath alone, I can tell she’s awake already, but neither one of us want to get up. With how dark it is from the drawn curtains, it might as well be night time. I can feel my heart beating louder than it has for the last two weeks. It felt like my heart was ripped out when we broke up, but… Now, she’s in my arms again.

A small sigh exits Sunset’s lungs, her chest pressing against my body before pulling her head off of me. With closed eyes, she leans up and kisses my cheek. Without opening her eyes, she raises her eyebrow, seemingly confused. It’s too hard to not chuckle at her cute expression.

“Were you trying to kiss my lips, Sunny?” I ask her in a teasing manner, making her pout slightly.

“Don’t make fun of me. I’m tired, alright?” Sunset responds in a groggy tone before pressing her lips against mine. Both of her hands hold my face in place, making sure our kiss lasts as long as she wants. I wouldn’t pull away in any circumstance~

When she finally breaks the kiss, she pulls herself on top of me. Gently, she presses her forehead against my collarbone, taking a deep breath. The only source of light in the room is the red alarm clock, casting a crimson shade on her. Both of us know we should get up, but… My body feels heavier than a mountain. It’s totally not an excuse to hold her for a few minutes longer.

“Please. Don’t ever leave my bed again,” Sunset whispers, finally looking up and meeting my gaze.

“Do you want to make that a rule?” I ask her with a humorous smirk. Sunset laughs a little at my request, pressing her finger against my nose. “Well, I’d like a rule that you have to kiss me just like the one a few seconds ago every day~”

“Don’t get too greedy, Alligator,” Sunset whispers with a wink, gently kissing my lips with a smile. “However, I don’t think that will be too difficult to manage~” Pushing herself up, Sunset sits on my stomach. The red light bathing her body gives her an almost spiritual look. Her smile disappears as she looks down at me, a melancholy tone behind her eyes. “A rule I’d like?” she whispers to me, her lips left agape as if the words are lost on her. “Promise me you won’t stop loving me…” Even though the request sounds nonsensical, her eyes tell me she’s deadly serious. Usually, I’m the one who is afraid of that outcome, but I can feel the fear in her voice.

“Sunset,” I whisper, touching her cheek as gently as I can. As soon as my finger makes contact with her cheek, a tear spills down her face. However, she isn’t crying. Her eyes never break contact with mine. “I’ve never stopped loving you. You’re too loveable… Even back when we first met, I found you too interesting for your own good.” Looking towards the nightstand, I push my hand into my purse. After a bit of searching, I finally feel it. Sunset looks at me with a confused expression until I pull out the small golden ring from my bag. “I’ve never met any creature worthy of holding my attention before. Any creature other than you… I would never stop loving you. That’s why I… want to spend the rest of my life with you.” The words almost catch in my throat. In a way, it’s almost embarrassing to say these words, but… liberating. Holding the ring out to her, I smile up at her. A bright red blush appears on her cheeks, noticing what I’m doing. “Will you marry me, Sunny?”

Looking at the ring, a few more tears fall down her cheeks. Her smile returns with ten times the force, a slow nod gradually increasing in speed. Gently grabbing the ring from my hand, Sunset slips it onto her ring finger. I’ve missed seeing her wear that.

“Yes,” Sunset whispers with a happy nod. “Yes, I will. I love you, Alligator~” Without waiting a moment, she leans down to hug me as tight as she can. Of course, I return the embrace with as much love as I can.

“I love you too, S-” A loud knocking interrupts me, making both of us jump slightly. Sunset looks towards the door with a shocked expression. Who would be knocking right now? We were having a nice moment…

“Sunset?!” Dash’s voice calls through the door, sounding frantic. Sunset pushes herself off of me, quickly grabbing a towel to cover herself. “We can’t find Adagio! She’s not in her room. Aria said she went to find you last night? Did you see her?” Dash asks in a quick voice, still knocking on the door as if it is some emergency.

Walking towards the door, Sunset says, “Dash, it’s alright. I-”

“You don’t know where she is?! We need to find her!” Sunset grabs the doorknob, prompting me to pull the covers up to my shoulders. “Who knows where she could be-” before she can finish her sentence, Sunset opens the door, making Dash look at the two of us. In a second, her eyes widen as she stares at both of us. She seems almost frozen in place, her eyes looking at this scene as if she walked in on a murder scene.

“Hi, Dash,” I say quietly, waving my hand to her.

“Oooookay then,” Rainbow Dash mentions while looking towards the ground. “Nice to see you two um… Getting along again. If you were fucking, you could have just told me to screw off,” Dash tells us with an embarrassed tone.

“We weren’t having sex,” Sunset tries to reassure her with a nervous tone.

“Well, we did have sex last night, but then we went to bed and woke up. So…” Sunset turns her gaze to me with bright red cheeks and a nervous look. Dash looks up from the floor with her mouth agape, but she almost seems justified for coming to a similar conclusion. Shrugging to Sunset, I can’t help but chuckle slightly. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

Author's Note

Can I confess something? When I originally had Sunset propose to Adagio in That Warm Smile, I truly couldn't decide who I wanted to propose. I tossed and turned in bed for multiple nights back then to try and decide. Well, with this chapter, I didn't have to decide! I could have Adagio propose to Sunset as well~ Granted, it is a while afterward, but still. I hope you all enjoyed this newest chapter! Lord knows some of us have been waiting forever for these two to finally kiss again.

Our Way Home

Chapter XXX: Our Way Home

Applejack strains against a box, trying her best to push it into the under compartment of the RV. The amount of items in the RV is pretty staggering considering just how many people we are transporting. All ten of us… Sonata has offered multiple times to find her own way to Canterlot City by using some sort of public transport, but both Applejack and I refused. It just wouldn’t feel right. I don’t know how to explain it. I finally have everything in my life back to order. I don’t want to be away from them or my other friends.

“Alright, close it, Rainbow!” Applejack exclaims, holding the box as far in as possible. Rainbow Dash nods before pulling her leg up, kicking the door of the compartment. Applejack pulls her hands back at the last second, letting it close with ease. Finally, every box is inside the vehicle.

“I could have rented a moving truck,” Fluttershy states with a cautious tone, making Applejack and Rainbow Dash both glare at her.

“Then why didn’t you offer that sooner?” the two of them ask her at the same time, making Sunset giggle a little. Her hand holds onto mine tightly, reassuring me of her presence. It’s really nice to feel her touch again…

“I did, but you two were too stuck in your own heads to hear me out,” Fluttershy responds with slight annoyance, rolling her eyes. Is that the first time I’ve seen her so blatantly… annoyed? I’m used to Fluttershy being more reserved and kind. I guess she can be more blunt with us, but it’s still surprising.

“You did sort of interrupt her, darling. We’ve talked about your issue of not hearing solutions out until the last minute,” Rarity states with a kind tone to Applejack. The cowgirl simply sighs to herself, accepting the outcome of the situation. With a nod, she takes a few steps away from the vehicle.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now. We’re all packed and ready to go.” Applejack tilts her hat up, a few drops of sweat on her face. She smiles to us, but it is clear she still has something to say. “It’ll only be a few hours til we get back to Canterlot City, so I figured now is as good of a time as any to talk. Amongst ourselves. Our trip is almost done and a few of us may want to… keep some things private between us,” Applejack mentions with a small nod to Sunset and me. “Other than that, if y’all are feeling sad about this trip ending or want to talk about the fun things, we can do that now before we hit the road.”

“Yeah, it’d probably be a good idea to keep Sunset and Adagio’s fallout between all of us,” Rainbow Dash responds with a slight shrug. “Especially since Apple Bloom is a friend of Adagio’s and all. No reason to get her worried over something like this.”

Both Sonata and Aria look over at me with curiosity. Aria looks more annoyed, but Sonata seems genuinely intrigued. I guess I forgot to mention Apple Bloom when I told them about my life. Then again, it is a more confusing aspect of the last few years… Giving them a small nod, I reassure them I will explain it later without saying a word.

“Well, I really liked exploring the places we went,” Twilight mentions with a smile, pulling up her phone to show us the pictures she’s taken. Despite how much drama has been torturing my heart in the last couple of weeks, it has been nice to go to new places. I haven’t left Canterlot City since Appleloosa. New sights have been interesting at the very least.

“Actually, I don’t think we’ve had a group picture yet,” Fluttershy speaks up with a curious tone to her voice, pointing at Twilight’s pictures. “At least, not one where we’re all in it.”

“A group picture?” Aria asks in an annoyed tone, rolling her eyes. “Do we really have to do that? It sounds so… cheesy.” Aria’s gaze turns to Sonata as the blue siren pulls on her arm.

“Come on, Aria. It’ll be fun! A picture with our new friends sounds like a great memory.” Despite Sonata’s attempt to make it sound appealing, Aria seems more annoyed than before.

“I wouldn’t call them my friends yet,” Aria grumbles with crossed arms, clearly pouting.

“A picture sounds really fun!” Pinkie exclaims before turning to the RV, opening the compartment for our luggage. Within a second, a couple bags fall out, making Applejack and Rainbow Dash cringe. For a second, it looks like Applejack is angry, but she takes a deep breath just as Pinkie Pie grabs a pair of sunglasses from her bag. “Now, I’m ready!” Pinkie tells us with a pose, making Sonata laugh.

“How much do you want to bet that Applejack takes Fluttershy’s offer after this?” Sunset whispers to me, chuckling to herself. Kissing her cheek, I decide not to answer her clearly rhetorical question. I smile a little as everyone stands behind me. Taking out my phone, I hold it above me, making sure to get everyone in the shot with the RV acting as our background. Rainbow Dash is giving the camera peace signs. Fluttershy has a peaceful smile, but she is giving Dash bunny ears. Sonata holds both Pinkie and Aria close. Aria simply looks at the camera with a raised eyebrow. Applejack smiles humbly, but Rarity is lying in her arms, bridal style. The fashionista looks like she’s straight out of a magazine photoshoot. Twilight makes a heart with her hands and Sunset… Sunset rests her head on my shoulder.

Chuckling to myself, I smirk at the camera, full of confidence and high on this feeling called happiness. Maybe it is just the lighting, but the colors feel so vibrant. It would almost be annoying if I didn’t have Sunset with me to make the most out of every moment. It’s a blessing to call everyone here a friend of mine. This new support system. This new life. It feels so invigorating. So… powerful.

With a breath, I confidently state, “Say cheese, everyone~”

The door of the RV opens, greeting my nose with the smell of dirt and trees. Taking a deep breath, I step out of the vehicle for the last time, looking around the farm that Applejack calls home. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I notice Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo give me a small wave, prompting me to give her one in return. Huh. I thought Apple Bloom would be here to greet us as well. Especially since her friends are here. Maybe she’s b-

“Heya, Adagio!” a southern voice yells as soon as something hits my side. In a second, my body collides with the Earth. The sheer force of my body hitting the ground actually makes me bounce on the dirt a couple times. However, I can’t say I’m in that much pain. I actually feel… fine. Maybe a small ache, but nothing more. I forgot that my magic made me a lot more resilient. It’s been way too long since I’ve had these abilities.

“Apple Bloom. Get off me,” I say before opening my eyes. It’s all too obvious who it is that tackled me to the ground. The teenager pushes herself off of me, a big smile on her face. She offers her hand to help me get up.

“How was the trip? Did you take a lot of pictures? Did ya find Aria? How is my big sis? Ooh, did you get any souvenirs?” The vast amount of questions make my head spin, but I simply take a deep breath as I get to my feet.

“One question at a time. I may have my magic back, but I can’t answer questions that quickly.” Looking at her, I can notice her eyes dart down to my gem. Her gaze widens considerably, looking like she’s in disbelief.

“Wait. You got your magic back? Like fully?” Apple Bloom reaches out to touch my gem, inspecting it with a curious eye. After a few seconds, our eyes meet again with a skeptical look coming from her. Raising her fist in the air, Apple Bloom thrusts her hand towards me, only for it to stop an inch from my face. Technically, it isn’t just her hand that halts. Everything around me stops. Even the falling leaves.

Chuckling to myself, I shake my head. I should have guessed Apple Bloom would try something so blatant to test my magic. If I was lying about it, I would have been punched by now. Stepping away from Apple Bloom, I giggle a little. Slowly, I exhale the air from my lungs just as everything begins to move again. The force behind Apple Bloom’s fist makes her fall to the ground, a surprised gasp coming from the teenager. After her brief stunt at eating the dirt, Apple Bloom looks up at me with a laugh.

“So, ya weren’t lying,” she states with a thumbs up, getting up from the ground with my help. “Man, I have absolutely no idea what spells you can do now. You’ll have to tell me more about it later. I’ll make sure of it.” Before I can say anything, Apple Bloom turns her attention to the RV. As soon as she notices Applejack stepping out of the vehicle, she runs at full sprint towards her sister. However, tackling her doesn’t do much for the teenager. Apple Bloom’s body pretty much comes to a full stop as her sister doesn’t move an inch from the endeavor. Whether that is because of her magic or her raw strength, I will never understand.

“Oh, hello, Apple Bloom,” Applejack states as if she didn’t notice Apple Bloom’s attempt to knock her over. “I’m glad to see the farm hasn’t burned down.”

“Applejack,” Apple Bloom says in a whine, clearly annoyed by her older sister’s joke. “I ain’t that bad at watching the farm. Granny Smith and Big Mac are just fine as well.” As Applejack returns the hug from her sister, Rarity steps out of the vehicle. Her hand briefly touches Applejack’s shoulder. Opening her arms towards Sweetie Belle, the two of them embrace as well.

“I trust that you didn’t completely destroy my boutique, right?” Rarity asks her younger sister with a skeptical tone. Sweetie Belle rolls her eyes at Rarity’s comment.

“Of course I didn’t. You specifically told me to ‘never, under any circumstance, touch your work.’” Sweetie Belle lets go of Rarity, reaching into her backpack. “I also brought Opal. I thought you’d like to see her.”

“Opal darling!” Rarity exclaims before grabbing the cat, hugging her as if it has been years since she’s seen her pet. The cat is… less than pleased. It’s kind of funny to see the cat’s annoyance at Rarity’s embrace. “Oh hush. Mommy has been gone for weeks and you can’t even give me a proper hello.” Rarity gently pets her cat, trying to not set her off anymore. Twilight and Fluttershy step out of the RV, followed by the cocky athlete of our group.

“Heya, kid! How have you been?” Dash asks Scootaloo excitedly. Scootaloo’s face instantly seems confused by Dash’s demeanor.

“Rainbow Dash? Weren’t you kind of depressed when you left?” the teenager asks, being brought into a hug by Dash.

“That was weeks ago. Try to keep up, yeah?” Without saying another word, Dash pulls out her phone, posing for a selfie with Scootaloo. Something catches my eye, making me look over towards Applejack. The cowgirl is flipping through some papers Apple Bloom gave her, instilling a few questions in my mind. However, it’s their business, so I suppose it isn’t exactly my problem. If it’s not private, I’ll probably learn what they are eventually.

“Ow. Darn it,” Applejack utters while quickly bringing her thumb away from one of the pages. Bringing it to her lips, Applejack licks at her thumb, making Aria look at her with the wildest confusion.

“Did the cowgirl get a little papercut?” Aria asks in a condescending tone, laughing a little to herself. However, as soon as both Rarity and Applejack give her a nasty look, Aria’s expression becomes a little awkward. “Uh… Sorry,” she mentions quietly, moving away from them.

“Papercuts can really hurt, Aria,” Rarity tries to tell Aria with a small wave of her hand before moving her attention to Applejack. “Darling, we talked about this.”

“Talked about getting a papercut? When? And how am I supposed to avoid getting one?” Applejack asks her with a slightly sarcastic tone, watching her thumb with the care of a surgeon. Even from here, I can tell there’s some blood coming from the cut.

“No… We talked about being more honest with yourself,” Rarity gently reminds her with a hand on the shoulder. “It’s not ‘darn’. It is ‘damn’. Say it with me. Damn it.” The way Rarity says that makes me chuckle a little, finding the whole scene a little humorous. Applejack looks at her as if she’s crazy.

“Sugarcube, I am trying to censor myself to be a little more… proper,” Applejack responds while looking at Apple Bloom and her friends. I’d say some of that censoring is probably because of her younger sister. I’ve never held back on my language on account of Apple Bloom, but I guess the fact that they’re a ‘traditional’ family, Applejack doesn’t want to cuss in front of her.

“Darling, the mere fact that you are going out of your way to use such crass language like softcore swearing for a minor cut is already stepping over ‘proper’. To be more honest with yourself, you might as well go big or go home.” The way Rarity suggests this sounds… really reasonable. Never before did I think I would hear a rational argument for swearing from Rarity of all people, but every day brings some new lessons. Well… Not every day. Especially when you have lived as long as I have. There are bound to be some boring days in a few thousand years.

“Yeah, go off, Applejack,” Aria snickers, probably finding the idea of Applejack cursing like a sailor as funny as I do. Just as Aria says this, Sunset and Sonata leave the RV. Sonata looks pretty confused, but Sunset smirks as if she’s been listening from inside the vehicle the whole time.

“How about no?” Applejack asks with a shake of her head. Apple Bloom kind of pouts at this response. Was she also looking forward to seeing her sister swear? “I’m gonna check on Granny Smith. I’ll be back to drive y’all home,” she says, referring to the majority of us. However, Rarity and Fluttershy have their cars here already since they left them here before we left.

“I think I’ll probably just leave. I need to open my animal daycare tomorrow. After I get some sleep of course,” Fluttershy mentions with a small smile, opening the bottom compartment of the RV for her luggage.

“I have to check up on my mom. And study a bit. God knows I wanna just hit the hay,” Dash mentions with a yawn, despite the fact that she slept a lot of the trip back.

“I could drive you,” Fluttershy offers, but Dash quickly shakes her head.

“No need, Shy. I only have one bag and I’m faster anyway. Thanks for the offer though.” Picking her bag from out of the RV, Dash gives all of us a small wave. “See ya! I’ll text y’all tomorrow.” Without saying another word, Dash becomes a blur, disappearing down the driveway.

“Aw, man. I was hoping she’d run me around town at super speed,” Scootaloo says with a disappointed tone, one that Sweetie Belle responds to by patting her shoulder. Maybe another day, Scootaloo.

Walking over to me, Sunset grabs my hand with a small laugh, making me wonder what she finds funny. Without saying a word, Sunset leans her head on my shoulder, making Aria cringe slightly. Sonata just seems to be happy for us.

“We need to stop by the supermarket before Applejack takes us home,” Sunset mentions quietly, only making me ask myself more questions.

“Why exactly?” I ask her with a little annoyance. I was getting really attached to the idea of going straight to bed when we got home.

“If Aria and Sonata are going to stay with us for a while, we’re going to need a couple of air mattresses for them. Unless you want them to sleep on the basement floor,” Sunset states with another laugh, drawing attention from Aria. Yeah… The bedding situation. Kind of forgot about that issue.

“We’re sleeping in the basement?” Aria asks, almost like she assumes the basement will be cold and dark. It’s actually quite nice down there. For now, we’ve been using the space for storage. There’s a main room down there, a smaller guest room off to the side and a closet area where the air conditioner is.

“The basement is really clean, warm, and pretty spacious. You’ll be fine,” Sunset reassures her, chuckling a little more. The more I think about it, I can’t help but wonder what it will be like to live with Aria and Sonata again. At least for a while until they can get their own places. They can be annoying, but will it be hard to get them more acquainted with my friends? With Sunset? I know this will be worth it, but a small part of me can’t help but feel stressed. In a way, I’ve just given myself the challenge of getting everyone to accept two more sirens.

Looking at Aria and Sonata, I smile to myself. Even if it’s a challenge, it is one I’m willing to accept. At least they’re in my life again~

Flipping the switch, the god awful sound finally stops, giving my ears a break. I swear I can still hear the loud suction sound echoing in my ears. It’s a hallucination of course. I turned it off. At least, I think. Bringing my hand to my ear, I rub slightly, almost feeling pain from how loud this process was. The air mattress we bought has its own vacuum device to inflate itself, but in exchange, it basically makes you deaf in the process.

“Well, that was pleasant,” Aria mentions with a slight shake of her head, rubbing her head just like me. I suppose her ears hurt from the sound as well.

“Huh?” Sonata asks with an oblivious expression on her face. “I didn’t quite catch that.” Bringing her hand to her ear, Sonata prompts Aria to repeat herself, but the latter simply rolls her eyes. Thankfully, this was the second of the mattresses. So, no more loud sounds to deal with. Standing up from my seat on the floor, I sigh a little to myself, grateful to be done with that.

“Okay. So, we can figure some more stuff out later. For now, there are some blankets and sheets in the closet. I’m sure we all need some sleep after our trip,” I state with a small yawn escaping my lips. I won’t admit it, but the awkwardness between us does make me feel a little anxious. However, I fully expect it will stay awkward until we spend more time with each other. “We can all have lunch together tomorrow and talk more then. I hope you both go to sleep easily here, even if it is hard for one of you…” I turn my gaze to Aria, wondering what I should do exactly. Aria’s had insomnia for most of her life, so it almost guarantees that she won’t be able to sleep here.

“What? I have some melatonin,” Aria states with a bored tone as if she is trying to get me to not concern myself over her issue. I just wish there was a more permanent solution to this, but whatever. As long as the melatonin works for her.

“It’s been so long since I’ve slept in someone else’s place,” Sonata mentions with wonder, making Aria sigh a little.

“When have you actually slept in someone else’s place before? You have owned every place you’ve slept in so far except this one. Even the places you shared with Adagio and me.” Aria raises her hand in the air, asking her for an example. In response to Aria’s question, Sonata brings her finger to her chin, seemingly thinking to herself.

“Oh, yeah. You’re right. Does that mean this is my first sleepover?” Sonata asks with a gasp. In some ways, her naivety can be annoying, but in instances like this, it is kind of endearing.

“If you want to think of it that way, then yes. Just try to get some sleep, okay? If you two need something to eat in the middle of the night, feel free to look around the kitchen. Sunset and I won’t mind,” I reassure them with a small nod. Taking one last look at them to make sure they’ll be okay, I turn around and quietly walk towards the stairs up to the first floor. Walking up the steps, I can hear Sonata make some joke and Aria sighs to herself. As long as they behave themselves, I’m sure we will be fine.

Closing the door behind me, I take a deep breath. My heart feels a little heavy with doubt. Those two can be a handful, but… It will be okay. We will figure things out. Later. Right now, this siren just needs a big glass of my favorite whiskey and some rest. This trip has beaten me down and I’m exhausted from it. Chuckling to myself, I walk towards the kitchen, peering into the living room. I notice Sunset sitting on the couch, facing away from me as she surfs Equestria+ for something to watch. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that she has enough energy to watch a show or a movie.

“Can you get me a glass as well?” Sunset asks me casually. The way she knows me so well is almost frightening sometimes.

“Lazy, aren’t you, Shimmer?” I ask with a teasing tone, but my eyes are locked onto the back of her head. Her hair, while messy, is really pretty in moments like these. Although, I am tired, so these moments are kind of biased to begin with. Reaching into the cabinet, I pull out two glasses, almost tasting the whiskey now. Grabbing the bottle from next to the fridge, I gently pour it into the glasses, taking a moment to smell the drink.

“I mean, we have had a really emotional couple of weeks,” Sunset says candidly, scrolling the streaming service a little more. Sitting down next to her, I give her one of the glasses. I can’t help but feel my tension leave my body, finally being able to rest in my own home again. After taking a sip, Sunset rests her head against my shoulder.

“Are you sure you want to watch something?” I ask her quietly, feeling my eyelids get heavy, my body resisting any idea of moving. Sunset simply nods her head, leaning into me. Drinking my whiskey, I watch the screen as Sunset picks a movie we’ve both seen a couple times by now. It has been a while since we’ve had a movie night, so I guess it can’t hurt.

Reaching over, I turn out the last lamp, leaving the only light in the room coming from the TV. Sunset takes a deep breath as the film begins, turning the volume down pretty low. I still somewhat can’t believe this is happening, but… It is just nice to have her back.

“I love you so much, Adagio,” Sunset whispers, bringing her hand to mine. I think both of us can tell we’re going to have a stressful month ahead of us, but we’ll be able to get through it. Especially with her by my side. My wife to be.

“I love you too, Sunset~”

A Mess or Two

Chapter XXXI: A Mess or Two

My eyelids feel as heavy as a truck right now. I feel pretty warm, all things considered. I don’t remember when I fell asleep. The last thing I remember was watching the movie and… nothing. Opening my eyes, I can’t help but feel stiff on the couch. The TV is still on, playing some movie I’ve never heard of before with the volume at 2. Looking down, I can’t help but smile. Just like last night, Sunset is laying on top of me, her breathing perfectly in sync with mine. Even though I just woke up, it would be a shame to move around now. She needs her sleep.

Leaning down, I kiss the top of her head, feeling a sense of pride in myself that she feels this safe around me. What can I say? I’m a territorial siren. After all this time, this fiery-haired heroine is mine. Funny how she defeated me at the Battle of the Bands, but I got her to fall in love with me. So, who is the real winner here?

“You’re finally awake,” Sunset whispers after my kiss, making me jump slightly. I did not expect her to say anything.

“You were pretending to sleep?” I ask her with a chuckle, shaking my head slightly.

“I wasn’t trying to. I was just resting my eyes until you woke up,” Sunset replies with a clear voice, confirming that she has been awake for a while.

“If you have been awake, then why didn’t you turn off the TV?” In most cases, someone would notice that it has been on all night and decide to turn it off, so I just feel confused now.

“It helped entertain me,” Sunset responds with a small shrug as if there’s nothing more to say about it. The truth is that I just feel confused, but Sunset doesn’t wait to answer my questions. Instead, she pushes herself off of me with a gentle kiss, chuckling to herself. “I have one question before we officially start our day,” she mentions with a more serious tone, looking down at me. “Are you sure about this?”

“Sure about what?” I ask her quietly with a raised eyebrow. “Sunny, I’m sure about a ton of things. Like how beautiful I am, how annoying you can be.” Giving her a small wink, I stand up beside her, wrapping my arms around her. “And I am especially sure that despite it all, you’re the only person I love above all else~”

“I was going to ask if you’re sure you want to get married instead of delaying it due to our recent… troubles. A simple yes would have sufficed.” Sunset returns my embrace with a smile. “It’s only a month away after all.” Huh. Is it that soon? It feels like it’s an eternity away. I guess we should start getting to work on it.

“I’m sure. We already sent the invitations out a while ago. Unless you want to delay it, I would rather get it done to confirm you’re my pony,” I whisper with a teasing growl, making Sunset push me off her.

“You’re so weird, you know that?” With a laugh, Sunset pokes my nose, shaking her head the whole time. “But yeah. I guess you’re right. You’ll have to take Sonata and Aria to get a couple of dresses or such for the wedding. We can probably ask Rarity to do it if she isn’t too swamped.” Stretching my arms, I sigh quietly, wondering if Rarity would even be open to visitors the day after we came back home. I can definitely imagine she would be scheduling her whole day for sleep.

“Why don’t you come with us? It’d be a great opportunity to get you to bond with them,” I state with a curious look. God knows that there’s still some tension between her and Aria. Sonata doesn’t know Sunny very well yet either, so it would benefit all three of them.

In a way, it’s still surprising to have those two dopes back in my life. I don’t regret it though.

“I would love to, but I have to get some preparations done for the catering with Applejack. And you’re not allowed to ask her what is being prepared for the wedding,” she lectures me as if this is some big rule that I am not supposed to break. What is this surprise she’s forming?

“Alright. I guess I’ll let you have that. In that case, you can’t see what I’m wearing until the wedding,” I tell her while sticking my tongue out, walking towards the staircase. A slight yawn escapes my lips, my body telling me how tired I already feel. “I’m going to take a shower before I wake up Aria and Sonata. Care to join me~?” Sunset freezes in place upon hearing my offer before laughing as if I told a nonsensical joke. Narrowing my gaze, I cross my arms with a frown.

“Yeah, about that. The two of them left to get something to eat an hour ago. So… You’ll have to find them.”

…

Great.

“Ow,” Aria mentions with a slight roll of her eyes, her arms crossed in front of her. The back of the boutique is not exactly an area I go to a lot of the time. However, I must compliment Rarity’s sense of interior design. It really does feel fit for royalty. Standing on two even circles, Sonata and Aria make sure to stay very still. However, Sonata’s eyes are still looking around the area as much as she can, taking in every detail. Rarity, on the other hand, is sitting in the middle of the two circles, stitching some reference fabric around both of their waists.

“You really must hold still, Aria. I am not trying to poke you,” Rarity mentions with a cautious tone, trying to warn her that it could happen again. Rarity’s hair is an absolute mess and all she has on is a bathrobe and some slippers. I didn’t really expect much more considering she just got out of bed. The red glasses on her face compliment her eyes a bit, but it makes me wonder why she only wears them when working on her dresses. If it was for reading, I would suspect her to wear them while reading a menu at a restaurant, but she doesn’t.

“Your business is really pretty. I didn’t go for the royal approach with my restaurants. I tried to design my business around the sea, but I still appreciate the decor,” Sonata mentions with an affirmative nod, staring at the pink curtains that hang around the mirrors.

“Thank you, darling. I have always been inspired by a certain… romance. An era of love that seems to be more infrequent these days.” Taking a breath, Rarity carefully removes a piece of cloth from Sonata’s thigh, seemingly happy with it. I can’t pretend to know what she is doing, but I can trust she knows. How exactly can she multitask on two people at the same time? “The only problem I have is getting my lamps to work correctly. Even if I replace them, they don’t seem to work.”

“Have you tried looking at the outlets themselves?” Aria asks with a quiet curiosity, making Rarity look up at her.

“I… What?” Rarity asks in confusion, not quite getting what Aria means.

“The outlets could have a low electrical output. Or you have too many things plugged in at one outlet.” Looking down towards Rarity, Aria’s eyes widen for a moment before quickly looking up, an angry expression on her face.

“I haven’t checked that. Thank you for the suggestion,” Rarity mentions with a small smile, but she seems to notice Aria’s deliberate attempt to look away from her. “Is everything quite alright with you, dear? Do I really look that bad?”

“No, she’s just scared of heights,” Sonata states with a happy tone, making Aria glare at her with the hate of a god. The circle she’s standing on is only a little more than half a meter tall. How could she be scared of that? Isn’t that kind of ridiculou-

No. It’s easy to judge others, but Aria has valid reasons for her fears. Even I have some fears that would probably seem trivial to others. I can’t exactly think of any off the top of my head, but I’m sure they are there. Unless I am just that awesome. Oh, great. Rainbow Dash is rubbing off on me here. It’s one thing to be confident with an ego, but it’s another to declare myself as awesome.

“Why do you wear those glasses, Rarity?” I ask her suddenly to take the conversation off of Aria’s fear. And maybe to distract myself from my thoughts… “I assume they aren’t reading glasses. You never wear them except for when you are designing things like dresses.”

Rarity takes a deep breath before turning herself towards me, pulling her glasses off of her face. Looking at me, it seems like Rarity is trying to think of the right words to say in this specific instance. Was my question that dumb? I figured it was perfectly reasonable.

“Adagio darling. When I am designing ‘things’, I am crafting the clothes that will make each individual feel more confident about themselves. That takes time. I have to look at a lot of numbers and stitches to make sure everything is perfect.” Holding up her glasses so that I can see them better, Rarity carefully removes one of the lens pieces, handing it to me. Looking through it, everything seems blurry. “These glasses help to avoid my eye strain,” Rarity mentions with a confident tone, holding up the measuring tape. Just like a magnifying glass, I can see the numbers of the tape as clearly as the day. When things get close, they get super clear without much effort on my part to focus. Interesting.

“That is… unique. So, you use it to decrease whatever strain you might feel after hours of working on the same project,” I utter with a small amount of intrigue. Honestly, these might be useful for looking at sheet music at the studio…

“Precisely. Less work for my eyes and it lets me think about the project without getting distracted.” Carefully, Rarity places the lens back into her glasses, cleaning it with a special cloth before looking back at Aria. “Now you’re both lucky that I got a cancellation on an order. I should be able to get your attires done for the wedding, but I will need some details about what you want.” Rolling her seat over to a nearby desk, Rarity grabs a notebook and a pen. The way she holds it makes her look like she’s ready to write some notes, but I can tell she’s about to make a few sketches.

“Black,” Aria mentions with a slightly annoyed grumble.

“Just… black?” Rarity asks with a confused expression, making a note of the color. “You don’t have any other requests? What about design ideas?”

“I don’t know. You could incorporate spiders into it somewhere. That’d be cool,” Aria states with a small snicker, the thought making her laugh. Rarity, on the other hand, seems a little distressed by the idea.

“Alright. I guess I will have to softball the idea with you a little more at another time. What about you, Sonata? Any ideas?” Rarity asks, an almost pleading look on her face to give her something to work with.

“Ooh, ideas? I don’t know where to start!” Sonata exclaims with a wondrous look in her eyes. Something tells me she won’t have a problem giving Rarity a vivid idea of what to make…

“Now imagine if you got fucked by a cactus,” Rainbow Dash starts off with her hands in the air as if she has a point. Over half of her body is covered in pink, yellow, and green paint, but her sentence is what confuses the hell out of me. “That would hurt, right? Now multiply that pain by ten and well… That’s how painful this is.” You know, I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about. She called me over here for some ‘emergency’, but all I see here is a bunch of paint on her. I still don’t know why I’m here, standing on her porch for god knows what. I know she was working on the banner for the wedding, but I have no idea why she brought up this analogy. “You ready to go in?”

“Dash, I don’t think I’m ever ready to ‘be fucked by ten cactuses,’” I paraphrase with air quotes, making Rainbow Dash laugh a little. “But fine. Surely this emergency can’t be that bad.” Dash snickers at my words before opening her front door, giving me a look of the interior of the house.

Okay. I admit. This is bad…

The hardwood floor is completely covered in various colors of paint with a splash of red sprayed out onto the living room’s white wall. The red would make this area look like a crime scene without the other colors. Sitting in the middle of the living room, Fluttershy is no longer the same yellow she usually is. Her whole body is painted, unlike Dash. Fluttershy just looks defeated, gently tapping a paint brush against the ground.

“Oh my god. Your parents are going to be pissed,” I tell Dash with a quiet tone, still surprised that the two of them could spill this much paint.

“Hence why I called you over here. This is an emergency,” Dash tells me with an urgent tone in her voice. I don’t know how she expects that I would be able to help with this. The two of them spilled what looks like gallons of paint across the living room. Why did they need that much paint anyway?

Taking a deep breath, I slip off my boots and socks, rolling my jeans up close to my knees. I gently take off my leather jacket, praying that I don’t get any of this on my clothes. Rainbow Dash’s expression brightens, seemingly taking this as a sign that I will help. Walking inside, I take a closer look around the room, almost feeling an urge to kill Dash for this. Looking down at the floor, I can’t help but sigh, knowing there’s no way further inside without stepping in it. The multicolored ooze is spread across the room like some slime. I try to take my mind off it as I step forward, but that’s a little difficult.

“Okay. This is going to be a pain,” I state quietly. Dash follows me, stepping into the paint with her shoes that are already ruined. I’m just glad I kept my boots outside… Those aren’t exactly cheap. Besides, Sunset bought them for me. “Come on, Fluttershy,” I tell her before offering her a hand up. “Time to get up. We have a mess to clean.” Looking up at me, Fluttershy takes my hand and grabs onto my forearm to get up from the paint. Now, my arm looks like it is covered in a rainbow.

“Thank you for coming out here,” Fluttershy gratefully tells me with a bow of her head. I mean, I would have avoided it if I knew what was waiting for me, but helping is what friends do. Still… Doesn’t make me wish I was home in my bed.

“It’s fine,” I respond with a slight groan, rubbing my forehead. The wet feeling from my hand instantly reminds me why I need to be careful where I touch. I swear if I get a call from anyone else who needs help cleaning something like this up, I will pretend to be dead…

Looking down at my gem, an idea comes to my mind. A small hum reverberates in my throat. That familiar spark of magic trickles down to my fingertips, causing a green aura to surround my hands.

“Ooh, what are you going to do?” Dash asks me, looking at the magic swirling in my hands. Huh. She can see it now. When I was getting my magic back, they couldn’t detect it at all. Maybe it was due to Umbra…

“One of the biggest favors of your life,” I tell her with an annoyed tone, bringing my hands together. Within a second, all the excess paint on the floor floats into the air, combining into one large ball. There is still quite a bit of paint staining the floors and walls, but getting rid of this should help get this done a lot faster. Humming another small tune, the ball of paint disappears from the room, leaving only the minimum amount that we have to clean up.

“I… What was that?” Dash asks in a tone of disbelief, walking to the middle of the room to see if I made the ball invisible. If I did that, we would still have to deal with it eventually.

“I teleported it away,” I explain before walking towards the kitchen, prepared to get some cleaning supplies.

“Oh? Where did you make it go?” Fluttershy asks me. If only she knew I am as unaware as she is. I didn’t really decide anywhere for it to go, so it probably just appeared somewhere random.

“Jupiter. I made it go to Jupiter,” I lie, wondering where exactly the paint went. I guess it doesn’t really matter. It’s not our problem anymore. “We should get a move on before your parents get home,” I tell them in a loud voice, trying to make sure they can hear me from the kitchen. I just hope everything can be cleaned.

“Yeah, they should be home in an hour,” Dash responds with a nervous tone, acknowledging my need to hurry. An hour… Just one hour…

I swear I will kill Rainbow Dash one of these days.

At this point, I can’t help but wonder if life is a joke after all. Sure, the true meaning of life is happiness as Sunset taught me a long time ago, but this? This is too coincidental. I can almost swear that things like this bring back the migraines. Actually… When was the last time I had one? Does that really matter right now? Not really. What does matter is the blatant sea of confetti and glitter in front of me…

I just dropped by Sugarcube Corner to check on Pinkie. I didn’t really expect her to start working on the wedding decorations yet, but apparently she has. Amidst the chaos of glitter and confetti, there are tons of other supplies like tape, streamers, and some nicely folded paper swans.

“Adagio? Adagiooooo? Hello? Earth to siren?” Pinkie Pie says in order to get my attention, breaking me from my thoughts. Sonata stands right beside Pinkie with an assortment of glitter in her hair. All the way in the back of the bakery, Aria sits on a table, trying to keep away from the glitter. So, instead of going home, the two of them visited Pinkie. Am I about to be dragged into this mess as well? “What do you think so far?” Pinkie asks me excitedly, handing me a small paper swan with golden glitter on it. “I also made sirens with help from these two. I hope they’re accurate!” Again, Pinkie hands me a paper sculpture, but shaped after our Equestrian bodies this time. It is very impressive, honestly.

“They look great, Pinkie,” I tell her with a small nod, wondering how much time it took to make these. Before I can say anything else, Pinkie runs around the place, handing me more decorations she wants me to look at. Honestly, I’m surprised she closed the whole bakery to work on these. This is probably a little overboard. I don’t think we will need this much stuff at the wedding. However, I should have expected Pinkie to go overboard, so this is my fault if anything.

“Except for spilling the glitter, it was a lot of fun to help make these,” Sonata explains with a smile, proud of her contribution to the decorations. Setting them down on a nearby table, I can’t help but wonder what we will be doing with half of these by the time we’re done with the wedding. “But now that we’re done, we should probably clean up.”

“Oh, yeah! Cleaning this up is going to be tough though,” Pinkie ponders before her eyes turn to look at me. In a second, I can tell what she is thinking… No… Nope. Nuh uh. The second you agree to clean this up, your whole afternoon will be booked, Adagio. Refuse. “Do you want to help us out?” Pinkie asks me excitedly as she picks up a couple tubes of paint that she used on the decorations.

“I would love to help out, but… Sunset needs my help with something,” I tell her with full eye contact, hoping she doesn’t see through my lie. Before I can say anything else to make my escape, a couple thuds can be heard, making me turn my eyes to Sonata. Tubes of paint now lay on the floor, but the way Sonata is reacting makes me concerned. Her hand seems to swell in a second and I can see the color drain from her face. Oh no…

“I… I will be-” Before Sonata can finish her statement, she gags as she almost vomits on the spot, prompting her to run to the bathroom.

“Sonata? Are you okay?” Pinkie worriedly calls after her, but I simply reach into my bag, grabbing a bottle of anti-allergen pills. I knew this might come in handy.

“Oh, great. Did you use the wrong type of paint?” Aria asks from across the room, finally getting off the table. Sighing to herself, Aria prompts me to follow her. “I’ll hold her hair out of the way. You can wash her hand,” Aria tells me nonchalantly, only seeming to confuse Pinkie even more.

“Pinkie, for future reference, Sonata is allergic to some types of paint. It isn’t your fault, but we should probably look at the components of the paint you buy,” I tell her quietly, patting her shoulder. I was just about to escape, but now I will be stuck here, cleaning up another mess entirely. Knowing Sonata’s typical reactions to her allergy, it will be a while before she is feeling better. “Start cleaning up the glitter and confetti. I’ll try to make sure Sonata is back in shape soon.” Quickly walking away from Pinkie, my feet kick up some of the debris. I would usually try to keep glitter away from my boots, but I have to help relieve Sonata from these bad symptoms.

Opening the bathroom door, I can instantly hear the sounds of vomiting. I try my best to not feel grossed out by the sounds, knowing that Sonata feels a lot worse than I do. Closing the door behind me, I notice Aria standing behind Sonata as the latter is hunched over the toilet bowl. Aria holds the blue hair out of the way, nodding to me.

“Hey, Sonata,” I say in a reassuring tone, grabbing a couple of paper towels. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll get you back to normal.” From here, I can see that her hand is already covered in hives. There’s not much I can do about that other than help to clean the area.

“Yo, Dagi. There’s some lotion in my bag,” Aria tells me while nodding to her side. The lotion should help with the hives. Once she’s stopped vomiting, the pill should help moderate her symptoms.

“I’m sorry,” Sonata is barely able to choke out before leaning her head over the toilet bowl again. She’s always hated how bad her allergy affects her, but what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t help? Taking the lotion from Aria’s bag, I gently rub some of it onto Sonata’s hand after washing the area with damp paper towels.

“Don’t worry about it, Sonata,” I tell her quietly, treating her hand. I was not expecting to clean up an allergy mess, but here I am. It will probably be best for Sonata to go home after this. A good nap should help… “We’re here to help. You’ll be fine.”

A Little Favor

Chapter XXXII: A Little Favor

“And that’s what happened!” Apple Bloom explains as we look at a multicolored apple tree. Swirls of blue, red, yellow, green, and other colors are strewn across the tree’s branches and leaves at random. The surrounding grass is also painted as if someone started flinging paint cans around. In a way, it almost looks like an exotic art piece. I’d be impressed if it wasn’t a real tree and instead a structure someone made.

“Uh huh. So, a giant ball of paint appeared above the tree and fell on it?” I ask her in a doubtful tone, acting like the story is obviously a lie. However, I know exactly how the paint ended up here.

“Yep. It looks pretty though. My big sis says it won’t hurt the tree, but she doesn’t believe me about the ball of paint. She says I must have been tired and it was probably vandalism.” Apple Bloom looks a little ticked that her sister wouldn’t believe her. I have to force myself to not chuckle at the idea, considering the fact that Apple Bloom wasn’t hallucinating. There was literally a giant ball of paint, but how is she supposed to prove that without a picture? I’m not going to openly admit that it was my magic that caused this.

“You probably were tired,” I tell her with a slight shrug of my shoulders. “That doesn’t explain why I’m here though.” Turning my body towards her, I cross my arms with a raised eyebrow. She always has some reason for calling me, even if it is something childish or a minor problem.

“Is there really a problem with me wanting to show ya something?” she asks me in an accusing tone, but her expression turns to boredom when she sees I’m not taking that excuse. “Fine. I was wondering if I could get your help with something. I know you’re a busy woman right now, but I could use your advice.”

“And will my ‘advice’ require running around town at the speed of light?” I ask her with a smirk, knowing she will want more than some encouraging words.

“Adagio, I’m eighteen. I don’t need to drag you around everywhere anymore. I’m confident that I can handle everything by myself. Some advice would still be appreciated though.” Huh. I’m actually surprised. It’s hard to believe she won’t slingshot me around the city just to solve one of her problems. “It’s about Diamond Tiara. She and I haven’t really talked in a while because… Well, let’s just say we had an argument where we were both pigheaded and all.” Apple Bloom stops for a moment, but I know there’s something more to the story here. “I’d like to make it up to her. So… I was wondering if I could bring her to your wedding and all.”

Ah. There it is. The weirdly specific request that she always brings up eventually.

“So, you’re wanting to use my wedding as a peace offering with your friend,” I say with a raised eyebrow, unsure if I should be offended or appreciate her urge to make things right with Tiara. It’s my damn wedding. The whole purpose of the day is supposed to be around Sunset and my own happiness. But… I guess she isn’t taking the spotlight. She just wants to bring her friend.

“If it’s alright of course,” Apple Bloom responds with a nervous tone, clearly picking up on my apprehension about the request.

“It’s fine. You can bring her. I’m glad you asked first.” I can’t imagine how weird I would feel if everyone brought people I didn’t know to my wedding. Sunset and I made a very specific list of guests so we could be the most comfortable. It is a lot better that Apple Bloom decided to ask me before springing it on me on the day of the most important event of my life.

Funny. Marriage isn't really something I considered important before. Even other sirens didn’t see it as a thing you should put a lot of emphasis on, but I especially hated the concept. The mere idea of tying myself down to another creature was insulting to my own legacy. Now, here I am, preparing for a marriage that I can’t possibly describe how excited it makes me. I guess it all depended on finding the right creature. A unicorn in this case.

“Thanks, Adagio! Is there any specific dress code that I need to warn her about? Formal is a given, but any specific color palette?” she asks me with a curious tone to her voice. Funnily enough, Sunset and I haven’t exactly talked about that. I just assumed we’d have dresses of whatever color we want. Sunset certainly doesn’t want to go with the tradition of wearing white and making everyone else wear black. She said it would make her feel egotistical, but… I wouldn’t mind it if I stood out from the rest of the crowd~

She’ll always be the one person worth looking at though. Sunset is my everything at this point. I’m incredibly fortunate that she thinks the same of me.

“I haven’t discussed that with Sunset yet. I will get back to you on that. However, is Diamond Tiara in any shape to attend a wedding? Isn’t she still ill?” I try my best to frame my question with caution, not trying to make it sound like Apple Bloom’s friend will be an inconvenience.

“She will be okay. She’ll probably just have to wear a mask. If something does happen, I have emergency services on quick dial as well as her doctor,” Apple Bloom explains with a smile, making it almost seem normal to worry your friend will have a medical emergency. The length she is going to help Tiara is impressive, but I can’t help but feel a little bad for her. If I kept living in constant worry that Sonata or Aria would have a problem like that, I don’t know how long I’d live before having a heart attack. What if it was Sunset…?

“That’s good to know. Then there really shouldn’t be a problem.” Looking at the rainbow tree again, I take a deep breath of the fresh air. All I really want is for this wedding to go off without a hitch. Sunset and I don’t exactly have extended family flying in for the special occasion. I don’t have any family and the family Sunset has isn’t close with her at all. If I remember correctly, that’s why it was so easy for her to go study under Princess Celestia’s wing. The only people that I want to be at this wedding are our friends. “I actually have a request for you as well,” I say quietly, returning my gaze to Apple Bloom.

“Hmm? What is it?” she asks me with a curious stare. It is almost comical that we’re standing here, asking each other for favors instead of doing it on a call. It’s nice to talk with her though.

“I was wondering if you wanted to be one of my bridesmaids. Sunset and I are going to have three people as our bridesmaids. I already asked Sonata and Aria, so…” I offer my hand towards the teenager nonchalantly. Giving her a small smirk, I can’t help but chuckle slightly. “I was thinking that one of my first friends after my defeat should be the final member of my party.”

The way Apple Bloom’s eyes widen in the next two and a half seconds should be alarming. Her mouth opens to gasp at my statement. Before I can do anything, her arms grab me in a bear hug that is tighter than the hand of death. I swear I can feel my nerves turn into TV static from this embrace. After a few seconds that felt like years, she finally lets me go, giving me permission to breathe again.

“I’d be fucking honored!” she exclaims with pride in her voice, offering her hand in a handshake. I can tell she’s desperately thinking of something else to say, but her mouth can’t quite keep up.

“Hey, doesn’t your family look down on cussing?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, taking her hand with a chuckle.

“Adagio. If there is any time to hit a ‘rebellious phase’, it would be now. I’m almost an adult. Besides, I really don’t know what else to say! I mean, it’s a great honor and I’m sure I’ll be the best bridesmaid I can be.” Apple Bloom shakes my hand, sealing the deal. “Is there any dress I should-”

“We’ll talk about that later,” I interrupt her with a smile, chuckling a little at all her questions. It’s better to be prepared, so I’m glad she’s trying to do everything right for my marriage. “I should probably get back home. Thanks for calling me over. I’m glad we can help each other with this.”

“Before you go, do you think you could help me make the invitation for Diamond?” she asks me with a nervous smile. Make the invitation…? It really isn’t that much work. It would take like five minutes. I do have a couple hours free though… Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom grabs my arm before I can say anything. “Thanks!” she exclaims, taking my exaggerated breath as a confirmation.

Oh no…

In a second, Apple Bloom dashes off, dragging me behind her. Trees fly past, but it isn’t nearly as difficult this time around. Usually, I’m barely able to keep up pace with her, but I am easily staying by her side this time. It’s not that exhausting this time. My magic is making it way easier to run at this speed. Apple Bloom’s eyes look towards me with surprise, clearly wondering how I’m keeping up.

“You want to go for a run? Then let’s run,” I tell her with a wink, grabbing her arm and dashing ahead of her. Oh, how the tables have turned…

“Come on. I ain’t that heavy. You can totally lift me,” Apple Bloom tells me with a slight pout, pointing up at a tube of paint that is just out of reach. Ever since we got here, Apple Bloom has had very specific items she wanted to buy. I’m guessing she is trying to make the invitation as personal to Diamond Tiara as possible. However, I have no idea why we need to get this shade of paint. It is a pink that is only slightly different from one that we can reach.

“Apple Bloom, we are the same height. Lifting you on my shoulders would be overkill. Not to mention it would kill my back,” I tell her while rolling my eyes. Maybe my back wouldn’t hurt due to the magic flowing through my veins, but I’d rather not take that chance. Back pain can be a bitch… Raising my eyebrow, I try to act like I am puzzled as to how we can get the paint. Of course, I could use my magic to levitate it down, but I have no idea if cameras are aimed this way. I wouldn’t want to show off my abilities to every employee of this place. That would be begging for someone to ask some questions…

“Fine. We’ll just have to think of another way,” Apple Bloom states with a pout, staring at the tube with the hate of ten chihuahuas. Suddenly, her eyes widen like an idea just popped into her mind. Without warning, she motions for me to follow her, making me chuckle. Usually, she would just drag me around, but the choice to follow is a welcome one. In only a few seconds, Apple Bloom leads me to the tools section of the supermarket. She grabs a ten foot ladder with a frown as she tries to keep it from touching the ground. “Grab the other end,” she tells me, aiming the ladder towards me.

“What? Is it heavy?” I tease her with a smirk, eliciting a narrow gaze from her.

“Nah. I would just appreciate some help to balance this piece of-” Apple Bloom stops herself mid sentence, walking forward without my help. A frown dawns on her face, but it quickly disappears when she feels the ladder get lighter. Rolling my eyes, I hum a small tune, lifting the ladder without anyone seeing it. I’m doing my part and it makes Apple Bloom’s job easier. All without lifting a finger.

Apple Bloom leads me back to the aisle we just left, propping the ladder against the shelves. This is clearly overkill, but I kind of want to see how this turns out. Apple Bloom climbs the ladder that is way bigger than we needed, grabbing the tube of paint.

“Got it!” she exclaims with a sense of pride, acting like it was some big problem to bring a ladder over here. Sliding down the ladder, Apple Bloom’s look of happiness fades when she looks up, making me peer over my shoulder. Standing behind me, an employee looks at us with a confused stare.

“Hey, you know you can’t leave that there, right?” they ask us while pointing at the ladder. Apple Bloom nervously chuckles before nodding, pulling the ladder off of the shelves. Although, the employee still looks skeptical, tilting their head. “Actually, are you the people who left a wagon tied to one of our posts outside?” Upon hearing the question, Apple Bloom’s head perks up, clearly confused. The wagon with all of her supplies to make the “perfect” invitation for Diamond Tiara. I still don’t know why she drags that thing around at seventeen, but I guess it can help moving stuff.

“Yeah. What about my wagon?” Apple Bloom asks with a suspicious tone, clearly worried that something has happened.

“You can’t leave something like that tied to our posts. A cop is outside, trying to find the owners-” before the employee can finish their statement, Apple Bloom drops the ladder with a thud.

“Aw, horse apples! The feds!” she exclaims before running away from us, presumably towards the exit of the building. All while she is still holding the tube of paint…

“Hey, you have to pay for that!” The employee yells after her, making me sigh to myself. It is times like these that I can feel a migraine coming on. Rubbing my forehead, I walk in the direction Apple Bloom ran. Seriously, why can’t things ever be normal with her? This is going to take a while…

Opening the door of Taco Pony, I can’t help but wonder why I am here. This restaurant has been on death’s door for the last year. No one comes here anymore, yet here I am. Standing over by the soda dispenser, Sonata and Aria stand there while looking at the menu. Sonata has her hands clasped together, a dreamy look on her face. Something about this makes me think she is like this for something more than just the tacos. After all, Sonata was the one who called me here…

Walking across the weirdly sticky tiles, the wet floor sign makes me wonder how long it has been up. The floor seems perfectly dry by now. I remember the couple times I came here with Sunset a few years ago, but now? Well, the food here has gone down hill dramatically. I didn’t expect I would come here again, but Sonata wanted me to be here. For some reason…

“Hi, Dagi,” Sonata mentions with a smile, giving me a slight wave even though I am right next to them. Aria simply nods at me as she takes a sip of a drink with the logo of the restaurant on it. Aria almost seems to cringe at the taste of the beverage.

“Why are we here, Sonata?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow. “I know this place sells tacos, but I am sure you could make better at home, even with the mediocre ingredients we have right now.”

“It’s not about the food,” Sonata beams with a bright smile, her hands clasped together tightly. Her eyes make it seem like she has a brilliant idea brewing in her mind. “Look at this place. It’s going into the dumpster,” Sonata tells me with an excited giggle, making me wonder if she is psychopathic for enjoying the failure of an establishment. Aria, however, gives me a small nod of understanding, telling me nonverbally to wait for the explanation. “I don’t wanna sound mean, but this is amazing~ The owners of this place are probably going to sell sometime soon,” Sonata tells me with a smile, almost drooling at an idea.

“I mean, yeah. That’s what happens when places are failing,” I respond with a nod. The music studio was failing pretty badly when Fancy Pants sold it to me. I still have yet to make it profitable, but I have some ideas in place that I am sure will make it bigger than ever.

“Think about it. Once they sell, I could scoop this place up and make some very easy renovations to make it a new location for the Seashell Empire! This place is already designed to be a restaurant after all~” Sonata claps her hands, still looking at the menu as if it is her own already. It’s not a horrible idea… Huh. It would be weird that she would open a new location so far away from her base of operations. I mean, all of her restaurants reside in Nevada or the surrounding states.

“It’s an interesting concept,” I respond with a shrug, contemplating the idea.

“Told ya,” Aria teases me even though she didn’t say a single word. Sonata looks at me with the biggest grin, seemingly proud of the idea.

“It would give me something to do since I’ll be living here. I was thinking I could move headquarters here and then establish some new locations in other states as well.” Spoken like a true business woman. Honestly, I sometimes forget that Sonata has a whole chain that she has built and maintained to this point.

“If you think you have the money for it, then I say go for it,” I try to reaffirm her idea. Buying the music studio was a huge step for me and besides the business aspect of it, it does feel good to take a risk and feel it pay off. “Is that the only reason you two called me here?” I ask them cautiously, trying my best to not sound insensitive. Sonata gives me an enthusiastic nod whereas Aria shrugs. Huh. Well, I guess it isn’t the worst reason to be called here. However, while I have them here, I do need to ask them something… “Actually, could I talk with you two before we contemplate this idea any further?”

“Like you need to ask,” Aria states with a roll of her eyes, making me narrow my gaze. The primal urge to throw an insult back at her nags at my mind, but I push the thought back.

“Anyway… I have been thinking about the wedding a lot recently.” My words make Aria chuckle for some reason.

“I mean, that’s obvious. It’s your wedding,” Aria responds with another laugh.

“I think it’s cute. She wants to put a lot of effort into the big day,” Sonata defends me, pouting slightly. I mean, she’s not wrong. I want to look my best, after all. What does it say about me if I can’t make a great wedding? Well, that’s the ego talking, but still. It’d be nice to look my best during the day~ I might as well strut my stuff on my own wedding, right? Then again, Sunny would probably try to keep me in check anyway.

“Me simply being there would be putting a lot of effort into the day. After all, I could sleep in,” I respond with a cocky smile, rolling my eyes with a small chuckle. “Anyway, I was wanting to talk with you two about the bridesmaid stuff. I haven’t decided which of you I want to be my maid of honor because… I can’t.” Taking a deep breath, I try to brace myself. I don’t like openly admitting stuff like this. “You two both mean a lot to me and now that you’re back in my life, I don’t think it would be fair of me to give the title to just one of you. So, I was thinking that maybe you could both be the maid of honor.” Sonata looks at me with an awe in her eyes, seemingly touched by the notion. Aria, however, seems disappointed in a way.

“Well, that’s stupid,” Aria states in a blatant tone, shaking her head. “Give the title to Sonata.” Crossing her arms, Aria is making it clear she doesn’t want the title. Honestly, all I can feel is confusion. Why would she… What? “I want to be the maid of dishonor. Or debauchery,” Aria says with an evil smirk. I can almost see fire in her eyes like she is thinking of ungodly plans. Maid of debauchery. Huh… It’s not terrible…

Feeling a smirk come across my lips, I say, “You know, I like it. That’s a great idea~”

“You both have your mischief faces on,” Sonata mentions with a slight pout, a concerned stare coming from her. Turning my eyes to Aria, both of us can’t help but laugh. Can she really blame us? It sounds like a wonderfully wicked idea…

Author's Note

Short and sweet chapter~ Hope you enjoy!

Time to Rest

Author's Note

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT endorse overdrinking or other unhealthy binge habits or life choices. This chapter does include a lot of alcohol consumption, but please be moderate with your own life and take care of your health.

Time to Rest

Chapter XXXIII: Time to Rest

Unlocking the front door, I shove my keys back into my bag with a small sigh. The door opens to a dark living room, making me realize just how long I’ve been out running errands today. The morning was spent working in the music studio to prepare it for my plans. By noon, I had to go over to make sure Rarity’s designs were coming along as expected. Then I had to see if Pinkie Pie was done with the decorations. About an hour ago, I had to go over to Rainbow Dash’s place to ask her for a favor as well. It wasn’t so much a favor, actually. She is one of the few people without a role in this wedding. She isn’t a bridesmaid, catering the food, or helping with the planning. So I figured I would ask her if she wanted to be the bouncer.

I honestly thought she would not like the role, but Dash was actually ecstatic about it. In her words, being a bouncer is twenty percent cooler than any bridesmaid. We won’t even need a bouncer. I just wanted to give her something to make her feel included. From the way Rainbow Dash automatically started planning for what suit and sunglasses she is going to wear, I would say that worked tremendously.

Dropping my bag to the floor next to the coffee table, I can’t help but sigh. Even with my magic, it is still tiring to be out of the house all day. I’ve been running errands for the past week, trying to make sure everything for this wedding is coming together. It feels like I barely have time here at home from how much work I’m doing and the preparations for my nuptials with Sunset. I wonder what Sunset is doing right now anyway… She’s probably asleep, curled up in bed. I would tease her for being tired, but I am too. She’s cute when she’s tired anyway.

“She’s cute all the time,” I whisper to myself, slipping off my boots. I can’t help but roll my eyes at the thoughts of all the work I’ve done in the past week. If I knew marriage was going to be so much work, I would have just put a ring on her finger and been done with it. The government doesn’t classify you as next of kin unless you’re married legally though. I guess that just gives me an excuse to wear a nice dress and have a little ego trip.

Slipping off my leather jacket, I rest it on the arm of the couch. I try to make a mental note to hang it up later, but whether I will remember that is up to my future self. Yawning, I slowly walk towards the stairs. A part of me thinks about checking up on Sonata and Aria right about now, but they’re probably asleep too. Honestly, I wonder how they like it here… It’s been one week and I haven’t talked with them much about the whole living situation… I guess that’s a conversation that can wait until morning. It doesn’t stop my thoughts though.

Walking up the stairs, I take a deep breath, gently opening the bedroom door. Just like I predicted, I can see Sunset’s frame on her side of the bed. A small smile creeps onto my face, closing the door as quietly as I can. I pull my socks off without making a sound. Sitting on my side, my shorts and tights come off a lot easier than I expected. Then again, my mind is getting progressively tired, so I’m probably having a hard time forming accurate expectations. Another yawn escapes my lips as I slip under the covers, trying to be as quiet as I can. There’s no good in waking her up if she has gotten to sleep already.

Before I can take a breath, Sunset’s body turns towards me, throwing her arm over me. At this point, the blanket is now all messed up with half her body outside of it. Her leg wraps around me as well, making me smile. I guess she isn’t asleep.

“How was work?” a muffled voice asks me, sounding tired. She rests her head on my shoulder, pushing into my neck. Her breath tickles my skin lightly, but I don’t mind. Her embrace just feels fresh after the day of errands. Her lips gently press against my neck, making butterflies swirl in my stomach. Despite getting my magic back and being a siren overall, she still has the ability to make my mind flutter.

“Boring considering that I’m still trying to renovate it into an actual music studio rather than a place to learn how to sing.” I kiss her forehead slowly, trying my best to not stress out about work. Once I have everything I need, I plan on advertising and hopefully getting a couple deals. People can record their music and we can even help them publish it for a fee. However, I am keeping lessons in one room. It can help to earn some extra money by helping aspiring and established musicians. “How long have you been in here, trying to sleep?” I ask her quietly, rubbing my chin on the top of her head. Sunset groans with a slight movement, pushing herself onto me even more.

“A couple hours… It’s been hard to sleep recently.” I need not ask her why. The answer to that question lingers in both of our minds at this point. The wedding is getting ever closer and while I am not faltering in my decision to marry this bitch that stole my heart unfairly, the date is still a little… nerve wracking. Nothing could sway my love for my summer breeze. She can be annoying though… In a good way.

“Do I need to ask what about the day is making you nervous?” I ask her after waiting for a few moments. Sunset takes a deep breath. The kind of breath that she uses when she rolls her eyes. Not at me, but more so out of pure annoyance from whatever thought is on her mind. I don’t even need to see her face right now to know what kind of expression is on it.

“Nothing about the wedding specifically annoys me. I’m just annoyed at what won’t be happening,” Sunset whispers, her embrace tightening around me. “You remember how I said I don’t have the best relationship with my parents? I can’t help but think about what it’d be like if you and I had family to be here. Other than our friends.” Sunset lets go of me, turning over to lie on her back. She stares up at the ceiling while she thinks.

Slowly, I wrap my arm around her, resting my head on her shoulder. While it’s just a simple cuddle, I hope it helps her feel better…

“This may not mean much to what you’re feeling right now,” I whisper, closing my eyes to focus on her heart, “but I consider you as my family, Sunset…” In a moment, Sunset holds me close to her, breathing in and out with a slow rhythm.

“You’re my family too, Adagio,” she responds while kissing the top of my head, a happy tone in her voice. “My home will always be where you are. Ever since you took my heart.”

“Says the thief that took mine,” I tease her back, rolling my eyes for dramatic effect. The sound of the wind outside tells me it will probably storm soon. It’s a good thing that everyone is inside and in bed. I would hate having to call Sonata or Aria to make sure they’re coming home. I’m sure Aria would probably say I’m not her mom. While that is true, I have been looking out for them for years since I’m the leader.

Was the leader… That’s not how things are going to be structured anymore. We’re equals. Even if Aria and Sonata act like idiots half the time. Still. They’re my idiots. I wouldn’t have life any other way than it is right now.

“Hey, Sunny,” I whisper, hearing Sunset hum inquisitively. “Did you want to have our wedding in Equestria? Since you were thinking about your family and all.”

“God no. I wouldn’t invite my family to our wedding. Unless I had a better family that is.” Sunset starts to slowly stroke my hair, playing with it between her fingers. “I did think about having it in Equestria for a little bit though. However, that would cause a lot of confusion with our friends and their pony counterparts. And uh… You know… Um.” Sunset trails off, seemingly trying to find the right words to say. I can already tell what she’s thinking though.

“The size difference between a pony and a siren would be pretty comical too,” I say with a shrug, making Sunset giggle.

“Hey, you said it. Not me.” Sunset tries to play it off that she was only thinking about the size discrepancy, but I know her. She was thinking about our reputations in Equestria. While Princess Celestia may have forgiven her previous star pupil, I am not as lucky. Not that I would necessarily want to apologize to that princess. She was the one who banished me with the help of that wizard. God, I hate that stupid wizard. As hard as I have tried to redeem myself in this world, it is kind of hard to let go of my resentment for the ponies back in Equestria. “Adagio. I have a strange feeling that I won’t be able to sleep tonight, even with you by my side,” Sunset informs me with a stumped tone to her voice as if she has run out of ideas.

“So, are we going to lay around the whole night or do you want to do something?” I ask her with a chuckle, knowing damn well that I won’t be able to sleep either.

“Do what? Watch a movie? You know the other two are sleeping in our basement, right?” I almost envy Sunset’s basic thought process. She is not imagining the big picture here. Limited solely by what we can do without some work.

“You lack imagination, Shimmer,” I whisper to her, leaning my head upward to kiss her cheek. “Come on. Follow me.” Sliding out of bed, I reach into my nightstand for a spare pair of pajama pants. They are just a simple blue with some dolphins scattered about, but they will do for now. Slipping them on, Sunset curiously follows my example, getting out of bed with a raised eyebrow.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this little idea of yours?” she asks me as soon as we leave our room. Quickly but quietly, I lead her down the stairs. Sunset can’t help but giggle at this point, trying to shush me. “Whatever it is, you need to be quiet. The other two are in the basement,” she tells me with a finger to her lips. Walking over to the TV, I motion for her to follow me. However, that just seems to make her more wary of my plan. “Nuh uh. You can’t be serious.”

“Come on. It isn’t that heavy,” I tease her while sticking my tongue out. “All we have to do is bring it to our room, make ourselves some snacks and we have an impromptu movie night, just in our room. All while lounging in bed like royalty.” Sunset crosses her arms, still not convinced with my idea.

“Of course you thought about it. Your whole life has been one mission of chasing royalty and luxury,” Sunset remarks with a smirk, making me narrow my gaze.

“Are you meaning to tell me you never thought about having a TV in our room? Even if you haven’t, miss goody two shoes, we can always move it back in the morning.” My statement hangs in the air for a moment before Sunset rolls her eyes, grabbing the other end of the TV.

“Fine. But only if I get to choose the movie we watch and the snacks,” she states with a tone that tells me there is no bargaining with her on this. I guess I do owe her that much.

“Could I at least make a suggestion on the snacks?” I ask her with a frown, picking up the TV with her help.

“If it is cheese and crackers, the answer is maybe,” Sunny mentions with a slight shrug, leading the way back to the staircase. As long as we can have something salty, I’d be fine. After all, she is all the sugar I need.

I can tell the movie is still playing, but I can’t quite pay attention to it. My eyes are stuck on Sunset’s face, taking in every detail. She’s so pretty. The sparkles around her cheeks make her look like a goddess. I have no idea how she has sparkles hovering around her, but maybe it’s due to some kind of magic. It’s frankly unfair of her to look this cute. I can barely hold back from kissing her. She’s so…

Biting into a cracker, I can’t help but giggle. Sunny looks at me with a weird expression that I can’t put into words. Pushing my finger against her nose, I smile at her. For some reason, everything feels light. Almost fuzzy.

“Have I ever told you that you’re beautiful?” I ask her, scooting closer and hugging her tightly.

“Seven times tonight, in fact,” Sunny responds while hugging me back. “Something tells me you’re not even watching the movie anymore and instead analyzing my face.”

“Your face is just really pretty for a pony. What can I say?” Pressing my head against hers, another involuntary giggle escapes my lips as I grab the cup from Sunset’s hand. “Also… Are you gonna drink this?” It’s… hard. Hard to form words right now. I wanna tell her… something. That she’s important to me, but I can say it better, right? Maybe I’m just super super tired by now… Trying to take a sip, something pulls the cup away from me. “Hey, why-”

“I think not, Alligator,” Sunny tells me with a tone to her voice. A stern tone…? Is stern the right thing? I don’t know. “You’re way too drunk to have my whiskey as well. I knew it was a bad idea for you to bring the whole bottle up here. Especially since I have only had one glass.”

“Hey. I am not…” I hold my hand in the air, staring her in the eyes. Her eyes are so sparkly… I am not what. What is that word? I can’t remember.

“Drunk?” Sunny says with a smirk.

“I am not drunk. I am just tired. And thirsty.” Grabbing the cup again, Sunny pulls it away from me. Her hand is playing with my hair. Hmph… “For someone so pretty and cute and… cute, you don’t let me do what I want.” Sunny simply laughs at me, making me narrow my gaze. I don’t know what is funny about what I said. But her laughing is so… god damn adorable.

“I’m only trying to look out for you, Adagio. I love you too much to let you drink yourself to a coma.” Sunny kisses my forehead, making my cheeks blush for some reason.

“I love you too. You’re the only one worthy enough to be with me,” I state with a slight stutter, trying to keep myself from falling over on her.

“Is that right?” she asks me with a laugh. I have no idea why she is laughing so much. But it’s nice to see.

“Mhmm. Or maybe it’s… the other way around. And I don’t deserve you.” I try to say more, but my mouth trails off just as I sit on her lap. Grabbing her shirt, I smile before kissing her. Maybe this will wipe that stupid smirk off her face. “You’re also really sexy, Sunny. Know that?” I try to pull up her shirt, but she stops me again. Am I that boring to her? Ugh…

“I would love to under normal circumstances, but you’re too drunk right now.” Her hand holds my cheek with that… that stupid smile of hers. That warm smile that makes me feel happy and fuzzy inside. That’s cheating. I can’t stay mad with that kind of smile. “How much have you had to drink exactly?” she asks me with a giggle, picking up the bottle. It still has half of it left. I try to reach for it, but she gently pushes my hand away. “I only have this one cup, so… You’ve had at least five drinks.”

“And maybe a couple more when I went to get more snacks,” I say with a laugh, trying to stop this dizzy feeling.

“You have work tomorrow, Alligator. Then again, I guess we both started this. I’m just glad your magic has given you some immunity to alcohol poisoning. Still. You can’t have any more tonight.” Sunset looks towards me, shaking her head as if I didn’t hear her.

“I can’t have any more of what? The whiskey? Or you?” Dragging my finger along her jawline, I can’t help but smirk. Sunny’s blushing again. It’s always so fun to see her like this. She’s em… Emba… Something. My mind is not wanting to work.

Sunny grabs the remote, turning off the TV. It’s really dark again, but I can still see the sparkles in her eyes. She quietly grabs the snacks, putting them on her nightstand. She holds me close and kisses me. I never get tired of this feeling. The feeling of her lips.

“You’re so sweet, Adagio.” Kissing me again, Sunny lays down, pulling me with her. “But it’s time for us to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.” Feel better? I feel fine. Just dizzy. And really tired… Fine. I lay my head on her shoulder, trying to forget about the fuzzy feeling in my brain. Closing my eyes, I hug Sunset with a sigh. I still want another drink, but if I am drunk, I guess she knows better than me. After a few minutes, Sunset kisses my forehead as gently as she can like she thinks I am asleep. “I love you so much, Adagio,” Sunny whispers with a kind tone in her voice. “You mean the world to me… My life without you would be so hard. I know you often try to hold our relationship together by yourself, but you’re equally important to me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to remember that because… I never want to be separated from you again.” Scratching my head lightly, Sunset holds me close. “I love you for your strengths and weaknesses. I love you for your humor, your personality, your viewpoints. I love you with all my heart.”

She thinks I’m asleep. That’s… nice. If I wasn’t so dizzy, I would want to say something similar. She means a lot to me too. I just can’t come up with the words. For now.

“Sleep well, siren. I’ll be here when you wake up,” she whispers again, her hug tightening slightly. I love you too, Sunny.

Pulling myself off of the pearl throne, I try to get the vitriolic taste out of my mouth. The bitter taste of my own stomach’s acid is an experience I would only wish upon my greatest enemy. Why in the world did I think it was a good idea to try my luck at seven drinks of whiskey last night? Maybe it was because I was caught up in the felicity of the moment, but drinking that much is not advantageous. To any degree…

“Are you feeling better?” Sunset’s voice asks through the bathroom door, reminding me how my stomach is still threatening to expose its contents to the world again.

“Barely,” I respond while rolling my eyes. Sunset opens the door just as I stand up from the ground, still unsteady from my recent sick spell. Pulling myself over to the sink, I look at my reflection with disdain. “Sunset. Remind me to never drink whiskey ever again.”

“Even Four Roses? That’s your favorite drink in the world,” she mentions with a compelling argument. Well, this world. I can’t even remember what my favorite drink was in Equestria.

“Maybe not forever. But never in the next week at least.” Splashing my face with water, I hold my hand out. Sunset hands me my toothbrush, resting one arm around me in an attempt to console me. If only my magic made me immune to the effects of a hangover… Unfortunately, I never learned a spell like that. For now, I need to focus on getting the malicious taste out of my gums.

“Well, that will be a little difficult,” Sunset whispers with a sensual tone. “Our wedding is in a week, after all.”

Turning my gaze to her, I question her expression heavily. Is she implying that… No. Surely not, right? That stuff is expensive. Unless you get it through select vendors, but… still.

“Did you seriously get that kind of drink for our… wedding?” I hesitantly ask her, not wanting to believe it.

“I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but I might have to get a refund now since you’re sworn off whiskey for this week,” Sunset teases me with a wink, knowing damn well I will have to make an exception. It’s almost enough to make me forget about my hangover.

“You really did that? For me?” Let’s just say I am not used to such unadulterated kindness. My life has been filled with hate for my kind after all. So, these few years having Sunset and our friends has been nice, but this? This is on a whole other level. “I love you,” I state without thinking, feeling my heart swell at her gesture.

“I love you too, dummy. Of course I did it for you~ I’m marrying you after all. It’s a day about us,” Sunset whispers with a humorous giggle, gently pressing her lips against my forehead. “Don’t start crying on me. Save the tears for our wedding, sentimental siren.” Without another word, she wipes the single tear from my eye, making my heart beat faster.

“It’s cruel how much of a hold you have on my heart,” I mention with a slight pout. In response, Sunset messes up my hair as if it could be worse than it already is.

“Like you don’t have the key to mine. Be careful cleaning yourself up. You still have to wake the other two for breakfast,” Sunset reminds me with a small kiss on my cheek. “I’ll make some bacon and eggs.” Huh. Funny considering her hair color. Bacon sounds fine I guess. But honestly? My appetite is nonexistent at this point. Before I can tell her bye, Sunset leaves the bathroom, leaving me to my business. Exhaling, I finish brushing my teeth, spitting into the sink. I really shouldn’t have drank that much last night. It won’t stop me from drinking some at my wedding, but definitely not this much.

I quickly splash my face again before walking out of the bathroom. Running a brush through my hair, I do my best to make myself decent. Pajama pants aren’t exactly the most professional for work, but they will do for breakfast. I’m not looking forward to work in general since I’m running on a few hours of sleep and my head is starting to hurt like one of my frequent migraines.

Taking a deep breath, I make my way downstairs. I see Sunset already preparing the materials for our food. I just hope the girls had a better night than me. Not that I hated cuddling with Sunset and all. I just hate the hangover part… Knocking on the basement door, I wait for an answer. Nothing comes to respond though. Knocking again, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow. I’m guessing they did get some sleep.

“Aria? Sonata? Time to wake up,” I call out, trying to get their attention through the door with another knock. However, they don’t answer my attempt to communicate with them. Taking a deep breath, I sigh to myself as I open the door. If they really don’t want to get up, they could at least tell me to go away. Staying silent does nothing to tell me what they want. If they’re still asleep, I’ll just have to wake them and ask if they want some breakfast.

Walking down the stairs, I can hear Aria and Sonata saying something. The exact words are not clear enough for me to make out. Making it to the bottom of the stairs, I look inside the basement. Instantly, I can’t help but notice motion on one of their air mattresses. A mass of light blue is moving on top of a purple mass. Both of them are breathing heavily and not a single piece of clothing is shared between the two of them. I…

Oh.

“Holy shit! Adagio, what are you-” I can’t seem to hear Aria anymore. I can tell they’re trying to cover themselves up in my peripheral vision. All I can focus on is the texture of the ground.

The urge to vomit comes back like the wrath of a raging shore.

The Finishing Touch

Chapter XXXIV: The Finishing Touch

“How exactly am I supposed to confront them again when they were exposed like a science project?” I ask Sunset with a defiant tone, staring at myself in the mirror. “Seriously, Sunny. They were going at it so hard that they would have conceived something by now if they had the functions capable of that.” I can’t help but shudder at the thought. I have seen them naked before, especially when we first got to this world. That aspect is not shocking to me at this point. The act itself is what is shocking me. “I know Sonata said they were a thing, but they broke up and haven’t spoken in a couple years. I assumed that they had too much drama and we all agreed to be friends.” Except that they were doing something that friends should never do together. Ever. At least in my opinion. When Sunset and I do it, it is hot. But them? I can’t help but find the image disturbing.

“Adagio,” Sunset says with a mildly annoyed tone to her voice. Her hand rubs her forehead as if trying to coax herself to not get angry. I don’t know what she would have to be mad about though. “They probably just made up. I mean, they were an item before. It was only a couple weeks ago that you and I got back together as well.” Turning my gaze to her, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow. She’s right of course, but… I don’t know. Something about this situation feels different to me. “This is not an issue. All that happened was that you walked in on them having sex,” Sunset sighs in an angry tone, clearly tired of me locking myself in this bathroom.

“It’s still an awkward thing to walk in on,” I respond with a deep breath. However, before I can say another word, Sunset grabs my shoulder and pushes me against the wall. Unlike any other time, she’s not smiling now.

“Listen. You have been in here for the last thirty minutes. While I get it can be awkward, you are being a drama queen,” Sunset tells me point blank, her eyes almost fuming. “You have two choices before I lose it. You can either go talk with them about it or I will throw all of you out of here until you resolve it.” Something about her eyes tells me she’s serious about this threat. I have no idea why, but seeing her angry like this is almost… attractive.

“Okay. I will talk with them. You don’t need to threaten me, Shimmer,” I tell her in response, raising my hands to surrender. “If I talk with them, will you cool it? I don’t want you to be mad at me.” Well, maybe not mad at me right now. If she wants to be mad at me tonight, I know just the way she can take it out on me~ Damn. Focus, Adagio. You have a hangover to deal with, two friends to talk to and an angry wife-to-be to calm. Now is not the time to get your head full of lust.

“The faster you talk with them, the faster I will be less angry since I’ve been trying to help you out of here for the last half hour,” Sunset tells me with a furrowed brow. With a small nod, I slip past her and out of the bathroom. I can already feel another headache come on, but I guess I just have to power through for now… Sunset closes the bathroom door behind her. Taking a deep breath, I walk down the stairs. No amount of prep work can help me here. The best method is to just get it over with.

As soon as I can see the living room, I notice Sonata and Aria standing near the couch. Aria is the first one to notice my presence, nodding to Sonata. Thankfully, they have clothes on now. I suppose I will need to add a lock to the basement door to avoid situations like this in the future. Then again, I did give them enough warning by knocking three times. And trying to call out to them through the door.

“So… Where the fuck is the TV?” Aria asks me in a quiet tone, clearly trying to break the awkward atmosphere with an unrelated question. In a way, I guess it is a valid question. It doesn’t resolve the problem at hand though…

“Sunset and I had a hard time sleeping last night. We took it upstairs so we could watch something and avoid the risk of waking you two,” I explain slowly, walking towards the kitchen. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel the urge to drink again due to our upcoming conversation. However, this headache is the result of my last little binge. Pouring myself a cup of water, I see that the other two followed me in here.

“Oh, well that explains it, Aria. Big mystery, huh?” Sonata asks with a nervous chuckle, desperately trying to hide her anxiety.

“I assume you’re not sick anymore since you’re drinking now?” Aria asks me in an almost teasing tone. “I didn’t… I didn’t know that our bodies were that nauseating.” Aria’s joke is another attempt to make light of what happened, but it doesn’t really land with Sonata or me.

“It… It wasn’t your bodies that I was sick at,” I speak up with a roll of my eyes, leaning against the kitchen sink. In the process of finding the right words, I click my tongue a couple times. Tapping my finger against the countertop, I finally look towards them with a slight shrug. “I was just shocked. I had been drinking a lot last night and I still kind of have a hangover… So, I wasn’t expecting to walk in on you two… making a nest,” I mention with a slight nod, drinking from my cup of water again.

“Don’t you mean sliding scales? That’s what I would call it with how we were-” Before Aria can finish her statement, Sonata punches her on the shoulder, still awkwardly smiling at me. Aria tries to give our friend a sour look, but she gives up half way into it.

“That’s such a crude way of putting it… But I guess if you want to say it like that.” Trying my best to ignore Aria’s casual use of siren slang, I place my glass of water down on the counter, taking another deep breath. “Anyway… Would I be wrong to think this implies that your… past transgressions have been resolved?” The way Aria looks at me is full of surprise, her once solid expression now a staggered confusion.

“You told her about-” Aria cuts herself off before finishing her question, looking at Sonata with an almost betrayed look. At this point, I had assumed it was common knowledge in this house. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Sunset… “Yeah… We um… We resolved our differences,” Aria mentions with an uncomfortable look on her face. A part of this tells me she really doesn’t want to indulge in her love life with me. Which is fair, but since I’m their closest friend, it feels like I should know some of these details.

“When we broke it off, we-” Sonata doesn’t get a chance to finish her statement before Aria jabs her in the ribs with her elbow. If they really don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. I suppose I don’t have a right to know how they got back together. As long as they’re happy…

“Listen,” I tell them quietly, placing my hands on Aria and Sonata’s shoulders. “No matter what happens, I still consider you two my closest allies and friends. I know you think of me the same. Whatever you two do together will not change that.” I give them a smirk before ruffling Aria’s hair. “As long as you two can be happy together. That is if Aria can ever truly feel happy.”

“Hey, I have emotions too, moron. I just don’t like to show them,” Aria groans while rolling her eyes, clearly finding my joke annoying. Sonata, on the other hand, simply giggles and pulls both of us in for a group hug.

“We love you too, Dagi~” Sonata sighs with a content smile, making Aria frown even further. At this point, a frown from Aria is essentially her form of a smile. However, you can sometimes see a genuine smile come from her if something truly makes her feel warm on the inside.

“Can we stop this now? All this physical closeness is making me feel claustrophobic,” Aria tells us while looking away. In a second, Sonata lets us go, looking beyond a little confused.

“You’re also afraid of confined spaces? Since when?” our friend asks her in a worried tone. Aria sighs heavily as if she was a disappointed parent.

“I’m not. I was exaggerating for a figure of speech, you- Forget about it.” Aria turns back to us with her arms crossed, but her expression seems a bit more peaceful than before. “Anyway, when are we going to have breakfast? I thought your ‘wife-to-be’ was making it.” Aria accompanies her question with air quotes as if she is unsure what title to call Sunset. Actually, Sunset stopped making breakfast to help me calm down from catching these two making a nest…

“About that…” I nervously chuckle, patting both of their shoulders. “Maybe we should just buy something to eat.”

“Remind me how this is supposed to help my wedding,” I sigh with my hand rubbing my forehead. The midday sun is beating down on both Rainbow Dash and me with hardly any cover near us in her parents’ front yard. Dash is currently wearing some shorts and a sports bra with nothing else between her and a training dummy. Again, Dash slams her hand forward onto the dummy’s chest, her palm facing away from her. There are only a few days left until the wedding and having my time wasted like this is not favorable.

“Uh, it’s obvious?” Dash says before kicking the dummy hard enough to send it flying into the street. Thankfully, there has not been a single car passing us by in the last twenty minutes. “I’m going to use everything I can to be a great bouncer for your wedding.” After dragging the dummy back into the yard, Dash continues to hit it without mercy, thinking it will impress me. Honestly, all it does is make me wonder how she would fare against a moving target. All this proves is that she would be great at kicking the ass of a stationary opponent. The only reason someone may be stationary in a fight is if they are caught off guard or if they are wheelchair-bound. Both situations are a little morally gray at best.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or such, but is this the only reason you wanted me to drop by?” I ask her between her jabs. I’m actually glad we’re standing outside right now. I’m sure the air would be thick with sweat by now if Dash was doing this in the house.

“What? Is this not enough?” she asks me with an almost accusatory tone in her voice, but her exaggerated body movement makes it clear she is joking. “Well, no. I have a couple other things I want to show you. That is kind of obvious as well.” Walking towards the driveway, Rainbow Dash grabs a towel she set aside, rubbing her face with a deep breath. Without saying another word, she picks up her phone from the ground, pressing something on the screen. The garage door opens slowly. “So, I am almost done with your banner for the wedding. Fluttershy helped me get the colors right and all. I just wanted your input on the final part.”

Leading me into the garage, I can’t help but feel a little confused at the lack of a car. Instead, there is a wide banner laid out with orange scales painted onto it and a beautiful setting sun adorning the top. In small text at the bottom, it gives a congratulations, but the middle section is blank. Rainbow Dash crouches down next to it, pointing at the different sections. It is impressive. It really is. For a small moment, it makes me feel happier that I have friends willing to put in this kind of effort for a special day for me and Sunset.

“So, this middle section is the problem area,” Dash remarks with a small sigh. “Maybe I should have made the congratulations bigger and put it in the middle, but I can’t change it now since it is painted. I was wondering if you had any ideas to help me out here.” Dash stands back up, holding her hands out as if she was taking a picture of the banner. “Cuz I’ve got nothing. After this, we could also go get a drink if you’d like?”

“Thanks, but I’ll have to pass,” I mention with a slight wave of my hand, looking down at the banner. She doesn’t need to know the reason why I’m avoiding alcohol for today. The real issue at hand is what to put in the blank space for the banner… Bringing my hand to my chin, I try to think of something special. Something personal… Something that Sunset would smile at just as much as I would. Something like… “Do you have a piece of paper?” I ask her quietly, holding out my hand.

“Uh… No. Not on me at the moment. Um. Oh! You could write something down on your phone, right? Do you have a notes app?” Dash pulls out her phone to show me what she uses, but her eyes go wide when I take the device from her hand.

“It’s not for me. It’s for you to remember.” Typing some letters into her phone, I hand it back to her, pointing at it to hammer it into her head. “I want this on the blank space. Exactly as I wrote it.” Dash looks at her phone with a confused expression, staring at her screen as if it is some sort of alien technology she has never heard of before. After a moment though, she simply shrugs, nodding at my request.

“Huh. Okay. Seems a little weird, but you’re the boss. As long as it makes you and Sunset happy.”

Applejack opens the door of the house, seemingly surprised to see me at her abode. Taking a step back, Applejack offers for me to come in without saying a word, her expression telling me she’s exhausted from something.

“Hey, sugarcube. To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asks me in a short breath, shutting the door behind me. Everything about her makes it clear she is tired and stretched thin.. Honestly, it makes me feel a little guilty for coming here to bother her. While Sunset may be the one organizing the catering, she specifically asked Applejack to handle making the foods for the event. “I’m afraid I can’t let ya much farther inside. Surprises and all.” Before I can say anything, I can hear a clash from the kitchen followed by a masculine voice muttering oops.

“Big sis, how many eggs did we need for this recipe again?” Apple Bloom’s voice yells from the other room, making Applejack sigh heavily to herself. From the way Applejack walks me into the living room, her body speaks volumes about how irritated she is.

“Apple Bloom. If ya mess up the process one more time, you’re on harvest duty by yourself for the rest of the season,” Applejack yells into the other room before sitting down next to me.

“I’m guessing you have had an ineffective afternoon,” I say quietly, noting the stains on her apron. Applejack only gives a halfhearted nod to my observation. I have no idea what Sunset asked from Applejack in terms of the catering. The only part of the list she told me was that she got some of my favorite whiskey. That still makes me feel a little emotional… And it is the whole reason I am here in the first place.

“You could say that,” she responds with a shrug, seemingly unsure of the right words to say. “We’ve been making good progress, but the whole time is spent fighting with my siblings cus none of us can decide who is right. And a couple accidents happened, but nothing should impede the preparation. You’ll have the food on time,” Applejack tells me with a smile, patting my shoulder. “Is that why you’re here? A few jitters before the big day tomorrow?”

“I admire your eagerness to comfort me, but no,” I say quietly, moving her hand off my shoulder. “I’m not too nervous actually. Even though it is tomorrow, my desire to see the wedding carried out is actually bigger than ever.” Tomorrow is the day I get married to Sunset. Which makes it all the more urgent that I get every last preparation done today. “I’m here for one last request actually. I… I know it’s pretty late notice and Sunset is the one in charge of the choices here, but I was curious to see if you could make just one more dish. Something special.”

The small innocuous elevation of her eyebrow proves just how curious and confused Applejack is. The mere act of crossing her arms is normally cause for concern, but this is not such a moment. Instead, it feels like she’s taking the request into account, thinking about it seriously. I know her. She loves sentimental things since she was raised in a big family.

“Alright,” she tells me with a small nod, holding her hand up. “However, I can’t make anything too complex with the amount of time we have left. Tell me what it is and I’ll tell ya if Sunset already asked for it.” Applejack does her best to ignore a crash that comes from the kitchen, but I can see her forehead tense slightly. She’s in luck though. My request is not complicated at all.

“I was wondering if you could make a chocolate cake.” Pulling out a page from my bag, I hand the recipe over to Applejack. The exact same recipe that Sunset loves so much… “It doesn’t need to be huge. Just big enough for a couple slices. I’m not really planning on anyone having a part of it except for one person.” I inspect her facial expression for any kind of confirmation, but there are no indicators for me. Her thoughts may as well be a blank page.

“You two are mad in love, you know that?” Applejack asks me with a laugh, a smile on her face. “I swear that you two keep trying to outdo the other. It’s funny in an endearing way.” Slipping the recipe into her pocket, Applejack pats my shoulder once more, motioning for me to stand. “While I can’t tell ya what is in the kitchen right now, I can say that your request is perfect. I’ll get to work on it soon.” Again, a loud crash comes from the kitchen, making Applejack’s smile change back to a pertinent frown. “As soon as I kill a couple siblings of mine…”

I almost forgot how much I hate this place… Every time I come here, I can’t help but feel a bitter taste from my past resurface to grant me some nice embarrassment and anxiety. It is seriously unbearable… Annoying. It would be for Aria and Sonata too if they didn’t ditch us. Instead, I’m stuck sitting on the hard stairs in front of the entrance to Canterlot High with my wife-to-be. The last time I was here was for Apple Bloom’s School Days competition a few years ago, but I still didn’t like being there for that either. At least I knew why we were there then. Now? Sunset is being intentionally vague with me.

“Sunny, the school is closed. Why are we here? Just to try to remember the good times? Oh, right. I didn’t have good times here.” I can’t help but slump down, resting my chin in the palm of my hands. By now, the sun is setting and the horse statue is essentially a shadow in my view. Sunset simply smiles, holding my hand tighter than before. She looks down at her phone’s clock for the tenth time by now, keeping her mouth shut. It would be cute if it wasn’t annoyingly irritating.

“It’s simple. We’re here to meet with one of our guests,” she mentions with a hum. That’s the first clear answer she’s given me so far about this whole ordeal. I have no idea why we would meet with one of our friends right here. Why not go to their place? Or invite them to our house? This is a stupid place to wait… “I know you’re aggravated, but please. Trust me and try to have a good attitude,” Sunset whispers while nudging me. Her gentle reminder to keep a smile on my face doesn’t exactly help. “Besides. She’s about to come through.”

Come through? Through what? The only door is behind us. Unless she means a portal, then…

As soon as the thought comes to my mind, a flash of light emanates from the base of the statue. A squeal of surprise comes from a woman as she hits the ground, looking like she tripped. Her skin is a lighter shade of purple than her hair. In spite of what I have heard, this woman seems clumsy. Even though her appearance has clearly changed over the years, I still recognize her in a heartbeat. Sunset could have just told me who we were meeting instead of keeping it a secret…

Standing up, I walk over to the statue, offering her my hand. She looks up at me, finally making eye contact with me again for the first time in nearly five years. It doesn’t seem like a long time, but it definitely feels like it…

“Stand up, Princess Twilight. The ground is not fitting for someone of your stature or mine,” I tell her with a solemn nod, unsure how to feel about all of this. “We have much to discuss.”

Author's Note

One chapter left to go~ ;) And yes, I had the idea to include Princess Twilight all the way back by A Shimmering Heartbreak lol

Naytra Ven Tru

Chapter XXXV: Naytra Ven Tru

The night is as dark as my own feelings. I have no idea how I should feel here. On one hand, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing that Sunset invited Princess Twilight. On the other hand, it is extremely awkward for me… The last time I saw this princess was the Battle of the Bands. That was years ago and it is safe to say that a lot has changed since then. A lot more than even Twilight could guess. How exactly should I open a conversation like this? ‘Hi, I’m banging your pony friend’? Obviously not… The hardest part is that Sunset probably told Twilight all about us, but I have heard nothing of Twilight’s recent life events.

“So… It’s still weird for me to walk on two legs after all this time,” Princess Twilight jokes with us as we walk through the city. The night air is quiet and cool, inviting a conversation of some sort.

“You get used to it,” Sunset and I say at the same time. My summer breeze looks at me with a smile, seemingly surprised that we had the same thought. To me, it is barely a surprise after all the time we’ve spent together.

“After my time in this world, I think it would be hard for me to get used to my old body,” I state with a shrug, stifling a small laugh. At this point, it is difficult to remember how that body felt. How it was to be so big… In a world full of magic. It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about Equestria specifically. “Regardless, it is nice of you to make it for our big day. I imagine scheduling something like this across worlds is not easy,” I tease Twilight and Sunset with a laugh.

“Well, it wasn’t ideal, but I wouldn’t miss a day like this. I’m glad that Sunset found someone that means the world to her.” Twilight’s tone is full of pride and respect, a small nod reaffirming her view.

“I know. I’m great. It’s hard to be so amazing compared to the other people she could have chosen,” I joke with them again, winking at Sunset specifically. Twilight laughs along with me. However, she seems more happy than actually finding the joke humorous.

“There’s that ego I remember. You’re nicer than before though. Sunset told me you had changed, but I was a little… skeptical,” Twilight admits with a sheepish expression, holding her hands up as if asking for forgiveness. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, Twilight presents her hand to me with a smile. “However, all I remember of you was a villain, so maybe it would be fair to start fresh after all. What do you say?”

I can’t help but raise my eyebrow. As much as some people wish, you can’t just erase the past. However, the gesture seems pure enough here. Hearing her say she was skeptical to meet me again made me feel a little angry, but I guess I can’t blame her. Back then, I was an evil, egotistical siren with a fondness for fashion, control and luxury. I’ve changed a lot.

Okay, maybe not a lot… I’m just good now. Sunset says I’m good by her standards at least. Everything else? Eh, maybe I didn’t change in all aspects.

“You surprise me, Princess of Friendship,” I say with a quiet chuckle, taking her hand in my own. “My name is Adagio Dazzle. It’s nice to meet you. Properly this time.” Twilight smiles at my introduction, nodding with a small bow to me.

“I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. I hope we can make many good memories~” Even though the words are not said, we can both tell from the gaze we share that this is meant to mark a new beginning. In a way, no apologies or explanations are needed. There’s just a silent agreement that everything before is forgotten. Forgiven. Sure, mistakes have happened along the way, but that shouldn’t stop two people from starting anew. Let’s face it. Neither of us are much like we were a few years ago.

“Can I take a picture?” Sunset asks us with a big smile on her face. I can tell she’s really happy to see the two of us getting along. To be fair to her, I did hate Twilight a few years ago. Almost as much as Sunny. But it’s time to let go of hate by now. I’m getting married tomorrow after all. Maybe I should even forgive that stupid Starswirl.

Nope. It’s still nice to have someone to blame. Who else would I be able to curse for marrying a pony? A beautiful pony with the warmest smile of all and a mind that knows me like no other.

“Like all three of us?” I ask her with a chuckle, a little confused as to what Sunset wants. A silent shake of her head refuses my offer, pointing at Twilight and me.

“We can take one of all of us together, but I also want one of the two of you.” Sunset’s gesture confuses both of us, but Twilight nods at the request. I don’t see any reason to object either. It’s just a picture. Thankfully, Sunset isn’t one of those people that post every life moment on social media. “Great! So, do you want to make some poses or make it a normal picture?” The princess simply smiles, but me? That seems way too small for something like this. She’s supposed to be a princess. Does she have no sense of flair?

“Come on, Twilight. A princess needs some sense of style. Follow my lead,” I tell her while rolling my eyes, positioning her to press her back against mine. As confused as she looks, she follows my lead. Sunset can’t help but giggle at my pose, taking a few steps back to snap the picture. After a flash of light, Sunset turns around and positions the camera for a selfie. Another flash tells me she took the picture.

“Let me see the outcome,” Twilight requests with an excited look on her face. Sometimes I forget that Equestria doesn’t have the technology we do. At least, not from what I remember. I don’t think there was anything like a camera when I left. That could have changed though. “I guess you’re right, Adagio. For a princess, I really have no style,” Twilight sheepishly giggles. “I stick to books more than modeling or anything like that. Despite how Rarity has tried to convince me to wear more fashionable dresses. Speaking of which, how are Rarity and the others in this world?” Chuckling to myself, I try to think of the best way to answer that question.

“They’re as well as they could be. I mean, they’re not about to get married after all~” Wrapping my arm around Sunset, I kiss her cheek, instantly causing her face to flush. “However, I am sure they will be excited to see you’re one of our guests as well.”

“Guests?” the princess asks me with a slightly confused face, raising her eyebrow. Her gaze turns to Sunset. It looks like she wants to say something else, but nothing comes to mind.

“So, Alligator,” Sunset says in the same soothing voice she uses whenever she does something wrong or wants to smooth something over me. I should have known something was up here. “Do you remember how I said I asked Twilight if she could officiate our wedding?”

Looking at her, I nod slowly. When she said that, I was sure she meant our Twilight. But now? It actually makes a lot of sense… She wasn’t technically lying to me about that, but she did keep it a surprise. Huh… Getting a princess to officiate our wedding… Talk about friends in high places.

“You’re really here to do that?” I ask Twilight with a chuckle, finding it all a bit surprising. It’s really kind of her to agree to this, especially since she didn’t even meet me again by the time Sunset asked her.

“I figured you would probably want someone from Equestria to marry you and… Well, it would give me an excuse to see the new you.” Twilight winks at me with a teasing smile, making me feel a whole new level of serenity. It feels nice to have everyone forgive me essentially. Except for Princess Celestia, but I’m not exactly looking for her forgiveness. I don’t need it. “And if we do it this way, technically you can be married in both worlds since my counterpart can sign off on the paperwork here and I can do the same thing in Equestria~” Twilight brings Sunset and me into a group hug without a second thought.

It’s a nice gesture and all. I’m happy to be married by someone from my home world, but one thought still bugs me. How will she do the paperwork relating to my marriage when I’ve been gone for hundreds of years?

The soft roar of the ocean brings back so many memories. Some good. Some bad. It doesn’t really matter what memories they are. All that matters is the nostalgia the waves bring. The feeling of the water washing over my feet is so familiar, but the images in my mind are from a time where I wasn’t a human. It’s so cold, but inviting. Almost as if the water itself is a friend from long ago, wanting to reconnect over a nice conversation and a drink. The only people who can understand what I feel right now are Aria and Sonata.

It’s the feeling of home. Serenity. Peace. A feeling I only get in three experiences. Whenever I swim in the water, indulge myself in the art of music, or taste that sweet memory of cherry cheesecake. The sun’s light is just barely illuminating the sky, beckoning the best day of my life. However, I can’t let the night slip by completely yet. I have one last thing to do before I let this day start.

Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes, walking back to the shore. My jeans are a little wet, despite how much I rolled them up to try and avoid that issue. My boots are a deep purple color, but the poor lighting makes them look dark blue. My socks are rolled up on top of them and beside my shoes is my purse.

“It’s been fun, Adagio,” I whisper to myself, imagining a picture of myself. A version of me wearing a gray hoodie and blue jeans. A version that is clearly not taking care of herself and one that may not see herself in the best light. A nightclub worker and alcoholic all in one without a friend in the world. “But it is time to move on. To accept this new chapter.” Reaching into my bag, I look around to make sure no one followed me. My fingers gently drag against a cool metal exterior. The memories this sensation brings me are not great, but that just reminds me why I am doing this. Without a second thought, I pull out the revolver from my bag, looking at the metal with a frown.

To think that it was only a handful of years ago that I tried to use this on myself is a haunting thought. Not because I was scared to die, but because it was the loneliest time of my life. It was a time I felt truly alone and… sad. Sad beyond comparison. Over the years, I told myself I was keeping this to protect myself, but that is a blatant lie. The only reason I kept this weapon was to remind myself of how bad it could get if I messed up again. I’ve made mistakes, but all things considered? I’m pretty damn great now. That sounds like something Apple Bloom would say… I’m awesome? No, too much like Rainbow Dash.

Shaking my head, I turn around, walking back into the tide. The cool water splashes against my legs as a small smirk comes to my face. A lot has happened since that time. I don’t need a reminder anymore though. My friends are the people that remind me to do the right thing. I trace the edges of the gun with my eyes, taking in every detail one last time.

“When I stole this from the nightclub, I was angry and lonely. Frustrated with the universe,” I say out loud, acting like someone is listening to my rambling. “I was tired. The sun is about to rise though. While I may have changed intentions, I’m glad to say that I made it through these past few years in one piece. Still Adagio Dazzle, but… not so lonely anymore. If anything, I’d say I have a few too many people in my life.” A small laugh escapes my lips as the waves rush past my legs. The only thing I could wish for now is a prosperous business and to maybe see… Well, that will never happen anyway. “So, let’s welcome the new chapter by closing this one.”

Raising my arm above my head, I throw the weapon with all my might. The gun flies through the air, going farther than I expected. With a small hum, I sing a tune. Magic envelopes the gun and without a second more, it flies much further into the ocean. There is no way anyone on the shore would be able to hear the splash, even someone like me. With another deep breath, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my mind. In a few hours, I will be experiencing the best day of my life.

Before that can happen, I need to get back home before my wife-to-be wakes up and realizes I am missing. Turning around, I walk back up the sand, suddenly wishing I had brought a towel to dry off my legs.

“Hurry up, stupid. You still want your pictures taken, right?” Aria’s voice yells up the stairs, reminding me for the fifth time that we agreed to pose for photos before going to the wedding venue. I still don’t know how Sunset looks, but this should be the first time I get to see her dress. Gently pressing the brush against my eyelid, I sigh at Aria’s suggestion. It takes time to apply the right amount of eye shadow. Lipstick can be fairly simple, but everything else needs to be just right or else you look out of place. Even with the more bright colors, you need to blend it correctly.

“Just a moment, Aria,” I respond again, shaking my head a little. A part of me feels the urge to throw a meaningless insult at her, but this is not the day for that kind of negativity. This is a day to remember for the best reasons. Not petty arguments or belittling. Setting the brush down back in the eyeshadow case, I scrupulously look over every detail of my face. My hair is pinned into my signature style with a spiked headband. A sparkling lipstick accentuates my lips and the eye shadow draws attention to my irises. There is not much to scrutinize over since I made sure to apply everything perfectly.

Waving my hand in the air, my purple scarf floats over to me. However, its appearance begins to change as a musical note emanates from the bottom of my throat. In a second, it turns into a stunning purple dress around my body. Almost as beautiful as its original form. Well, then again, I’m a biased source since it is a gift from Sunset. The best gift ever…

“Don’t worry,” I whisper to myself, running my fingers along the soft fabric. “I’ll change it right back once we are done for today.” Looking into the mirror one last time, I give myself a small smirk. It looks great. I… look great.

“About time,” Aria mentions as she sees me descend the stairs. “I was starting to think you got cold feet. Which would have been weird considering how much you gush about Sunset,” she teases me with a pretend sigh. However, I know things between the two of them have been getting better recently. Aria’s started to be nicer to Sunset, a fact that Sunset told me a couple nights ago through an excited smile.

“You wish. Then you wouldn’t have to attend such a formal event,” I tease her in return, walking past her to the front door. A scoff comes from her lips, rushing to open the door for me.

“Sure. Like I’d want to miss such an important event for you. You’re… one of my best friends,” Aria admits with a blank expression, but her cheeks are slightly flushed. Opening the door, she gestures for me to hurry up. Birds chirp as the breeze sweeps through the neighborhood. To my right, Sonata stands in front of some flower bushes, clearly taking a picture of something. “Our dumb friend is finally done with her makeup,” Aria tells Sonata while jesting at my effort to look my best. I’d like to see her make the same joke at her own wedding. That is if she gets married.

“Just in time~ Come on! I was just starting to take some pictures,” Sonata tells us, beckoning us over. The phone in her hand is still aimed in front of her. Standing in front of the bushes, my wife stands with a beauty more potent than any flower. There… Sunset stands in a beautiful orange dress, smiling as the sun shines down on her. Her eyes connect with mine, a gaze full of love and happiness warms my heart. I’ve only seen this dress once before… Not physically, but through a vision. All the way back when Twilight put the pieces of my gem back together for the first time, I saw two images. One of Sunset crying in the rain, and the other is the exact image in front of me. She looks just as pretty as the day I fell in love with her.

“Someone looks very beautiful today,” Sunset coos while grabbing my hands, her stare seeming enamored with me. I can feel a slight blush come to my face, but I hide it behind a smirk.

“You’re one to talk. You’re like a stunning dream, Sunny,” I tease her with a wink, making Sunset blush. “Behind me, you will be the most gorgeous person there.” Almost instantly, Sunset pouts with an almost angry look, clearly not amused.

“And here I thought I would be the center of your attention. I guess I’ll have to get you a mirror, drama queen,” Sunset teases me back, looking away from me. Despite her statement being an obvious joke, a part of my mind can’t help but feel jealous. Or maybe sad. Either way, I want her eyes on me too, so I can understand why she would pout at my joke.

“Okay, you’re right,” I tell her with a laugh, turning her gaze back to me by gently holding her cheek. “You are always the center of my attention. No matter where we go or what we do, I can’t help but look for your smile. That warm smile that beckons me home, reassuring me that everything is okay. The same kindness that taught me there is more to life and made me fall for you.” My words are but a whisper now, only leaving a truthful air between us. No more jokes, just an honest appreciation for her as a person… The one I can’t live without.

“Ugh, you two are ridiculously sappy… Can we start taking your pictures yet or not?” Aria chimes in, interrupting Sunset before she has a chance to mutter a single vowel. I wanted to hear her say some sweet things about me too… I guess I’ll have to wait for the vows later today.

“I thought it was sweet~” Sonata responds to our grumpy friend. “You just have no appreciation for romance. Anyway, get closer, you two,” she motions to Sunset and me, holding her phone up again.

Sunset’s hand goes around me to hold my hip, bringing me closer to her. I quietly do the same thing, following her lead for whatever pose we should do. Sunset holds her other hand out, forming the shape of half a heart. It’s a little cheesy, but it’s also kind of sweet. I press my head against hers while completing the heart. Even though it is already pretty hot outside, her warmth outshines it in every way. Sonata holds three fingers up. An excited expression is on her face as she counts down.

“Say cheese!”

The sun is high in the sky as the wind gently rolls across the beach. Everyone else clearly arrived before us due to the chairs being set up. Tables are aligned as a sort of outline around the area. A beautiful red carpet with seashells along the edges leads to a makeshift stage that opens up to the ocean shore in the background. The entrance has Rainbow Dash’s banner hanging overhead with the scales and sunbeams across it. In the center, a simple phrase seems to catch Sunset’s eye. A big smile comes to her face, caught off guard by the little suggestion I made.

“Naytra ven tru?” Sunset asks with a faint voice, bringing her hand to her lips. This is the exact reaction I was hoping for~

“Yeah, I forget what it means exactly,” Dash’s raspy voice responds as she walks up to greet us. Our rainbow friend is wearing a suit and tie, that makes her look very formal. I was half expecting that Dash would have been coerced to give up the suit by Rarity by the time of the wedding. It looks nice on her though.

“It means ‘I love you’, dolt,” Aria responds to Dash while rolling her eyes. Sunset doesn’t seem to be paying attention to the conversation, simply looking up at the banner with a surprised expression full of glee. The rest of our friends and guests stand closer to the chairs, talking amongst themselves like they haven’t noticed our arrival yet. Which is a good thing actually. Sunset and I wanted to enjoy a little time with our friends through conversation and cake before the ceremony.

“Wait a minute. How does Sunset know what it means?” Sonata asks with a bewildered expression, the cogs of her mind almost visible from here.

“Adagio shared it with me,” Sunset barely mentions, her smile too big as she leans against my shoulder. While she doesn’t know much about my original language, she knows this phrase all too well. Aria looks at us with another annoyed gaze, making her way towards the other guests.

“I’m glad you like the banner. As long as it means something to you two, it’s worth it,” Dash mentions with a wink, leading Sonata, Sunset and me closer. By the time we walk under the banner and into the actual area, Rarity’s eyes meet us, quickly making a beeline to our location.

“Darlings, you look absolutely stunning,” Rarity tells us with a high pitch to her voice, full of praise and admiration. “Adagio dear, where in the world did you get this dress? I don’t remember making it for you.” I almost find it humorous that she’s asking that question, considering the fact that this dress was a scarf originally. I still find her enthusiasm to be a good omen about my attire though.

“You didn’t. Sunset made it for me a long time ago,” I respond with a small turn, giving Rarity a full view of the dress. The way Rarity’s brow furrows in confusion almost makes me laugh right here. It’s always funny to see our fashionista be the one who is perplexed since she is usually the one correcting others.

“Wait, you can make a dress, Sunset? Who did you get lessons from?” Rarity asks in an almost jealous tone. I can tell from the look in her eyes that she wanted to be the one to help any of us learn how to make items of clothing. To be fair, she is a masterful seamstress and designer. She has pride in her craft. Just like how I have pride in my musical aptitude.

“I can’t make a dress, but I did make her a scarf~” Sunset’s eyes turn to me with a grateful feeling inside them. Rarity looks back at my dress, her confusion turning to a perplexed and almost horrified emotion. I should probably explain this before Rarity starts assuming the worst like I tore up the scarf or such.

“Don’t worry. I will change it back right after the wedding,” I state while holding the red gem around my neck. Rarity opens her mouth to say something, but she’s interrupted by a hand grabbing her shoulder.

“My, you two sure are pretty. Even better than the best spring day,” Applejack admires us wrapping her arm around Rarity. The fashionista holds Applejack’s hand as if she is trying to tighten the cowgirl’s embrace around her. Applejack’s gaze turns to Sonata who has remained quiet so far, noticing her dress of pink with tacos and cats on it. “And um… That dress is quite… unique,” Applejack tells Sonata with a positive tone, clearly confused by it.

“Thanks! Rarity did a great job with it. It’s so cute that I want to wear it around the house.” Sonata’s statement instantly makes Rarity’s face contort. Though she still has a smile, I can tell that Rarity is trying so hard to not cringe at the insinuation that Sonata would wear the dress casually and possibly ruin some of the fabric.

“Well, yes. I’m really glad that it has reached your expectations, darling,” Rarity comments, still a little awkward. However, it’s nice that she’s holding her tongue and letting Sonata decide what she wants to do with it.

“Yo, Dagi. Can I ask you a question?” Dash peaks around Applejack. She was just with us walking over here. I didn’t even notice her leave. Now she’s back here, apparently needing an answer of some kind. “There’s someone here that I am not sure if they should be. At least, they weren’t on the guest list you gave me a while back.”

Raising my eyebrow, I look at Sunset. My wife-to-be gives me a small nod, reassuring me with a single stare that we will meet again in just a few minutes. Sighing to myself, I let go of Sunset’s hand, walking over to Dash.

“Show me the way. I’ll be back, girls,” I tell my friends, following Dash. She leads me past some of our other friends. Fluttershy initially walks towards me to strike up a conversation, but I hold up my hand, giving her an apologetic smile. I will have enough time to talk with everyone before the ceremony starts, but I should address this concern first.

“So, Apple Bloom was on the list and all, but…” Dash points to one of the tables where Apple Bloom stands in a cute sundress, talking merrily with another girl. Despite the fact that she’s roughly the same height as me, I can tell this girl is younger than someone like Sunset or Dash. Mainly due to her complexion. Wearing a purple dress, Diamond Tiara has a face mask on, making it marginally more difficult to tell her emotions. It doesn’t help that she’s wearing a modest sunhat that casts a shadow over her eyes. From what Apple Bloom told me, this seems pretty out of character for Filthy Rich’s daughter. Maybe she just grew as a person…

“It’s alright, Dash. Apple Bloom asked me if she could bring her friend. I just forgot to tell you.” I pat Rainbow’s shoulder, thanking her for the concern. I told everyone I only wanted a small audience for the wedding, so I’m glad that my friends are doing what they can to make sure only guests are here. Walking over to the two teenagers, the beach breeze blows between us. Diamond Tiara notices me, her eyes widening. “I’m glad both of you could make it.”

Offering my hand, Tiara shakes my hand with a nod, bowing slightly in respect. Apple Bloom, on the other hand, seems locked onto my face, staring at me with no hesitation.

“Pardon my language, Adagio, but holy shit,” Apple Bloom states without a single ounce of embarrassment. “You’re gorgeous. Sunset must be happier than a pig in mud! Or um… Well, I ain’t calling your wife a pig. Damn it. Ya know what I mean.” Apple Bloom takes her phone out of her small purse that matches the color of her dress, turning it to take a selfie with me. She doesn’t even give me a chance to smile before she captures the picture. “Regardless, I wouldn’t miss this for the world! Diamond is also pretty happy to be here,” she states while gesturing to her friend with a huge smile. Diamond Tiara is a lot more reserved than the force of chaos that is Apple Bloom. Tiara holds her own hand in a ‘proper’ fashion. I… Huh… I didn’t notice it before, but Tiara has white gloves covering her hands with frilly ends. Very ladylike in a way. I guess it isn’t surprising considering Filthy Rich probably paid for her to have lessons in how to be a lady. Impressive.

“Your reception is unique and has a great deal of decor, despite the setting,” Tiara tells me while referencing the beach around us. “I am grateful to be here. It’s been far too long since I’ve been out of my abode.” I can tell that Diamond Tiara is struggling to hold back a cough, even with the face mask covering half of her face. It’s hard to not feel bad for the girl and her family history.

“Thank you very much for the kind words,” I respond with a slight bow of my head, returning the respect. “I know you are a good friend to Apple Bloom, so I figured you would enjoy being here as well. Speaking of which, where are your other friends?” I look around us, trying to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. While I may not have the biggest friendship with those two, they are close enough to Rarity and Rainbow Dash, so Sunset and I invited them.

“They needed to use the restroom,” Apple Bloom tells me with a kind of nervous nod. “That’s the only thing negative I can say about the setting. The beach ain’t the best place for bathrooms and all. But other than that, everything seems perfect!” Apple Bloom takes my hand, pulling me a little away from Diamond Tiara. “We’ll be right back, Diamond! I just need to say something to Adagio.” As we walk away from Tiara, I can see that she just idles by the table. I guess without Apple Bloom or the other Crusaders, she doesn’t have anyone to make conversation with. “Hey, thanks again,” Apple Bloom tells me, bringing my attention back to her. “Diamond hasn’t been out a lot and she’s been smiling a lot since she got here. Even if she is sticking with me for the most part. She’s happy to have an excuse to dress nice.”

“It’s not a problem, Apple Bloom,” I laugh a little. Honestly, I didn’t think I would be thanked so much for the simple act of letting her bring a friend, but I’m glad it could help all things considered.

“And she really does look nice, doesn’t she? I mean, I didn’t think she kept any of her nice dresses from how much she stays home, but she can sure dress up.” Apple Bloom’s eyes look back towards Diamond Tiara, admiration in her eyes, but it is evident that the dress is not the only thing she is admiring. “I helped her pick it out. She was nervous coming at first, but I’m glad she trusted me. I just want to help her have more fun in life.”

“Are you sure that’s the only thing you want?” I ask her with a smirk, causing the teenager to look at me with surprise. “Seems like a lot of effort to continuously help your childhood bully just so she can have more fun.”

“Huh? I- She’s a good friend now. We all try to help our friends when they’re down on their luck,” Apple Bloom explains with her hands up. A nervous smile dawns on her face, worried about what I’m implying. “There’s nothing between us. Besides, I’m straight.” The way she says those last words is filled with uncertainty as if she is lacking confidence in that answer.

“Uh huh. And did you make a ‘super special perfect invitation’ for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?” I ask her while raising my eyebrow. From the look on her face, she knows I’ve got her.

“You were the one who invited them. I didn’t need to-”

“I could have invited Diamond Tiara as well, but you insisted that you had to make it for her,” I interrupt her, pointing at Apple Bloom with a smug look. The young apple’s face immediately goes beet red, waving her hands a little bit to try and defend herself nonverbally.

“I-it ain’t… It ain’t like that. I’m her only friend.” Apple Bloom goes silent for a moment, her blush disappearing for a more solemn expression. Her eyes look back towards Tiara, longing yet uncertain. “She can’t afford to lose her only friend.” She averts her gaze to look back at me, shrugging a little to herself. “Still. Thanks for helping me out with this. It made Diamond pretty happy. We’re both happy to be here for your big moment.” Before I can say anything, Apple Bloom hugs me as tight as she can. Well, maybe this isn’t the tightest… I can still breathe after all. “I guess I should let ya get back to your fiancée. Promise we can talk a little more after the ceremony?”

“Promise. You can get back to your friend as well,” I tease her as she lets go of our hug. In response, Apple Bloom pushes me a little, telling me to stop without saying a word. She turns away from me, walking back towards Diamond Tiara. As soon as she gets close to her friend, they both start to talk again. I can see Diamond Tiara laugh at something Apple Bloom says, but her body language is still modest.

“I assume Dash was confused about Apple Bloom’s friend?” a soft voice asks me just as a hand wraps around my own. A gentle kiss to the cheek makes me turn my gaze. Sunset giggles a little, pointing at my face. “I made you blush~” I… Why does she have to be so cute? This is our wedding day, yet she still focuses on the small things like my blush to her kiss. After years of being with me, she doesn’t seem to tire of these innocuous moments. I haven’t gotten tired of it either. I never will.

“You can always make me blush. I thought that was a known fact by now,” I respond while rolling my eyes, pretending to be annoyed by her statement. However, the smile on my face doesn’t help with that. “Yes, Dash wanted confirmation that Diamond Tiara is supposed to be here. And I wouldn’t exactly call her Apple Bloom’s friend.”

“Ah. So, there’s teen love in the air?” Sunset asks me with a curious and mischievous look on her face. That expression changes into confusion as soon as I shrug. The ironic part about this is that Apple Bloom was adamant there is nothing going on.

“I don’t know. It seems like it, but Apple Bloom swore she isn’t anything more than a friend to her.” I can’t help but chuckle at how awkward that situation must be. Regardless, I think it is something Apple Bloom will have to solve herself. She’s almost an adult after all. Today, I only need to focus on helping one person. The beautiful woman right in front of me~

“I’m sure everything will turn out great for them,” she tells me with a chuckle of her own, leading me by the hand towards one of the tables. “However, I was thinking maybe we could get a slice of cake and maybe a drink before we do anything else.” Something about her eyes hints that there is something she wants, but I can’t tell what that is for the life of me.

“We’re supposed to celebrate after the ceremony. Isn’t that-”

“You’re the bride, Adagio. We can have a slice before it starts~” Sunset reassures me, all but confirming to me that she wants something. Probably my reaction. I mean, she was awfully secretive about the food she asked from Applejack for this event. The fact that Sunset doesn’t want to wait any longer for my reaction is actually pretty wholesome… “After all, I already saw your little surprise,” she winks at me, referencing the addition I requested just yesterday. Damn it… I wanted to be there when she saw it.

“You’re the bride too, S-” I can’t bring myself to finish my sentence as I look at the table closest to us. There are some foods that Sunset and I have made together before, but I can’t take my eyes off one major addition. A large cake sits in the middle of the table with cherries resting on top, the red glaze covering the top of the cake. The outside is a light tan that looks perfect from every angle… Cherry cheesecake. I… I should have guessed when she said she made sure to get my favorite drink, but I didn’t think she would get this. I can feel some tears start to well up in my eyes. I can’t cry now. Not with all the makeup I put on… “Sunset, you really did this?” I ask in disbelief, walking closer to the cake with a stupid smile I can’t get rid of.

“Of course~ It is your favorite treat after all. I wanted to make sure you could have some of your favorite things today.” Sunset hugs me from behind, giggling a little to herself. “And from the banner, the chocolate cake and even the setting, you prioritized me a lot as well.” Sunset reaches for a plate, giving it to me without moving from behind me.

“You’re the one that picked the beach, I just agreed with it,” I remind her with a small chuckle of my own. Even though we should probably save a lot of the celebration for later, A part of me already knows that my willpower is too weak to wait that long when it comes to cherry cheesecake. Having one slice right now shouldn’t be a problem. Sunset’s hands help guide mine to the cake, cutting out a small slice and setting it on the plate.

“I am so glad you agreed,” Sunset whispers with a hint of vulnerability to her voice. My heart tells me that she doesn’t just mean the setting of our wedding. Turning to face her, the look in her eyes is one of true gratitude and love.

“I’m blessed that you agreed too, Shimmer,” I whisper with a smile, pressing my lips against hers. After breaking our kiss, Sunset grabs the fork from my hand, stabbing the cake and bringing a bite to my lips. Of course, I don’t wait very long to accept the offer. The taste is just as good as the first time I tried it. Probably even better considering that it’s Sunset feeding it to me. Both of us share a small chuckle as I take the fork, offering her a bite as well. She bites down on it with a wink, making her seem even cuter.

“I hope I’m not intruding. I just thought that since you two are alone now, I could maybe talk to you,” a shy voice tells us with an almost questioning tone, causing us to break our eye contact to look over. Fluttershy seems genuinely happy to see us bonding like this. Her own attire is pretty modest, being a simple green with a bow on the back. “You both look really nice. I’m glad I could be here for you.” Sunset tries to compose herself from our little moment together, nodding to our friend.

“We’re glad you’re here too, Fluttershy~ Thank you for the compliment. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble to help out with the banner,” my summer mist shares her air of concern, but my heart is too enraptured by her eyes to share that sentiment. Something about how the sun shines in her irises makes my heart feel like its stopped and going faster than ever at the same time.

“It wasn’t a problem. It was actually pretty easy considering everything else I had to do when we got home,” Fluttershy tells us with a prideful smile. “I was going to train some doves for your wedding, but the doves I had access to are expecting~ W-well, um… I mean, the eggs are already laid, but not hatched yet. That makes sense, right?” For the first time today, Fluttershy finally seems sheepish and nervous, stuttering as if she is talking to strangers rather than friends. Honestly, I’m not surprised in the slightest. It’s only a matter of time until something throws her off and makes her embarrassed or timid. Hopefully, those will be rare today. I want Fluttershy to enjoy herself as well. “So, I decided to line seashells along the carpet and around the stage. I thought you would like it, Adagio. Since you’re a siren. I don’t know much about sirens like you from Equestria, so I hope it’s not offensive.”

“Well, it was a very good guess,” I try my best to reassure her, patting Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I love it. Really. I’ve always been connected to the water, almost as much as music. The seashells add a bit to the decor and fits the beach. I’m assuming you found them along the shore, right?” For some reason, Fluttershy’s eyes widen to my speculation, shaking her head back and forth.

“No, actually. I’ve collected seashells for years to decorate my pet daycare. I decided to use them for the wedding today and bring them back home once we’re done.” Good luck with that… Considering the fact that this whole wedding is being held on a beach, it is entirely possible a few of her seashells will be hidden by the sand by the time we’re done here. If Fluttershy believes she can get all or most of them back, I’ll let her do that. It probably would have been better to just find them along the shore, but the sentiment still means a lot.

Taking a bite of my cake, I think of the words to say. Unfortunately, my mind blanks on me like some computer error. Sunset takes the initiative and thanks Fluttershy again for both of us. Something moves in my peripheral vision right before I get bumped in the shoulder. The collision almost makes me drop my plate, but a white hand reaches out to help me hold onto it.

“I am so sorry, Adagio,” Sweetie Belle apologizes with a sincere look on her face. Scootaloo stands beside her, trying to stifle a laugh at her friend’s mishap. Sweetie Belle flashes her a look that is incredibly familiar to Rarity’s irritated stare. They are sisters after all, so it isn’t the biggest discovery in the world. “I’m glad I didn’t make a mess of your dress. Are you alright?"

“Sorry on her behalf. Belle here is a huge clutz,” Scootaloo tells me before sticking her tongue out at her friend. From the way Sweetie Belle stares at her, I’d be afraid they would actually start fighting if I didn’t know them better.

“I’m fine. It would take a lot more for you to actually hurt me,” I assure Rarity’s sister, a small laugh escaping my lips. Ever since my magic returned, I have been a lot more durable and energetic than before. It quite literally feels like the energy of life is limitless inside me as compared to just a month ago. The only person that has made me feel tired since my magic was restored is Sunset and that was through unfair kissing in the right places. “Go ahead. I’m sure Apple Bloom is waiting for you two,” I tell them with a humorous shake of my head. The two teenagers stare at each other for a few more seconds, but they follow my suggestion and make a beeline towards their friend. Or friends? I’m not sure. Apple Bloom said that those two were wary of Diamond Tiara, but I don’t know if that has been resolved yet.

“With that being said, I’m going to take my leave as well,” I warn Sunset and Fluttershy before eating the last bite of my cake. Gently, I kiss Sunset’s cheek to reassure her that I will be back. “I’m going to talk with some of the others before we get started. I figure it is the least I can do.” Knowing Sunset, she probably already talked to Twilight, Pinkie Pie and… Well, Twilight again. It’s still a little weird to get used to that idea in my head. Two Twilights at the same time will get confusing in no time if we have to get their attention at some point.

“As long as you stay out of trouble,” Sunset fires back at me with a smirk. She takes the empty plate from my hands, letting go of me. Fluttershy gives me a kind smile, grateful for the small amount of time we got to talk with each other.

“No promises~” I tell Sunset, gently jabbing her shoulder. Turning away from them, I walk towards the entrance of our little area. Standing next to it, Pinkie Pie is laughing about something with Sonata. Aria, of course, is looking annoyed about the ordeal, but she isn’t saying anything. It’s nice to see them getting along with some of my friends so far. Hopefully they will get to know the others too with time.

“There’s the star of the hour,” Aria mentions when she sees me approaching them. “Well, one of them anyway.”

“HIYA, ADAGIO!” Pinkie yells even though I am only about arm’s length away at this point. My ears start to ring and a swelling pain circles through my head, making me groan to myself. Pinkie’s yelling hurt my ears before I got my magic, but now? It is even worse. Shaking my head, I try to get over the feeling. “How are you? Do you like how everything looks? It was hard to set up some of this stuff, but I brought the decorations I made! I put them on the tables and even across the beach!” The fact that there are some rogue decorations around the shore is a little… disturbing. They’re made out of paper that dissolves pretty easily, so it won’t be too harmful, but the mental image of random people finding sirens made out of paper is weird.

“Everything is perfect, Pinkie,” I reassure her with a nod, still rubbing my ear slightly. “It’s a little hard to believe I am actually here. It all seems too good to be true in a way. That and the fact that I never really imagined myself settling down with anyone.” I mean, I was the most powerful siren to exist. I saw myself as better than everyone. While a lot of people still seem overwhelmingly dumb, I’m glad to say that viewpoint has been changed.

“The great Adagio Dazzle was too powerful to do something so mundane like romance,” Aria mocks me with a snicker even though she was no better. “It was a lot more interesting back then.” Aria’s eyes widen when she sees the glare both Pinkie and Sonata are giving her, pouting slightly. “What? I’m not going to go evil again. I’m just saying the ‘good’ life can sometimes be boring. That’s all.” As much as I want to disagree, I can’t help but understand that viewpoint. Normal life can be a series of ups and downs instead of a rollercoaster of chasing the next high. But if all of your life consists of high points, then nothing is truly remarkable anymore.

“Good. Because if you did turn evil again, I’d have to stop you,” Pinkie says with an almost too enthusiastic tone, a confident smile on her face.

“Oh? And how would you do that? With your ‘magic of friendship?’” Aria asks her with air quotes, rolling her eyes at the mere concept.

“Nope! It’s a far simpler method. I’d just hold you up high,” Pinkie declares with a content face, sure in her plan. Aria’s face flares red and I can almost see fire in her eyes. She mumbles some gibberish as she tries to form the right words to say, flustered with anger.

“I-I am not scared of heights! I told you that Sonata l-lied about that,” Aria claims without realizing her own stutter, crossing her arms with a huff. In an attempt to soothe her, Sonata rubs Aria’s shoulder.

“How about we talk about something else? What do you think of Aria’s dress?” Sonata asks Pinkie and I, despite the fact that I already said what I thought at the house. The dress is completely black with a lacey section connecting the chest with a choker around her neck. Upon closer inspection, one can see the shapes of spiders across the dress. Her shoulders are bare, but the attire still has sleeves that reach down to her wrists. The sleeves wrap around her middle fingers, making a sharp angle on the top of her hands. The dark eyeshadow she has on matches the dress perfectly. While gothic fashion may not be my choice, it does look good on her.

“Your dress is really nice, Aria! It looks like it's straight out of a Halloween movie,” Pinkie says with an approving nod. Aria just seems to shake her head, looking away from us.

“Thanks, I guess. That’s… kind of what I was going for.” Aria presses her shoulder against Sonata’s. Compared to Aria, Sonata’s dress is a lot… brighter. The main color is pink with a simple shape. The only thing out of the ordinary are a couple of taco-shaped pins on her hips. I have no idea why she loves that food so much, but as long as it makes her happy.

“I hope the food will be up to your standards~” Pinkie breaks the silence by telling me cautiously. “Applejack needed some help with recipes, so I might have had some part in the creation process. I won’t tell you what dishes I created though!” Pinkie brings her finger up to her lips with a wink. To be honest, I expected Applejack to ask for some help. Especially with something like cherry cheesecake. Applejack is a great cook as well, but I’ve never seen her make a dish like that.

“Thank you for all your help, Pinkie. Really, it means a lot to me. I know Sunset feels the same,” I respond while patting her shoulder. Before I can react, Pinkie grabs me in a hug that is almost as tight as Apple Bloom’s embrace.

“Group hug!” Sonata exclaims before wrapping her arms around me as well. Aria rolls her eyes with an exasperated sigh, slowly walking over to us and sharing the embrace. As much as I try to smile through this, I honestly feel smothered. In the mid day on a beach, it is needlessly hot. Adding the body heat of three people all around me is even worse. But the intent is pure, so I won’t complain.

“We should totally go to the amusement park after this to celebrate!” Pinkie exclaims, breaking the group hug. It’s a nice idea, but flawed at the core. Aside from the small party after the ceremony, Sunset and I didn’t want to do anything. We wanted to have a few slices of cake, maybe some songs, and then go home where we can celebrate by falling asleep in each other’s arms.

“I appreciate the enthusiasm, Pinkie, but we won’t be attending,” I carefully tell her with a shrug. “Sunset and I are planning on going back home after this is all said and done. You can still go with everyone else if they want to go though. I certainly won’t stop your fun.” Pinkie seems to frown for a moment before nodding energetically.

“Aw, I understand. If that’s how you want to spend your big day, so be it! You are the happy couple after all~” Pinkie grabs my hand, shaking it aggressively, unaware of how much she’s shaking my entire body. “OH! I have to ask the others! Maybe Fluttershy can foot the bill!” Pinkie immediately grabs Sonata and Aria, zipping off with them in the direction of Applejack and Rarity. From the look on Rarity’s face, I can see she’s worried at the alarming speed Pinkie is approaching her.

A small chuckle escapes my lips. I feel genuinely… happy. Being surrounded by friends and loved ones. When I prioritized power, I never smiled at a simple interaction like one friend running at another. Now I can’t stop myself from laughing at mundane things simply because it’s so peaceful. I’m so happy… They mean the world to me. My friends. My magic. My job. The love of my life… God, you’re so sappy, Adagio. It’s just really nice to see my life like this. I’d die of embarrassment admitting this to anyone, but life feels perfect. I have an image to uphold after all. But if there is any day to let myself smile past my confident and sarcastic demeanor, today is probably it.

Taking a deep breath, I turn towards the last couple of people I have not talked to yet. The most ironic part is that they both have the same name. Twilight Sparkle. One is a princess and the other is a scientist. I guess that just shows how different counterparts can be in this world. Twilight is wearing a more simple purple dress with the same symbol she usually has on her skirts. Her hair is tied up into a bun, making her look a bit younger for some reason. The princess, on the other hand, is wearing a pink gown that is fit for someone of her position. A small yet elegant crown rests on her head. Despite all the differences, they both seem similar as well. They’re talking with each other about something, but I can tell they are both thoroughly interested as if discussing their favorite area of study. It is going to be confusing to ask for their attention when they have the same name…

“So, you’ve been isolating the part of our DNA that is different to humans in this world? That’s fascinating,” Princess Twilight comments with an intrigue in her eyes as I get closer to them. “I’ve been doing something kind of similar with less success. For a while, I studied the differences between magical auras of Equestrian creatures compared to humans in your world. Though, as you can imagine, a lack of subjects has made it kind of difficult.” The princess has an awkward smile come across her face, chuckling at her own misfortune.

“Oh, how many people have you studied? I’ve had about four individuals in my own research so far. Those being Adagio, Aria, Sonata, and Sunset,” Twilight comments with a content nod, only making her pony counterpart cringe a little more.

“One… The Pinkie Pie from this world came over to my own once. It was only for a few hours, but I’m sure you can understand why Pinkie is a skeptical sample at best.” Before they can say another word, Princess Twilight notices my arrival, smiling at me. “Adagio, I hope your day is going well?”

“You look gorgeous,” the human Twilight tells me before giving me a hug. At this point, all of the compliments are falling on deaf ears. They are nice, but being told how nice I look over and over is a bit tiring. I’m just glad Sunset enjoys it the most. Hugging my friend back, I thank her for her kind words. Offering my hand to the princess among us, we shake hands with a nod. I’m not that close with Twilight’s Equestrian counterpart yet, but a part of me hopes to connect with her more even after this wedding.

“I’m sure you two could help each other out,” I tell them with a small laugh. “Sorry for eavesdropping, but you both want to research a similar phenomenon. Why not be each other’s study participants?”

“Oh, well, that would require me to go to Equestria and I don’t want to impose. I’m sure the princess is pretty busy. I still can’t believe I’m a princess in another world, but I guess that shows how she’s better at social situations than I am.” Twilight chuckles nervously, rubbing her own arm out of anxiety. However, Princess Twilight takes her hand with a reassuring smile.

“Nonsense. Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean I can handle all of my own nervousness. I just got… better. At hiding it. Believe me, I still can’t face the fact that I’m the Princess of Friendship either. These wings are a pain in the-” Princess Twilight points back, but stops herself mid sentence when she doesn’t see her wings. “Oh, um… A-anyway, I’d be glad to help out with your research, Twilight.” For a second, the human Twilight seems genuinely happy to hear that her royal parallel feels the same way she does.

“And I’d be happy to help you too, Princess Twilight,” she responds, giving her a big smile. They don’t seem the least bit confused, but I already feel a little disoriented from trying to separate the two in my mind. Any thought centered on one of them is immediately stopped because I focus on the fact that they both have the same name. Shaking my head, I grab their shoulders gently.

“Thank you for coming to my wedding, Twilight. It means a lot to me and Sunset.” I don't even know who I was referring to there. The princess, the scientist, or both. It is lost on me and I was the one that said it.

“You’re very welcome,” both of them say at the exact same time, causing their eyes to meet. They can’t help but laugh at their spontaneous reaction.

“Anyway, I have to admit that this is a beautiful place to have your wedding. I would have picked Canterlot for my own soulmate, but this is stunning as well,” the princess compliments our surroundings, but her statement forms another question on the tip of my tongue.

“Oh? Is there a Timber in your world too?” I ask Princess Twilight with an almost teasing tone. Honestly, it surprises me that she would have a significant other, but I suppose that fact should be pretty obvious given my version of Twilight is dating a guy she met at camp. A confused expression forms on Princess Twilight’s face, shaking her head.

“Timber? No, I’ve never dated someone with that name… I’m in love with Fluttershy. Oh, well, my own version of Fluttershy back in Equestria. I almost complimented your version in the same fashion before I remembered that she’s uh… Not my Fluttershy.” Princess Twilight gives us another nervous smile while my counterpart of Twilight looks even more confused than I do.

“I play tennis with Fluttershy, but I never saw her in that way. I’m in a relationship with Timber, but… Wow. I never would have expected that,” Twilight responds with a slight shake of her head, as if trying to accept that idea. “If anything, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are closer in this world than I am to her. Weird.” I could not have put it better myself.

“Trust me. There are weirder things out there,” Princess Twilight reassures her counterpart before turning to me. “Again, thank you for giving me the honor to officiate your wedding. Speaking of which, do you want to get started since everyone is here?”

Looking around us, I can’t help but smile to myself. Everyone is here just like she said. It’s nice to know they’re all here for us when we need them. The most surprising part is the fact that Sunset and I are getting married before Rarity and Applejack since those two have been together a while longer than we have been. Regardless, it’s almost nerve wracking to imagine that I’m about to be married. Forever tied to another creature. When it’s Sunset, I will never mind that outcome.

“Yes. I’m ready. I will find my wife-to-be then~” I pat both of their shoulders before walking towards the opposite end of our little area. The Twilights move to talk with the others. A familiar fiery-haired dream is already standing at the entrance, right under the banner. Her eyes are as beautiful as the ocean, beckoning me to her with a wave. Sunset looks at our friends, noticing how they’re all starting to move to their places. Moving to stand beside her, she locks her hand onto mine. Despite how composed Sunset looks, her grip is tight. She’s just as nervous as I am. Not for a lack of conviction, but due to the realization that this day has finally arrived.

“Well, if there’s any time to back out, now would be it, Alligator. It would be an asshole move, but still.” Sunset giggles a little, clearly joking. I’m sure she wouldn’t let go of my hand, even if I wanted to leave. I never would leave her at this point. Not in any world.

“You know that’s not going to happen, Sunny,” I reply back while rolling my eyes. Sharing a small laugh with her, she presses her shoulder against my own. Our friends move into place, sitting in their seats. Our bridesmaids sit in the front row. Sunset picked Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy to be her bridesmaids. In front of us, our whole reception is laid bare. The altar all the way down the red carpet with Princess Twilight moving to stand in front of the ocean. Even though we don’t have many guests, it feels like home. It is almost funny to have four teenagers at our wedding, but Apple Bloom is a friend as well. Not to mention her friends are the sisters of my friends as well.

Princess Twilight looks up from her book, giving us a small nod to let us know we can start walking whenever we’re ready. My tongue suddenly feels so dry. I’m sure that’s a sentiment Sunset can share considering her grip has not loosened for a second. By now, a “normal” wedding would have the father of the bride walk her down the aisle, but Sunset and I don’t have any family left other than each other. Wedding ideals be damned anyway. I want to walk down the aisle with my one and only so that she can be there every step of the way. So that I know she won’t let go. And neither will I.

Sunset and I start to move at the same time, neither of us pulling each other along. A slow and quiet symphony plays as we move down the carpet. It’s nothing like the normal wedding music. Just a simple tune to carry my mind along. The eyes of our friends almost makes me feel nervous, but it’s also nice in a way. They’re all here for our big moment. A moment that will mean more than any other day in my long lifespan. Sunset’s grip finally loosens a little, letting me know she’s relaxed and confident with what is about to happen. Stepping onto the small stage, Sunset and I take our places facing each other in front of the princess.

“Thank you all for coming,” Princess Twilight speaks up after clearing her throat. “To be honest, I’m probably just as nervous as our favorite couple since I’ve never done this before. The book I have here isn’t even some official wedding guide. It’s just some novel I’ve been reading so far, but I figured it would make me look more ‘official,’” Twilight jokes, causing a few of our friends to laugh. “Regardless, I am honored to be here today to join a pony and siren in an unbreakable bond. One I am sure they have already forged. No matter what happens, I know that these two admirable friends of ours will make it through any strife and turmoil.” Setting the book down on the altar, Princess Twilight brings her hands together. “Sunset Shimmer and Adagio Dazzle have decided to make their own vows for their special day. Adagio, will you give us the honor of hearing your vows first?”

In a second, I can feel my mouth get as dry as the desert. What I thought of for my vows is really… vulnerable. I can feel my heart beat faster, but… She deserves to hear those words. Nodding, I take a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment.

“Sunset. The day you came into my life again, I honestly hated you more than anything else.” Opening my eyes, I look into hers to let her know every single word I’m about to say is the truth. “I could not fathom the idea that you saw life in such an innocent and peaceful way, but that idea… grew on me. What started out as my attempt to be your friend grew into something much larger.” Slowly, my heart begins to calm down, remembering the times I shared with her before we confessed our love. Times where I had to figure out what my heart was saying. “I never knew love before you showed me. That’s why I think about you every time I wake up and every night I hold you before I fall asleep.”

A tear threatens to form, imagining how much it hurt to lose her. Imagining how I can never live another day without her. My soul feels so happy, yet scared to lay my feelings bare like this in front of everyone. Her eyes are so comforting though, reminding me just why I’m standing here today. She’s my everything.

“Your smile is warm enough that it outshines the brightest star. The truth is that I would be lost without you. I never wish for a day to be without your love. To be without your gaze. That’s why, for the first time in my life, I am putting someone before me.” Reaching to my side, Princess Twilight hands me a golden band with a diamond. Sunset holds her hand out to me, a single tear sliding down her cheek with the biggest smile I have ever seen from her. “I promise to always be truthful to you and to stay by your side through the toughest weather or poorest health. I vow that your love keeps me happy and I will always cherish you. Above all else, I promise to always love you. More than any amount of magic or power.” Slipping the ring onto her finger, I can’t help but feel the urge to cry. So much joy is filling my heart that it feels neigh unbearable. “Naytra ven tru, Sunset Shimmer.”

Our eyes never look away from each other, making the world feel so small here. She is my entire world after all. It’s so nice to see that my words clearly had an effect on her. Her gaze tells me just how much she wants to cry yet scream of joy at the same time. All I can bring myself to think about is the many years we have ahead of us. All the memories. Every second made worthwhile simply because she’s with me.

“Now for Sunset’s vows,” Twilight says quietly, almost stuttering. The smile on her face shows that she was also moved by my words. Sunset nods, looking at me as if she is on top of the world. She’s calming me down as I am with her.

“Adagio,” Sunset whispers, taking a moment to gather the words. “Our relationship has not always been the smoothest ride. My time at Canterlot High was less eventful than the years I have shared with you. The main reason why is because you drive me crazy. You make me angrier than anyone else and you make me laugh the most.” Sunset giggles quietly, a nostalgic expression on her face. I can hear a couple of our friends share her laugh. It’s true. We drive each other crazy. “I think about you all the time because I love you more than the amount of stars in this world and in Equestria combined. The second happiest day of my life was the first time we had a movie night together. The first is today because I can say with full confidence that I trust you and that you make my heart feel complete every time I see your eyes. You taught me how it feels to have everything from simply feeling your touch.”

Reaching out, Sunset gingerly grabs my hand, holding the ring meant for me an inch away from my finger. That same warm smile assures me that she never plans on letting me go. Now and forever. I… I can’t believe I’m this lucky…

“I know that I’m meant to be with you because I don’t need anything else to feel complete when I’m near you. I promise to stay truthful and always love you in return, no matter the scenario we face together. I will always support you. You’re stuck with me.” After a small breath, Sunset slides the ring onto my finger, sealing the promise she just proclaimed. There’s no one I’d rather be stuck with for the rest of time. “Naytra ven tru, Adagio Dazzle~”

Princess Twilight brings our hands together, but my eyes do not break from the love of my life. Almost everything else is drowned out compared to her. Sunset’s hands feel so soft and calm. She’s so beautiful, inside and out.

“In this world and in Equestria, I now declare these two wedded for life. You may both kiss your bride,” Twilight’s voice trails off as soon as I hear those fateful words. I can hear an applause as Sunset and I pull each other closer. The wind blows against us, carrying me to her. Without wasting a second more, we press our lips together, ensuring our love will burn bright no matter what fate has in store.

The End
…
For now~

Author’s notes:

There it is. There is Adagio's journey to find herself, redeeming herself, rebuilding her confidence, and finding out who she wants to be. There is the adventure of Sunset and Adagio falling in love with each other, building a life that is uniquely their own. While many of us are still trying to find ourselves, we can take solace in the fact that Adagio has finally done just that with the love of her life. This journey started two and a half years ago where I decided to write a small fic about a siren redeeming herself. In the process, we got to explore characters like Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom and others. Here we are, almost three years later with over 520,000 words to the story's runtime and I can't help but feel an intense happiness. I never thought I would get here to finish this chapter of the series. It was a mere dream so long ago, but now? It's here.

I wouldn't have gotten here without your amazing support, likes, comments, and overall positivity. Call me emotional, but this story has taken a long time and I'm glad I am finally here to shut the book. To finish a chapter I thought I would never finish. While this is not the end of the Sundagioverse as a series, it is the end of this journey. The next installments will focus on a new journey. Finding a new normal. Adagio and gang will have to adapt to their new lives as they move on in life. If you're not interested in that, don't worry. You can treat this as a jumping off point. For all intents and purposes, this is an end of a story.

The next story in this series will be titled Another Year Another Smile, a sidestory featuring the birthday of our favorite siren. However, we can talk about that more when the story actually comes out. Before I end this note, I want to give some much needed appreciation to the people who inspired me along the way. Without you, this series would have ended before I got to A Shimmering Heartbreak.

To Hphone, you helped me even form the idea for this series, giving me the nickname the Emperor of Sundagio. To Mon, you have been one of my best friends, giving me inspiration for countless scenes and even other stories. I will never forget your kind words that I am one of the best writers this world has not seen yet. To Ty, I will always be grateful for your support and the conversations that have given me dozens more ideas for the future. Talking about Sundagio with you lighten up my days and I am grateful for your powerful optimism. To all my readers, thank you. Your comments make my days better, give me some of the most unique ideas, and seeing the support for these stories makes me feel like I have made a difference to some of your lives. While this is not the end of the story as a whole, this is a checkpoint. The end of a chapter. A new step. I personally can't wait to see where the road brings us next. Thank you for reading my story. Stay special, everyone~

A Few Steps Forward

Taking a deep breath, I heave the box inside the door, trying my best to not fall on my way inside. The hot summer air doesn’t make it any easier to actually move these things around, but at least it’s better than pushing a chair through ice. I know that pain all too well. There’s no ice to mess with the moving process this time. Instead, it’s just some unbearable heat… Why did there have to be so many boxes?

Setting the box down on the ground, I can’t help but look around the empty living room, amazed at how much bigger it feels compared to our last living room. It’s almost unbelievable… How can I believe that I’m actually standing here, moving into a house that Sunset and I both own. It was a big risk to buy this place with some of our savings, but it’s turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve made. Seeing Sunset’s smile of pure joy that I agreed to buy this house was worth it alone. Settling down was never in my mind as a viable option unless it was in terms of a castle on top of Equestria’s tallest mountain. Now, I can’t be happier, settling down with the love of my life inside a home we will make our own.

“Well, the bed is fully set up~” Sunset’s cheerful voice tells me with a smile, walking down the stairs with slightly messy hair. The stairs lead right into the living room with the kitchen to the left of the stairs as a separate room towards the back of the house. To the right of the stairs, there’s a laundry room that leads into the rather spacious garage for a house of this size. A little bit of sweat on her forehead can be seen from the reflection of the overhead light. Her eyes look around the living room before looking towards me with a smile. “Almost done with the boxes, huh?” She and I were both unloading boxes until she decided to set up our bed, telling me that she didn’t want to unload everything from the truck just in case our bed didn’t fit in the bedroom.

“Did the bed fit like you wanted it to?” I ask in a teasing tone, causing the love of my life to stick her tongue out at me as a response.

“Yes, it did~ It is even more spacious than our last bedroom if you can believe it.” Sunset gently moves around the boxes, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. “Though, there’s still some more work to do, so we can’t exactly rest on it just yet.” Sunset gives me a wink before pressing her lips against my own, taking a small moment to just breathe before we get back to work. I can’t help but feel a little grateful that we only have a few more boxes to bring inside. It’s due to our small apartment’s size that we only had a few things to move here, but it’s still annoying to move all the heavy things.

“Then I expect a lot of cuddles after this, fiancé of mine~” I tease the fiery-haired woman in my arms, admiring her unpredictable nature. Sunset giggles to my statement, both of us finally breaking our embrace. Walking over to the front door, Sunset looks back at me with a smile, the light of the day behind her.

“That’s funny. I expect the exact same~”

Chapter I: A Few Steps Forward

The bell of our door rings just as I finish placing the final plate on the table. Most of the rooms in our house still seem a little empty, but that’s because we didn’t have a lot to move here to begin with. Hopefully, this will work out. It’s a modest little set up, but it’s the first dinner in our new home. What can I say? I kind of want it to be perfect… Sunset, taking off her oven mitts, looks to me with a small smirk, nodding her head to the front door.

“I told you that they would be here early~” she reaffirms her last statement, making sure I know that she won the bet. Due to the fact that all our friends are coming here for our house-warming party, I made a small bet with her that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie will probably make the group late. I guess it turns out that I was wrong. Sunset told me that the opposite is true due to Applejack’s strict rules for following a schedule.

“I guess I owe you a couple dollars, so what?” I ask her with a small chuckle just as my fiancé walks out of the kitchen and dining area.

“You owe me more than that~” Sunset teases me with a small laugh before I hear the front door open, hearing a bit of a commotion. Looking at the table to make sure everything is alright, I take a deep breath before turning around, walking towards the entrance to the living room. At the doorway, Pinkie Pie is already hugging Sunset with the excitement of a dog seeing its owner again after a long separation. Applejack slowly walks into the house, patting Pinkie’s back to try and calm her down.

“Woah there, Pinkie. It’s just a house-warming party. There’s no need for too much energy.” Pinkie frowns in response to Applejack’s statement, finally letting go of Sunset.

“Wait, so we can’t have balloons?” she slowly asks the cowgirl just as Rainbow Dash pushes herself through shaking off the confetti from Pinkie’s hair.

“Of course we can! This is a big occasion for Sunset and Dagi! I mean, it’s not every day you can buy a house in this economy, so I’m sure the two of them wouldn’t mind~” Dash tells Pinkie with a laugh before giving Sunset a hug as well. It doesn’t take Dash long to wave to me with a smile. “Hey, Dagi! Here, catch~” Gently tossing a small wrapped package towards me, I successfully catch it before it can get the chance to fall to the ground. What in the world is this…? Dash getting me a gift? It’s not Christmas and she’s usually broke. Huh. That’s pretty thoughtful. “Consider it a house-warming gift!”

“It is true that buying a house is a momentous occasion, Rainbow Dash, but you can’t just make assumptions for them,” Rarity tells Dash with a slight frown, still standing outside and waiting to be invited in. I can only assume Applejack came inside without asking for permission due to the fact that she wanted to calm Pinkie’s “party instincts.” As for Dash? She’s always oblivious to social cues. Standing behind Rarity, Fluttershy gives us a small wave with Twilight standing beside her. Interestingly, Twilight seems more focused on the house rather than the group, looking at the porch and the windows with a curious stare.

“Come on in, girls~ I don’t mind if you brought balloons, really~” Sunset finally tells everyone, Pinkie absolutely exploding with excitement from her words. Instantly, the party machine with pink hair starts inflating some balloons, the rest of the girls walking inside our house. Twilight, like she did before, takes an interest in the decor of the house, looking around at the placement of furniture.

“Your house looks really nice~ Are you going to keep the exterior yellow or change it?” Twilight asks us with a quizzical look, tilting her head slightly.

“To be honest, we haven’t discussed that yet, but I suppose it is something to think about, huh?” I respond to the science nerd, walking over to the group and patting her shoulder. The front door closes with ease before Sunset makes her way towards the kitchen to get the food served. Before I can help her, Rainbow Dash grabs my shoulder and looks me in the eye.

“Are you gonna open my gift or not? Kinda took a bit to actually think of something to get you after all,” Dash tells me with a small laugh, making Twilight’s eyes widen.

“Wait. Were we supposed to get a gift? I thought we were just hanging out to make them more comfortable in their new home?” Clearly, Twilight is really confused and she seems to feel guilty, prompting Applejack to nudge her gently.

“Nah, sugarcube. Ya didn’t have to get a gift, we just thought it’d be nice~ That’s all.” Applejack chuckles quietly at Twilight’s confusion but it seems her words are able to comfort the nerd.

“We weren’t even expecting gifts in general, so it’s quite a surprise,” I tell the girls with a smile before looking down at the small package in my hand. Opening it slowly, I can’t help but feel my eyes widen. Did she really…? Despite how much she seems clueless, Dash is pretty thoughtful. Inside the wrapping paper, a package of cherries stares back at me, making me smile a little more than before. “Thank you, Dash~ I will definitely put this to good use,” I tell her with a nod, slowly backing away towards the kitchen to help Sunset with dinner.

“I hope you don’t mind if some of us wait to give you our gifts until later, darling~ It would ruin the surprise if I revealed mine right now,” Rarity tells me with a smile. Fluttershy’s eyes look toward the floor in response to Rarity’s statement, but she doesn’t say a thing. Honestly, I wonder what’s going on in Fluttershy’s head, but for now, I should really help my fiancé. I’m sure I’ll find out what she’s thinking later on in the night in general. Right now? Dinner is about to be served~

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

Taking my last bite of my cherry cheesecake, I can’t help but smile at the taste of the desert, despite the fact that it’s my third slice of the night. The sound of running water accompanies the sounds of Sunset scrubbing the dishes. On the other side of the now bare table, Fluttershy sits idly, tracing her finger on the surface. Everyone else has already left for the night, but she really wanted to talk to us alone for some reason. Regardless, Fluttershy is a good friend, so I think we owe her a chance to talk about whatever she has on her mind.

Quietly standing up from the table, I bring my plate to the sink. Sunset reaches for it right after I set it down, only stopping when I push her hand away. “Let’s talk to Fluttershy before we finish the dishes, alright?” I whisper to her, nodding toward our friend. A small part of me is a bit worried as to what Fluttershy wants to talk about, but I am trying to keep a positive attitude. Sunset slowly nods, turning off the water and drying off her hands. Walking back over to the table, Sunset and I sit on opposite sides of each other, next to Fluttershy.

“That was a fun little party~” Fluttershy tells us in her usually soft voice with a smile. Looking at both of us for a moment, we all nod to her statement, my mind wandering to what happened earlier in the night. “It was nice of Rarity and Applejack to give you more dishes and tools just in case you need them~ I didn’t really think of something like that.” Fluttershy’s eyes look over at the package of cherries I left on the counter, nodding to herself a little more.

“Yeah, it was really nice of them~ But we seriously didn’t expect anyone to give us gifts,” Sunset responds with a shrug of her shoulders. “In my opinion, I thought moving into this place was already a big achievement~ I didn’t really want to pressure everyone into getting us gifts on top of it.”

“Oh, you didn’t pressure us! We wanted to help out,” Fluttershy responds almost immediately after Sunset finishes her sentence. “That’s… actually what I wanted to talk about.” A slow breath exits Fluttershy’s lips, looking down towards the table. Does she want to talk about her gift idea? I’m not sure what Fluttershy could have planned, but it makes me curious nonetheless… Slowly reaching inside her purse, Fluttershy pulls out an envelope with a hesitant smile, placing it on the table. “I couldn’t really think of something that both of you would like or need, so it was really hard to think of what I could give you. B-but… um… as you can see, I finally thought of something you two could use.” Gently sliding the envelope farther away from her, a blush comes to Fluttershy’s cheeks, looking down towards her lap.

A long pause ensues after her explanation, waiting for us to open her gift. Grabbing the envelope gently, I open the seal, looking inside and feeling a little curious to see what Fluttershy decided to get us. Within a moment, my curiosity is lost and replaced with a guilty feeling in my stomach, pulling out the check that was neatly placed inside. Fluttershy felt like the only thing she could give us was money…? I still feel bad for all the other times that Fluttershy paid for things without us repaying her for her kindness. Sunset’s eyes widen at the sight of the check as well, but I’m the only one who can see the actual amount she put down… God… This is way too much. Why would she ever think to give us this much money…? This has to put a dent in her wallet, right?

“Fluttershy… There’s no way we can accept this,” I whisper, placing the check back down on the table. The amount she wrote down was more than half of what we paid to buy this house… We can’t accept that kind of generosity. I’m already forever in her debt for forgiving me in general. “Please don’t feel like you have to pay us because we’re your friends. This is way too generous and I don’t want to be in this kind of debt to you…” Fluttershy’s face drops just as Sunset reaches over for the check, looking at the amount for herself.

“Oh, you don’t owe me anything. I promise. I’m not trying to buy your friendship. I just think you girls could… really use it. Especially since you had to use a lot of your savings to buy this place.” Fluttershy looks back and forth between Sunset and I with a pleading look in her eyes, seemingly distraught that her gift can’t be accepted. Upon seeing the number on the check, Sunset’s face loses some of its color, looking like she can’t help but feel guilty. Before Sunset can say anything, a couple of tears slide down Fluttershy’s cheek, staring at the check. “P-please… Can you accept it? I’m not expecting for you to pay m-me back, I just… want to do something nice for you two. To help you get back some of your investment before any bad luck comes your way. P-please just grant me this?” Fluttershy pleads with us, her expression telling us just how sad she feels at the prospect that we can’t accept it in good conscience.

Looking towards me, Sunset’s eyes tell me that she feels pretty conflicted about the whole situation, laying the check back down on the table. It’s true that in this economy, bad luck comes extremely often, but I didn’t want to make Fluttershy feel like it’s her responsibility to keep us from such a fate. I already feel bad about taking so much from her before, but for her to pay us thousands of dollars so that we can get a little bit back from our investment? How am I supposed to live with myself, knowing that we would take that much from her?

Reaching across the table, Sunset holds my hand and smiles at me slowly, nodding to me. I already know that this one gesture is telling me to let her take control in this situation. For some reason, I can already guess what she’s going to say… “Alright, Fluttershy. Adagio and I will accept this, but only this one time. It’s a great help, but we would feel too guilty accepting multiple of these donations from you.” A small smile finally appears on Fluttershy’s face, nodding to Sunset’s request with a happier expression than before. Regardless of the fact that Fluttershy feels better now that we’re accepting this, I still feel pretty guilty… Maybe this feeling will fade with time…

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

Gently closing the door to Fancy Pants’ office, I look towards the man, feeling a little confused as to why my boss would want me to meet with him. This doesn’t happen often, so it makes me a little worried, thinking that maybe I did something wrong. “Ah, Miss Dazzle. Please, sit,” he tells me while adjusting his monocle, sitting back in his seat as if he’s glad to finally see me. Approaching his desk, I can’t help but feel a little uneasy, noticing his more strict mannerisms than usual.

“Is there a particular reason for this meeting, Mr. Pants?” I ask him slowly, sitting down in front of his desk. Despite the fact that I know him pretty well at this point, we still use formalities all the time. Probably because he likes it better that way…

“Straight to the point as always,” he comments on my behavior, cleaning his monocle with a cloth before leaning forward. “That’s something I like about you, Dazzle. You’re always forward about how you feel and what you think would be a good idea.” Honestly, I feel a little surprised by the compliments he just gave me, but this isn’t exactly new. During my interview with him a couple years ago, he was also like this, telling me what values he looks for in an employee and all.

“I’m just committed to doing the best job I can,” I respond as casually as I can, slowly nodding my head. Fancy Pants takes a moment before he reaches over to a folder by his side, opening it slowly.

“And that’s why I trust you. You’ve been doing the best you can here for nearly three and a half years. You’ve been the longest running teacher here since everyone else has merely been volunteers or they left pretty soon after they were hired.” Yeah, Rainbow Dash was here for a long time too… But that changed when she finally got into college. She quit being a teacher here and decided to take on part time jobs while she attended her classes. That pretty much leaves me as the only long-term hire that has stayed here for years at a time. “Your job is the reason why I wanted to see you today in truth.”

“Pardon my prying, but did I make a mistake? I fail to realize if I’ve done anything wrong.” Looking into Pants’ eyes, I can’t help but feel a little worried, wondering what he is thinking about this current situation. What does he mean my job is the reason he wanted to talk?

“Not at all. You’ve done impeccable work as a matter of fact, but I do need to talk to you about the studio since you work here.” Adjusting his sitting posture, Fancy Pants takes a deep breath as he rubs his eyes, clearly not looking forward to this conversation. “I trust you and I wanted to tell you this in person.” Reaching inside the folder, Fancy pulls out a piece of paper and gives it to me slowly. The paper depicts a graph showing the downward trend of profits in the last… two years. It’s a pretty drastic slope. “Dazzle, the studio is not making any money back for me as of this year and it doesn’t look like it will get better. This, as you can understand, is a difficult situation.”

Taking a moment to breathe, I can feel just how dry my mouth feels, an anxious feeling washing over me. I can already see where this conversation is going… He can’t, right…? I really like this job and… God, I’ve done so much to help these kids learn how to sing. I’ve listened to them complain and they’ve even drawn pictures for me as a sign of gratitude. Am I really going to miss a job where I teach kids…? I really have come a long way… The bigger issue is that I don’t actually have a birth certificate or high school diploma. I can’t imagine any other place that would hire me if this place goes under…

“I’ve decided to sell the studio, Dazzle. Depending on who buys it, this might remain as a music studio, but you can never be certain. I wanted to tell you since you might have to look for other options in the near future.” Fancy Pants leans forward once again, grabbing the piece of paper from my grasp and returning it to its rightful place in the folder. Fancy will be fine… He has millions of dollars and multiple business ventures to keep him afloat. But me…? I don’t have a secondary option… Sunset and I just bought a house and…

“What if I bought the studio…?” I ask him quickly, grasping at any chance to keep this job. I can’t afford to lose it now… “What’s your asking price?”

“Dazzle,” Fancy quietly responds, a disappointed tone to his voice. “As much as I trust you and that you could probably turn this around, I… can’t sell to you.”

“Why not?” I quickly respond, slowly standing up. It takes a lot of energy to hold back my emotions, taking deep breaths to try and compose myself. “Why not, Fancy? I’ve been your most consistent employee and I’ve put the most work into this business. Clearly, I have the determination.” I think that’s the first time I’ve ever referred to him by his first name out loud… It’s understandable though… This is a… difficult situation.

“You’re right. You have been the most reliable, but I have an image to uphold, Dazzle. It would not look good on my part if I decided to sell to someone who has no high school diploma and hardly any experience in the field when I could sell to someone who has more qualifications.” Fancy leans back in his seat with a conflicted expression on his face, making both of us feel tired. I don’t have enough experience…? Thousands of years of singing in Equestria should be enough, but of course, I can’t use that on a resume…

“What if I complete a GED…?”

New Road, Old Thoughts

Chapter XIV: New Road, Old Thoughts

The first hour of this trip was probably the most unbearable. Everyone tried to find what seat would make them comfortable and an argument happened between Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Although, Rainbow Dash resolved that conflict by telling them to “pipe down.” For the last week and a half at least, Rainbow has acted strangely. Ever since I had that little party at my music studio. Needless to say, it makes me feel anxious, but no matter how much I may ask her what is wrong, she doesn’t tell me.

Inside the RV, there are a couple of tables with booth seats, a small kitchen area, a couch, and a small bedroom in the back. Clearly, this vehicle wasn’t made for eight people to stay in it, but we weren’t exactly planning on sleeping in here to begin with. There’s also a door that opens up to the driver’s compartment, giving easy access if someone wants to sit in the passenger seat. That is where I decided to be.

Looking out the window, it is nearly impossible to count the number of trees that pass us by. The only time I’ve really ever left Canterlot City was when I went to Appleloosa for Rich. This is in the complete opposite direction, however. Pulling out a map, I look at the sections circled in green. Nevada and Louisiana… The spell I used from the brief moment I got my magic back told me that the two of them are in those states. Unfortunately, my magic wasn’t able to determine their precise location due to how far away they are. That and… I haven’t used my magic in almost four years. I can’t tell who is in either state, but what perplexes me the most is that they’re apart from each other. If anything, I thought the two of them would be together. Sonata always did like Aria, despite their bickering, so I figured she would just follow her. The idea that they have been separate this entire time is a bit concerning since the postcards they sent me a long time ago were from the same address.

What separated you two…?

“It always is difficult to drive when the sun is just on the horizon,” Applejack tells me with a laugh, looking over at me for a second. The dawn of the new day reminds me that we’ve been on the road for a few hours now. We started in the middle of the night… I know Apple Bloom will be upset with me for that. She wanted to see me off, but Applejack decided to take off at four in the morning. “Ya know you could doze off if ya want. I wouldn’t mind, sugarcube,” Applejack states with a nod, keeping her eyes on the road.

“No thanks. I’d rather stay awake for now.” Looking out the window again, I can’t help but wonder what Sonata and Aria are up to. What is Nevada like? Or Louisiana for that matter?

“Everyone else decided to get some sleep a while ago. We’re going to be on the road for a few more hours before I make any stops.” Honestly, I’m glad Applejack is looking out for me. That is what friends do. I’m not exactly used to having kindness in my life, but it feels nice.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine, really. I slept plenty before we took off.” Quietly putting the map back into my bag, only the low hum of the road fills my ears, almost acting like a calming white noise.

“Let me guess. You’re anxious, right?” Applejack asks me quietly. Even though she isn’t looking at me, I can tell she is giving me her full attention. Well, as much attention as she can spare from the road. For some reason, Applejack is able to read practically anyone. I can’t lie. I am anxious. How am I supposed to approach Sonata or Aria again? How am I supposed to talk to them again? I have days to figure it out, but… still. “Well, I know these words aren’t going to do a lick of good, but I just want ya to remember that we have your back.” Applejack takes a moment to look at me, her eyes filled with sincerity. “I don’t just mean Sunset. I mean everyone here. Even me. We’re all here for ya. I know anxiety and insecurities make it hard to listen to advice, but I just want you to at least think about it.”

Applejack gently places her hand on my shoulder and honestly? I can’t help but appreciate every single word she just said. Even though I’ll probably be anxious this whole trip, it’s nice to be reminded that everyone here cares about me. “Thanks, Applejack. You’re right. I am anxious. It is kind of hard to avoid that considering what we’re doing right now.” Breaking my gaze from hers, I look back at the trees passing us by. A single thought captures my mind. I feel anxious about meeting them again, but I feel even worse about whatever she may have in mind for them.

“Well, since ya ain’t going to sleep, do you want to talk about it?” Applejack asks me curiously, her hand leaving my shoulder. For a moment, I hesitate to answer her, looking back at the closed door. I trust everyone in this vehicle, but my inner thoughts aren’t necessarily the most pleasant right now. Truth be told, Rainbow Dash doesn’t need to hear any more depressing news. At least for now.

Applejack, seemingly noticing my hesitation, locks the door to the driver’s compartment, giving me a reassuring nod. Thankfully, the actual cabin can’t hear anything going on outside of it. The driver’s compartment, on the other hand, can hear quite a lot of the outside world. I suppose that is to make sure the driver actually hears a siren.

“The reason why I’m anxious? It’s because… Honestly, how can I be sure they want to see me again?” I ask her quietly, both of us keeping our eyes on the road ahead of us. “What will I say to them? Something like ‘Hi, girls! Ready to make up and be best friends?’ No. I can’t just do that. This whole mission of mine to apologize to them feels so… selfish of me. If they don’t want to see me again, then I am bringing drama back into their life for no reason other than to satisfy this part of MY life.” The bigger worry in my mind is what if I’m bringing trouble along with me? My mind can’t help but try to convince me that maybe I should just turn back. What should I do?

“No matter how ya look at it, you are definitely bringing some form of drama back into their lives. However, I don’t think it is necessarily that selfish to apologize to the people you wronged.” Applejack’s words sound so sure and honest that it is difficult to not entertain her idea. “They were your first friends. I think the best thing you can do is to give all three of you a bit of closure…” For a few seconds, it feels as if Applejack can read my mind, saying the right words to reassure me that this is the right choice. “Tell me, Adagio. What do you want more than anything else?” Applejack asks me quietly, her stoic position hardly changing at all.

“To spend my life with Sunset.” The answer to Applejack’s question came out of my mouth before I even had the chance to think it over. I don’t really have to think about it… That is the one wish of my life at this point. In the past, I only wished to rule over anything and everything, but now? My ultimate wish is to just be with Sunset.

“And ya want me and the girls to be in your life as well?” Applejack asks me with the same inquisitive tone, making me wonder what she is getting at.

“Of course. You’re the only friends this old siren has.” Even though I used to scoff at the idea of friendship, it has been one of the biggest impacts in my life. Due to my friendships, I was able to build my confidence back up, go out and do things outside my comfort zone and actually reach out to Sunset again. After my magic was taken away from me, I was in a low place without the motivation to keep moving forward or to actually push myself. Now? It’s thanks to these friendships that I can be like my old self again.

“And I assume you would also want your old friends to be there as well? For your marriage and your new life?” Again, Applejack throws another question at me, but this one is far more obvious. I can tell what she’s hinting at with this inquiry. Applejack is always trying to help me or someone else with her wise words. I can’t tell if she’s faking her wisdom or if she actually knows these things.

“Alright, I see where you’re headed with this,” I tell Applejack with a slight sigh, focusing on the passing scenery. “Of course I would want them there as well. It’s more difficult than that. I hurt them a lot in our time together, so I don’t just expect that they will embrace me with open arms or such.”

“True,” Applejack responds with a slight hum to her voice, nodding to what I said. “But there’s no harm in trying to make things right. Even if they don’t want to hear from ya again, at least you did what you could to apologize to them.” Applejack’s eyes connect with mine for a moment, nothing but sincerity in her gaze. For some reason, every word she just said seems truthful and I can’t help but feel a little reassured by her statement.

“I suppose so. I just hope I’m not bringing any undue trauma into their lives.”

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

The touch of her hand is like heaven itself. Well, this is what I imagine heaven would feel like if it exists. In all honesty, I don’t know if it exists or not. I know that if concepts like heaven or hell should exist, she would definitely be one of the most beautiful angels. All she’s done in life is try to help others. It’s inspiring in no short manner. The sound of her laugh makes me feel like I can do anything. Maybe it is because she makes me confident in myself again. Adagio Dazzle. I didn’t think I would ever be proud of that name again after losing my magic, but it seems like anything is possible.

Her fingers gently pet my cheek, reassuring me that she’s here. “You must be tired, huh?” her voice quietly asks me, a cute giggle following immediately after. I can’t help but smile at her words, enjoying her touch.

“How could I not? The whole world tires me,” I whisper in response, holding her hand against my cheek. “So many people seem so… moronic. It’s hard to deal with that, but you… You always know how to help me get my energy back.” My words make Sunset laugh a little more. It’s always nice when I can make her laugh.

“And I assume I’m not one of these moronic people?” she asks me in a joking tone. Without fail, she makes my cheeks flush, unable to bear her cute gaze.

“Of course not. You’re… the smartest person I know. Even smarter than me.” Sunset and I share a chuckle before she presses her nose against my own, still holding my cheek as gently as she can. It’d be hard for someone to convince me that this feeling right here isn’t comparable to heaven itself.

“Looks like I tamed a siren, huh?” she teases me, passionately pressing her lips against mine. Our embrace makes my heart beat faster, showing me just how much she loves me. I don’t even know why she loves me, but at this point? I don’t care why. I just want this to last forever. “It’s time to get up now. I know you’re a sleepy alligator, but we need to stretch our legs~” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but feel confused at her words, wondering what she means exactly.

“What do you mean?” I groan softly, feeling my muscles suddenly feel tense and stiff. My vision goes dark and Sunset’s image disappears, but her touch still remains. Opening my eyes, a bright light makes me squint and causes my head to throb slightly. Looking straight back at me, eyes that reflect the ocean welcome my gaze, a warm smile helping me wake up.

“I mean that you’ve slept for a while~ It’s time we stretch our legs a little,” Sunset tells me with a giggle, standing in the doorway of the RV. Applejack is no longer here, making me wonder what is going on. Are we stopping for the night already? No, it’s still daylight outside. Breaking my gaze from Sunset’s I look outside the RV. We’re parked at a pretty large gas station… When did we stop here? When did I fall asleep? In the distance, I can see some of the girls heading towards the building, presumably to go to the restroom or to get snacks of some kind. “Are you ready to get out for a few minutes?” Sunset asks me cheerfully.

“Yeah, I am. Give me a second, dear~” Unbuckling myself from my seat, I take a deep breath before following her out of the vehicle. The bright sunlight warms my skin and I can’t help but look around us. This gas station seems to be in the middle of a city, the loud sounds of cars and daily interactions making me wonder exactly where we are. “How long was I asleep?” I ask her before grabbing Sunset’s hand, following her lead to the building.

“For about six hours, I think. Applejack told me when she thinks you drifted off to dreamland, so it was about six hours ago.” Sunset presses her shoulder against mine, chuckling at the amount of time I slept. “You must have been pretty tired. Though, I wouldn’t blame you since you have to deal with SO many ‘moronic’ people,” she teases me with a slight push, laughing to herself.

“I actually said that? I guess I was lucid dreaming… You and I were back home, sitting on the couch, so I was just responding to why I was tired.” In a way, I feel a little embarrassed that I actually said that to her. It makes me feel flustered to think I fell asleep in front of Applejack and Sunset had to wake me up, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. “Six hours? Applejack has been driving for that long?” How in the world is she not tired herself? It feels greedy of us to just sit back and let her do all the driving, but she is the only person who can do it. Looking back towards the vehicle, I see Applejack standing by it, presumably fueling it up. I can’t imagine how strenuous that must be, so I really should thank her again later.

“Well, yeah. She’s been driving nonstop this whole time. It was Rarity who convinced her to make a pitstop. Honestly, I think it would do everyone some good to take a break from traveling.” Sunset opens the door to the gas station for me, letting me walk in ahead of her. The cool air inside the building gives a nice contrast to the sunlight outside. Even though the smell of the building is an odd combination of fresh food and cleaning supplies, the building itself isn’t that comfortable. It is filled with all sorts of people, all looking for snacks or some other necessity. Looking over the shelves, I can see Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash head towards the restroom, recognizing them by their hair alone. However, I can’t immediately recognize where Twilight is among the crowd of customers. Fluttershy is at the register, seemingly buying something.

“Taking a break from traveling… Here of all places?” I ask her quietly, taking a deep breath. I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty, but something about this place makes me feel weird. Maybe it is due to the sticky stains on the counters, the freshly cleaned floors or the musty smell in the air. Eh… It’s still an odd feeling.

“I know you would prefer more high profile places, but we will only be here for about fifteen minutes. I need to go to the restroom, but I will be right back. Try not to cause any trouble while I’m gone, alright?” Sunset gives me a wink, chuckling at her joke. Before I let go of her hand, I pull her towards me, planting my lips against hers and holding the back of her head in the palm of my hand. From Sunset’s body language, I can tell she’s surprised by my sudden embrace. I can’t help but smirk a little at this, finally letting her go.

“I can’t promise anything. You know how much I love to stir up some trouble~” Letting go of her hand, I give Sunset a small wave with a cheeky smirk, making her roll her eyes with a smile. She quickly walks away from me, going towards the restroom on the other side of the store, leaving me close to the entrance of the store. Now all I have to do is figure out what I’m going to do with this break.

“So, this store apparently has melatonin and knock-off snacks,” a voice speaks up to my left, causing me to jump a little. Twilight looks at me innocently with a bottle of melatonin in one hand and some weird beef jerky in her other hand. “I’m guessing that they expect you to either sleep or eat your way through trips like this. Which one would you choose?” Twilight asks with a chuckle, holding the options as if it is some sort of gameshow. Gently reaching out and grabbing the bottle of melatonin, I look at it carefully. “Wise choice. I would choose the same thing,” Twilight tells me with a nod. “Also, that was a very… passionate kiss.”

Looking up from the bottle, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow, finding it weird that Twilight was watching the two of us. “What can I say? I love her and I don’t want anyone to try anything~” Bringing my hand up to my face, I show her my ring with a smirk, both of us chuckling a little.

“Even if someone did flirt with your girlfriend, she wouldn’t ever leave you for them. You two are practically attached at the hip at this point. Surprising since you two originally hated each other.” Twilight opens the beef jerky wrapping, taking a bite out of it. For the moment, both of us just watch the store, letting the seconds go by without a care.

“I’m not scared she would consider anyone else. She’s proved to me that she loves me beyond all else. I just don’t want anyone else to try anything, if you know what I mean. What does it say about me if I can’t scare away another suitor or suitress?” I ask her with an overly dramatic pose, bringing my hand to my chest. “I have to assert my dominance somehow.” Twilight simply laughs to herself at my words, shaking her head slowly.

“Must you always be so confident in yourself? Just kidding. It’s a good quality to have. I sometimes wish I was more confident in myself.” Twilight simply looks at the rest of the store, the two of us acting as passive observers.

“I either feel confident in myself or I let the destructive pessimism take over. Which do you think is more healthy?” I rhetorically ask her, leaning against the wall quietly. “Also, did you actually buy that beef jerky or did you just start taking a bite out of it?” As tempting as it is to not pay for something as trivial as beef jerky, I know it would only cause more trouble than necessary. I mean, in this world of economics, it is important to remember how important money is here. At least currency wasn’t always as important in Equestria. If anything, ponies would sometimes help strangers simply because they felt it was the right thing to do. That sort of thing rarely happens in this world, however.

“I paid for this and the bottle of melatonin. I’m not opposed to sharing if you want to though. I know how difficult it can be to sleep on trips, despite how easy Pinkie makes it look.” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but turn my gaze to Twilight, feeling a little confused by her words. Pinkie made it look easy, huh?

“What do you mean?” I ask her with a curious tone, making Twilight look up towards the ceiling.

“While you were riding in the front with Applejack, everyone else decided to try and sleep or play some cards. Well, when everyone was going to sleep, Pinkie fell asleep immediately. It usually takes me about an hour to actually fall to sleep, so I felt a little jealous. Not enough to be mad at her, but yeah.” Twilight shrugs her shoulders, taking another bite out of her beef jerky. Her mouth opens again right after she swallows, but before she can say another word, the door to the building opens beside us. Applejack makes a dramatic entrance with a thin surface of sweat adorning her skin. She takes a deep breath of the cool air before noticing us, giving us a small smile.

“It sure is hot out there. I’m glad we can take a break. Just don’t get too comfortable. I’m hoping to get back on the road in fifteen minutes.” Applejack pushes the tip of her hat up a little, making the light shine on her sweat a little more. Her gaze shifts from the two of us towards the rest of the store, inquisitively looking around us. “Do you two know where Rares is?” Applejack asks us, trying to look for her missing girlfriend.

“She went to the restroom,” I tell her with a slight yawn. Honestly? I kind of hope I can go back to sleep once we get back to the RV. I slept for hours, yet I still feel tired. “I feel like she will probably be out in a couple of minutes. Just cool off until she gets out.” Applejack slowly nods to my words with an exasperated sigh. She barely has any time to rest, however. As soon as she leans against the wall, I can’t help but notice Pinkie Pie come running out of the restroom with Rarity close behind her. Pinkie Pie practically sprints towards the sweets section, making Applejack look skeptically at her.

“Oh no… She’s gonna be indecisive about what to buy again.” Shaking her head, Applejack walks towards the direction Pinkie Pie is in. Looking toward the restroom, I can’t help but smile, seeing the love of my life walk towards me. I wonder if there is anything in particular that Sunset would like to get here before we leave.

I try to take a step toward her, but my leg doesn’t move. My body doesn’t… want to move… A sinking feeling takes over me, realizing how numb my limbs feel. Every muscle I try to move rejects my influence… Oh no. No no no… Not now. Please not now.

“Excuse me, Sparkle. I have something urgent I need to do,” my mouth moves on its own, speaking words I don’t actually mean. A dark circle encroaches on my vision. Without my permission, my body moves off the wall, walking towards Sunset. No… No! No no no! She can’t do this! Not now! GIVE ME BACK MY BODY!