Another Year Another Smile

Chapters

Don't Light Those Candles
Operation Party Hat
Smoke and Mirrors Behind that Smile
Chapter IV: I Hate This Job
Scintillating Gaze

Don't Light Those Candles

The roar of thunder slices through the air outside the small apartment. Not a single light is on, leaving a candle as the only source of illumination. The miniscule flame flickers with a ferocity that threatens to go out at any second. The hassle of lighting it again would be more annoying than it is worth. However, the candle has to go out at some point. It is resting on a small cupcake after all. If someone doesn’t blow it out, it will probably fall over or die by its own accord.

The cupcake rests on a paper plate, sitting between some old magazines on the coffee table. The heater of the apartment stopped working again about twenty minutes ago, but I don’t seem to have the will to go hit it. Instead, my eyes are trained on the flame that violently waves back and forth. If I listen closely, I can almost hear it as well, providing a natural melody. Of violence or conclusion? I’m not sure… All I know is that the flame looks back at me in a taunting nature. As if it is some mighty power that cannot be silenced. All the while, it takes two fingers to snuff out this ember.

Maybe that’s how I was. A mighty spark until I met the douter to my own fire. Those friends took away my own magic with just a simple song. One far stronger than mine. Now, here I await, watching a stupid flame. Not because I am mesmerized by its color, but because the meaning behind it is… odd. Most people would see this cupcake as a celebration. A means to smile. I, on the other hand, see it as another mark on how long this unbearable life has gone on for. Another year.

What is the point anyway? If my magic is gone, it just feels so pointless. Tiring. Draining…

“There WON’T be a next time, Adagio. I’m done with this shit,” Aria’s voice lingers in my ear, her last words telling me all I need to know. I never needed them in my life. I can’t understand why they couldn’t see the big picture… They just focused on what they wanted. I tried to help all of us reach our true potential. Instead, they called me a bully. I don’t need them. They needed me.

“I never want to see you guys again,” Sonata’s whisper echoes in my head just as the flame flickers brighter than before. All I did was focus on the big picture. If they couldn’t see that, then it was their loss.

Yet… it feels cold here. Even though a blanket is wrapped around my shoulders, I can’t help but feel cold inside. A freezing ice that I can’t seem to get rid of even when the heater is working. I’ve never minded being alone before, but now? The world feels empty. Without my magic, I am isolated. On a day that is supposed to “celebrate” my life, I am alone. And for some ungodly reason, that haunts me. Surely it’s because my magic is gone and the idea of celebrating this torturous existence is futile. Even if those two idiots were here, it wouldn’t make me feel better.

Reaching my hand out, I quietly snuff out the flame, leaving the room in darkness. No point in blowing out the candle. There is no realistic wish to make. I can see it now. Birthdays are idiotic in the core fundamentals… There’s no point for me to keep celebrating the years that go by. Because there’s no purpose anymore.

Chapter I: Don’t Light Those Candles

The sound of a whirring is constantly repeating itself, over and over. It feels so hot, yet a small breeze tickles my face. Ah, I know what that sound is now… Taking a deep breath, I try to open my eyes, but my body refuses to budge. To be fair, I didn’t get much sleep last night from Sunset’s attention and… that dream. The whirring sound reminds me just how annoying a ceiling fan can be once you’re awake. But it’s almost necessary at this time of year. The summer heat threatens to melt houses. It almost makes me wonder how the birds are able to chirp so lively under the threatening gaze of the sun.

The light coming through the window is nearly blinding. It was a mistake to open my eyes… I guess Sunset decided to pull the blinds apart, giving me an eyeful of the ball of hellfire in the sky. I swear that Sunset is trying to kill me half the time with her ideas of “fun”. Her side of the bed is empty as expected. How in the hell did Sunset have the energy to get up in the morning, turn on the ceiling fan, and open the window? We stayed up pretty late, leaving me with little energy left. Who knows? Maybe that smile of hers keeps her going somehow…

Slowly, I sit up in bed, rolling my eyes. As weird as that dream was, I have to go to work anyway. Time doesn’t wait for me. That dream was more like a memory though… A birthday I had a few years ago at this point. The last one I truly tried to celebrate. At this point, I don’t do anything for my birthday anymore. Sure, I could be celebrating myself and how I’m like a gift from the gods, but… It feels like a gross overindulgence when I already spend most days indulging myself and joking that I’m better than everyone.

Given, I am better than 90% of the people on this planet. Most people seem so… idiotic. I’m just glad that I have good people in my life. People like Sunset make this existence enjoyable. Not just tolerable like before. Chuckling to myself, I slide out of bed, pulling on some pajamas. The clock on the nightstand tells me it’s almost eight in the morning. Better time than any to get up I suppose. As much as my body wants to stay in with my wife, I do have a studio to run. Although, I could technically have Aria run the place for me…

No, don’t even think that. The place would probably burn under her control. I need to be responsible for my business after all. Today is also a pretty big day for the studio. We haven’t had a lot of clients since I turned it from a lesson-based operation to an actual recording studio, but I managed to schedule a couple of clients this afternoon. Despite the low number of customers, I know I can make it a bigger operation with the right touch. Fancy Pants just didn’t have the right ideas when he owned the place…

Walking into the bathroom, I rinse my toothbrush and quickly apply some toothpaste. My hair looks awful right now… I never can understand how Sunset finds my sleeping face pretty when I look like this. Probably because I’m the biggest critic of Adagio Dazzle… I’m my own worst enemy. Aside from Aria and Sonata. Those two have a way of frustrating me like no one else…

Spitting into the sink, I quickly rinse my mouth out, closing the door on the way out. Halfway down the stairs, I can hear hip hop music playing in the living room. The sound of some slight arguing makes me sigh as I reach the bottom of the stairs. In the middle of the room, Aria and Sonata are standing on a dance pad laid out across the floor. However, it looks more like a rug due to how slim it is. The TV shows some sort of silhouette dancing, encouraging the players to follow its moves. I bought this pad for Sunset just a couple months ago, but I haven’t got a chance to try it with her… The other two have made great use of it though.

“Stop throwing your arms all over the place,” Aria demands, desperately trying to defend herself from being hit by our friend’s recklessness.

“The person on screen is doing it!” Sonata retorts, trying to reason that she has to move so erratically. However, she’s taking up more than her fair share of the dance pad. Aria is almost being pushed off the damned thing.

“You’re making me lose this ga-” Aria’s words are cut off abruptly as soon as the music stops. All I did was press the pause button and they both immediately ceased their argument. However, their eyes quickly glare at me.

“Before you get mad, I have one question to ask you two,” I cautiously hold my hands up at them. “Where is Sunset? I figured she would be down here.” That question only seems to inspire more anger from Aria, scoffing before grabbing the remote from my hand.

“Can’t keep track of your own wife? Jeez… She went over to Twilight’s place,” she tells me in a huff before turning the TV back on. With a small push, she moves Sonata back to her side of the dance pad. Her words still ring in my mind though. It’s odd… Sunset has been going over there a lot recently to help our friend with some science project. Sunny said it is supposed to be soon, but… I don’t know. This is the fifteenth day in a row that she went over there.

“Oh. Okay. Have fun,” I half heartedly reply, my mind focused on more distracting thoughts. Moving into the kitchen, I can’t shake these thoughts about Sunset. Being lonely is a normal emotion, especially since we only got married around eight months ago. But… I don’t know. It kind of makes me feel ignored. It’s not as if I want all of her attention… Okay, maybe I do…

Quietly, I start filling a cup with water. I could spend time with Aria and Sonata, but that won’t fix my actual lonely feelings. Taking a drink, I try to calm my thoughts, but they only seem to get louder. It’s been more than two weeks now and Sunset is still spending practically all of her time with Twilight. Eight hours a day… I really want to know when this project of hers will be done. She never elaborated, just opting to reassure me by saying it will be done soon. That’s even if this project exists…

Why did I think that…? Of course this project exists. I’m just angry. That’s all. She wouldn’t lie to me. Although, my birthday is coming up. It would be unlike her to miss it. Even though I don’t celebrate my birthday, she always gets me a cupcake and sings happy birthday to me. Partly out of respect for my wishes to not celebrate that day, but also wanting to do at least something small. Those are the only kind of celebrations I would want by now. Small and quiet with the woman I love. Not making a big deal out of it. She wouldn’t forget about my birthday, despite how much I try to treat it like a normal day from now on. She would have it bookmarked so we can have a movie night and keep track of it for at least a month before.

And… she’s been working with Twilight on some mystery project for over two weeks now. My birthday is in just a couple of days. Maybe that’s the deadline… Maybe that’s the whole purpose she’s been gone…

“Oh, shit,” I tell myself, bringing my hand to my forehead. The mere thought of Sunset constructing some surprise party or elaborate gift is making me sweat already. She wouldn’t do that though. She knows I don’t want to celebrate it. The times match up too much though… Whatever it is, it isn’t sitting well with me. I should ask her about it when she gets home…

Laying the silverware down on the table, I look back at the clock again. Once again, it confirms that it is only half past eight. The pasta I made for two isn’t exactly going to spoil in the next hour, but seeing a table with two plates and only one recipient is a little… sad. Sonata and Aria decided to go out tonight, letting me know they would be gone for a while. However, I have not heard a thing from Sunset. I thought she would be home by now. I mean, I wanted to celebrate a little. I just got my first major deal with a couple of musicians. Maybe Sunset has something else she got caught up in…

Taking a deep breath, I look down at the dress I have on. It is not something overly fancy, but it does give the right attention to my body. Something to make me look nice without seeming formal. I had thought it would be nice to surprise her with a little time to ourselves, but I don’t know if that will happen after all. To be honest, it would also serve as an excuse to calm my mind from the worries of some birthday surprise being planned. I mean, she would probably get some time to tell me what she has been working on if she makes it for dinner.

The sound of the front door opening makes me peer into the living room. Sunset walks into the house with a tired expression on her face, taking off her earrings before anything else. The way her body hangs upon itself communicates the extent of her exhaustion well. Sunset’s eyes finally meet mine, widening in an instant in surprise.

“Hello, Sunny,” I say with a small wave, fully stepping into the living room. “You came home just in time~ I made some dinner just for the two of us.” Granted, it probably isn’t great, but I followed Sunset’s recipe as well as I could. Cooking is the one area I admit that I am bad at. At least it is easier with Sunset’s help and her recipe list. The look on her face seems hesitant with a hint of sadness.

“Oh, um… I’m sorry, Alligator,” she sheepishly tells me while laying her purse on the coffee table. “I already ate… I didn’t think you would make something and Twilight was pretty hungry as well.” She looks down to the ground, conflicted. A small tinge of pain attacks my heart, but I ignore it. It couldn’t have been helped… Surprises are sometimes ruined like this.

“That’s alright. It’s just pasta. I can put it in the fridge. We could still sit down and talk about your day over a movie. Which one would you-”

“I would love to have a movie night with you, honey, but… I’m feeling really tired right now,” Sunset interrupts me, a sad and nervous expression on her face. Walking over to me, she wraps her arms around me. “I appreciate the effort you’ve done to try to spend time with me, but could we take a rain check?” The look in her eyes seems genuine enough, but… a part of me is still a bit upset. She has been pretty busy, so maybe it would have been better to try and plan for a better time, but still.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll put your serving away so you can have it for lunch tomorrow,” I respond with a slight shrug. Sunset smiles and kisses me on the cheek, a sense of gratitude behind the gesture.

“Thank you~ I’m going to head to bed now. I’m sorry for cutting this short.” After another quick kiss, Sunset moves towards the stairs, walking up them with a great deal of weight behind every step. The truth is that I also wanted to talk about my own day. To brag a little about finally getting a deal that will boost the studio’s success. Something that can help me with my vision for the studio… But if she’s too tired to listen, then… I guess her work with Twilight was more important.

Looking up the stairs, I stare at Sunset’s back before she disappears in the direction of our bedroom. Something in my mind keeps nagging at me. Telling me that something isn’t right here. All of this time spent with Twilight over some stupid project… If it does have something to do with my birthday, then… I need to find out what it is. I-

Oh, fuck… Ugh… Why now? My head feels like it’s splitting open. These… These fucking migraines strike at the worst… times. Holding my head, I make my way to the couch, rubbing my temple as gently as I can. It can usually take anywhere between ten-to-twenty minutes to coax these stupid fucking…. Headaches… To make them go away. The funniest thing is that I’ve tried to use my magic to get rid of the migraines, but it doesn’t work. They’re one of the only things my magic can’t seem to fix. It is probably due to a lifetime of stress at this point…

Pulling out my phone, I exhale sharply, feeling the pain rise again. However, I keep a straight face as I type in a number. The device starts to ring for a few seconds until the recipient answers. From the sound of her breath, it sounds like she ran to the phone.

“Heya, Adagio! How are you doing today?” Apple Bloom’s chipper voice asks me, but the high tone only seems to make my headache worse.

“Fine, Apple Bloom,” I lie to her, trying to not sigh in anger at the pain. “You have a driver’s license, right? Are you free tomorrow?” Rubbing my head, I can hear Apple Bloom count something under her breath.

“Yeah, I can drive. I would have to borrow the car Big Mac has been working on. What time are you thinking of?” The way she sounds so inquisitive almost makes me feel bad about what I need to ask of her. It’s not really a specific time that I need her tomorrow. More like I need a ride throughout the day.

“All day,” I quietly respond to her, rolling my eyes. It’s a little pathetic I’m even asking this, but… I need to get to the bottom of this. “I need to… follow someone.”

Operation Party Hat

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Smoke and Mirrors Behind that Smile

Chapter III: Smoke and Mirrors Behind that Smile

“Are you sure about this?” I ask the young cowgirl with a lot of skepticism. She parked the car in front of an ice cream parlor, unwavering in her claim that Sunset and Twilight came here. The two of them left by the time I got out of the restroom, so I suppose I can only trust what Apple Bloom heard. Or maybe this is just some gut instinct of hers…

“Will ya trust me? I heard them say they needed to come here to taste test something. I ain’t sure what it is though.” Apple Bloom turns off the car, gesturing for me to get out. “In any case, we should probably go in if we want to have any chance of getting clues for their plans.” While I can’t deny that fact, the idea of going inside is a little worrying since the place is so small. Apple Bloom even took off that stupid mustache, so she will probably be easier to recognize.

Getting out of the car, I walk with her to the entrance of the shop. Apple Bloom opens the door, giving me an instant sweet smell of different ice cream flavors. The inside of the shop is relatively empty with only a few patrons other than us and our two targets. Sunset and Twilight are both at the other side of the shop, talking with each other while they eat sundaes. For some reason, the looks on their faces say that they’re probably talking about something serious. Maybe plan details…

“See? I told you that they’d be here,” Apple Bloom confidently reiterates her point, making me roll my eyes a little.

“Yes, but that doesn’t explain why they’re here. I’d like some elaboration after all.” As soon as I start to walk to a table, Apple Bloom grabs my arm to stop me.

“I’m gonna order us some ice cream. It’d look weird if we didn’t have something to eat. What do you want?” she asks me with a raised eyebrow. Shrugging to myself, I look towards the counter.

“Cherry if they have it. Just one scoop. I don’t want to overdo it.” Especially since I just vomited in a public restroom less than twenty minutes ago… Apple Bloom nods, walking over to the counter and leaving me to find us a table. I take a deep breath to stabilize myself. My migraines have been making me dizzy. I don’t feel anything right now, but I never know why I will get knocked off balance until I’m moving anyway. Walking over to a table next to a window, I sit down with an exhale.

Directing my gaze at Sunset and Twilight, I notice that Sunset is gone now. Her sundae is still next to Twilight, but she is mysteriously absent from her seat. I didn’t think she would go to the restroom in the time it took me to find a table. It was less than a minute.

“Excuse me,” a voice speaks up from beside me, making me turn my gaze. Standing right there is the familiar fox, looking down at me with a bright smile. “I hope I’m not bothering you. I just wanted to say I love your hairstyle.” Her finger points to my curly short hair, making me confused. For a disguise, this was supposed to draw attention away from me. Clearly, it hasn’t worked well. “I tried a shorter hairstyle before as well, but it doesn’t work on me. Do you have any advice?” She has…? I don’t remember Sunset having hair this short. Even in pictures of her before I arrived at Canterlot High. At least she doesn’t suspect it is me yet.

“No, actually. I just have naturally curly hair,” I reply in a voice that is higher pitched than my own. To anyone else, I would sound completely different. However, I don’t know if it works on her… If she suspects me for even a second, she could probably tell. She knows me too well. Honestly, I feel really glad that I left that damn party hat in the car.

“Oh, well, you can’t blame me for asking,” Sunset states with a cheerful laugh. Even though I share her delightful giggle, I can’t help but count the seconds she stands here. My mind is running haywire with any way I could give myself away. “I also noticed you came in here with Apple Bloom. Are you a friend of hers?”

The lack of that stupid mustache is what led to us being spotted. I figured it would. It takes every ounce of energy in me to not roll my eyes. I don’t look as young as Apple Bloom, even with this disguise. I guess I could have made myself look younger too. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say…

“Oh yeah, we both met online and connected over the Mystery Cat superheroine series!” I tell her enthusiastically, despite not knowing a single thing about that show. Action heroes are not usually my favorite genre… I’d rather read a book, listen to music, or watch a drama movie instead. My face really wants to contort in cringe over that line I just said, but I manage to hold myself together.

“Interesting. I didn’t know Apple Bloom had many friends your age. Her sister, a few of my friends, and my wife are the only ones I know of.” Sunset shrugs with a curious giggle, letting it slip that she’s married. Although I should end the conversation here, a part of me wants to hear her talk about me. Probably to stroke my ego. Or to see what she would say to a stranger.

“Is that your wife over there?” I ask, referring to Twilight. “I saw you two sitting together when I came in.”

“Oh, no,” Sunset states with a shake of her head. “My wife isn’t here with me today. Tomorrow is her birthday and well… Let’s just say I wanted to check if there was any ice cream she’d like from here. Cherry is a great choice by the way.” Sunset winks at me, an odd look stuck in her eye. Something about this whole interaction feels… off. I don’t think she knows it is me, but maybe she suspects something. “I hope you like the ice cream. Enjoy your time with Apple Bloom. You two should also give the amusement park a try. It’d probably be right up your alley.” Sunset gives a small wave before turning around, heading back towards Twilight. The one thing sticking in my mind is how she knew I ordered cherry… If she did know it was me, she wouldn’t have been so forthcoming with the birthday information.

Now, I just have to figure out what else she’s planning.

“Cherry cone from yours truly.” Practically slamming herself down on the chair opposite me, Apple Bloom enthusiastically hands me my ice cream. She has a scoop of mint chocolate. From the green on her lips, I can see she’s already been licking at her treat.

“You got us caught,” I tell her with a teasing tone. However, Apple Bloom’s eyes go wide, looking at me with disbelief.

“H-huh? No, I haven’t. What do ya mean?”

“Relax, she didn’t know it was me,” I wave my hand as I explain, trying to calm her down. “Sunset came over and talked to me. She complimented my hair and recognized you. Funnily enough, she admitted that she’s planning something for my birthday. She even said we should go to the amusement park.” For some reason, Apple Bloom doesn’t calm down. Her eyes seem to go wider than before, turning her gaze to Sunset and Twilight.

“Already? I thought they were going to the aquarium first,” Apple Bloom talks to herself in a confused manner. What does she mean by ‘already’? How would she know that information? Apple Bloom turns to look at me, her expression seeming nervous upon noticing my scrutinizing stare. “I heard them talk about the amusement park and aquarium before we left the bar. I don’t know why they need to go to those places, but at least we know where they’re going? I just thought they were going to the aquarium first.”

“And you didn’t mention this on the way here because…?” My question seems to make Apple Bloom frozen, her eyes telling me she is thinking a thousand thoughts a minute. Huh. I should have guessed. She didn’t think about it. Understandable. She probably had her mind focused on getting here as quickly as possible. Except when she stopped to help that elderly lady across the road even when it was her right of way. “It’s fine. Things slip my mind all the time too,” I mention with a chuckle, licking my ice cream.

“Y-yeah, sorry. I forgot about it on the way here.” Apple Bloom shrugs before taking a bite of her frozen treat. I have no idea how she can handle something so cold on her teeth. “Also, I was thinking… Do you want to go on a couple rides when we go to the park? It’s been a while since I’ve gone to Equestria World after all.” Apple Bloom smiles at me, clearly wondering if I would be up for the little adventure. However, we might lose sight of Sunset and Twilight if we go on the rides… I wouldn’t be able to just call Sunset and ask where she is going.

“I don’t know if that is the best idea,” I say quietly, nodding my head to the two people we’ve been following for the past two hours.

“Oh… Yeah, I get it,” she replies with a shrug. Apple Bloom’s gaze lowers to her ice cream, disappointed. A part of me feels a tug on my heart. While it’s true that Apple Bloom and I haven’t spent a lot of time together in the past few months, I don’t want to lose sight of Sunset… I…

“Alright,” I whisper, feeling myself regret this already. “We can go on a couple of rides if we find out where they are going next.” Immediately, Apple Bloom’s eyes light up. My heart is telling me that this might be a mistake, but I suppose setting some time aside for Apple Bloom would make her day better. I don’t know when the next time we will be able to hang out will be.

“That’d be really awesome! I already know the rides we should go on! Not to mention we should take pictures and-” before she can finish her sentence, I hold my hand up.

“Just remember that we have to figure out where they are going next first. Not one ride before that. If they never mention it, I suppose we can assume it is the aquarium like you said, but we should still listen in.” Shrugging to myself, I lick my ice cream before turning my gaze to Sunset. Surprisingly, her eyes are locked with mine from across the shop. Her body is aimed at Twilight, but her eyes give me a warm greeting. It almost feels like she is trying to communicate something to me, but I have no idea what that is.

I can usually decipher her stares of reason, organizing each look into certain emotions or thoughts. Longing. Affection. Anger. Sadness. But this stare? I can’t tell what she is reasoning. Maybe it is because she is deliberately keeping her gaze misleading…

A small wave acknowledges our eye contact, seemingly giggling to herself. Twilight looks in my direction before saying something to Sunset. Both of them stand up from their seats, walking towards the exit.

“We didn’t even finish our ice cream,” Apple Bloom states in a disappointed tone. “You’re holding my cone when we get in the car. I have to focus on the road after all.” Apple Bloom gets up to her feet, stretching her legs. Taking a deep breath, I stand up, already feeling my limbs go numb. My body feels like a receding tide. Despite how much I tell my body to feel something or stabilize myself, it doesn’t respond. Just like a tide, it will only be a few moments until the dizzy feeling leaves and my body will reach equilibrium again.

Shaking my head, I blink a couple of times. Apple Bloom motions for me to follow her, a gesture I take a couple of seconds to understand. Dizziness like that often makes me feel like I have to wake up again. Taking a step, I exhale, nodding to let her know I’m right behind her. It already feels like it has been a long day and we still have hours left. At least I have some help.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whisper at the sight of the line in front of the Gator Maze. Truly, one of Equestria World’s weirdest yet intriguing attractions. One I remember from years ago. It’s not exactly something I want to participate in again considering my current migraines.

“It’s perfect! You haven’t done this in years. You gotta!” Apple Bloom urges me on, making me shake my head.

“Not this time. Even if the line was shorter, I don’t physically feel up to it.” Not to mention that the only reason I did it years ago was because Sunset was watching me… That kind of incentive isn’t here now. The urge to impress the one you love is the worst drug in the world.

“But Sunset is in line. Don’t you want to be in there with her?” Apple Bloom asks me as if that is an appealing thought. If anything, I would be afraid that I would accidentally hurt Sunset by running into her. From my memory, this maze isn’t easy. There are a lot of things that make it an accident waiting to happen.

“Not exactly. The odds of injuring her are higher than you may think.” The fact that Sunset is in line for this exact attraction almost makes me… jealous. I have no idea why she is here with Twilight and how it could factor into my birthday, but a part of me wishes she had asked me to come here today. In no way is Twilight a bad person or such, but I… I just wish Sunset would have asked me. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to have fun like this with my wife… Combine that with the fact that she’s been so busy planning something for my birthday that she didn’t even have time to listen to my news about securing a deal for the studio…

Sighing to myself, I try to calm down. It’s fine. I’m sure she will spend more time with me after my birthday. I know she has something in the works with those balloon letters. I will have all the time in the world to tell her after tomorrow. She’s just trying to plan something nice for me.

Hopefully, not too nice… Some huge celebration isn’t my style. Not since I lost my magic. Not anymore.

“You’re a buzzkill, you know that?” Apple Bloom states in a half joking manner. “You still want to watch her in the maze, right? Because we could just go to the roller coaster I’ve been wanting to go on. But that would mean being away from your one true love for more than five seconds,” she teases me with pouting lips, portraying me like some puppy that can’t be away from Sunset for a minute.

“So funny,” I reply while rolling my eyes. “We already went through the house of horrors like you wanted. I want to watch the contestants of this maze. You can pick what we do next.” I nudge Apple Bloom to follow me, making her shrug.

“I wonder if Sunset will be as good as you were when you did this maze.” Before we can get to the entrance to the audience area, Apple Bloom stops me. “Hey, do you want a drink? It can get pretty hot sitting around and all. I was figuring…” Apple Bloom’s words trail off. Partly because I stopped listening to her. She’s not actually interested in getting us something to drink. She’s probably interested in the prize counter near the entrance of the park. Her eyes have been glued to it ever since we got here. It makes sense that she would rather try to win a prize instead of watching Sunset participate in a maze.

“Sure. That sounds fine.” Reaching into my bag, I give her a twenty dollar bill, making her raise her eyebrow. “Use that for your ‘drink’ too,” I tell her with a smirk, knowing exactly what she would spend the money on. That counter should keep her entertained long enough for Sunset to complete the maze. Apple Bloom still looks surprised, but grateful nonetheless.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t forget that you agreed I get to pick the next attraction.” Apple Bloom’s assertion makes it out like I wouldn’t hold up my end of the deal, but I like to think that I’m a woman of my word. Even if it isn’t a ride I like, I will let her pick whatever she wants.

When Apple Bloom turns away from me, rushing away, I can’t help but notice that Sunset has already disappeared from sight. I guess the line moved pretty quickly. Twilight, on the other hand, is walking away from the maze… If Sunset knows I am spying on her, this could be a ploy to get me to watch her instead of figuring out why they’re really here of all places.

But that’s all if she knows I’m here… She didn’t seem to know back at the ice cream shop. It still raises the question of who I should follow… Spy on Twilight or watch Sunset compete in a maze I went through years ago. An attraction I participated in all to impress her back then… As much as I want to figure out what is happening for my birthday, seeing Sunset do this for the first time is only going to happen once.

Walking into the entrance of the audience area, I take a deep breath, trying to ignore everyone else. Especially the smell of some people… Finding a seat is easy enough, thankfully. There are already some participants in the maze. None of them get close to winning… Almost everyone who enters the maze gets touched by one of the alligator mascots within a minute. However, I can notice one major change about the maze. The layout is different. Smaller corridors. Now, there’s a center area that has a big red button. It is probably the new win condition… That seems a lot easier than when I did it. I had to keep running until the end of the time limit. I guess this new layout is both easier and harder depending on who runs the maze.

On one hand, someone who is fast can end the game a lot sooner than someone else, feeling less winded after the ordeal. The other side is also true. Someone who may be slower or worse at avoiding the mascots may have to stay in the game longer than I did to actually get to the button, thus adding to the consequences of getting caught in a dead end. It is an interesting change all together. If this was in place back when I played the game, I would not have won.

At least, I would not have won in that way…

Looking to the left entrance of the maze, the door opens to a woman in the typical alligator themed shirt, cargo shorts and rain boots. The fiery hair is an instant giveaway to who it is entering the dragon’s den. Or should it be the alligator’s nest? Seeing Sunset walk in makes my heart beat a little faster. I remember how hard it was to run in those boots, but I hope she makes it pretty far into the maze. Sunset’s eyes look up at the audience, scanning each side of the arena. Her eyes finally meet mine, a small smirk coming to her lips. Once again, her stare is deliberately misleading. Her emotion unknown and her goal a mystery, I can’t tear my eyes away. The way she looks at me for a second too long makes me feel weird. She wouldn’t look at a stranger like that, would she? Before I can have a chance to confirm my suspicions, she starts running to the left. The mud makes her slip to the floor, but she quickly gets back up. Clearly, there’s nothing here that would contribute to my birthday surprise, so she just decided to do this for fun. Twilight is probably going to get whatever they need from here.

I’m not angry though… Seeing her dedication to run this maze is amazing. And for a moment, I can pretend she’s doing it for me. Even if she doesn’t know it’s me behind this magic disguise…

Twilight and Sunset walk in front of us, slowly checking out each exhibit. We make sure to keep our distance while staying within eyesight. That has been a little difficult due to some of Apple Bloom’s shenanigans. She specifically got excited about a shark tank. The dimly lit atmosphere of an aquarium makes it easy for Apple Bloom and I to blend in. The one good thing I can say about this place is that the sound of water surrounding us on all sides is oddly peaceful. Even if there is some annoying perfume or loud person, I can just focus on the sound of the water. Waves of distant memories in a way. Some good. Some bad. Every drop reminds me of times in my life with no rhyme or reason. No pattern to the memories.

“Ya know, I kind of expected there to be an exhibit where I could pet some of these fish,” Apple Bloom tells me, subsequently breaking me from my thoughts. Instead, I can’t help but think about how crazy of a statement that is. Petting fish… Why would she expect that?

“You do know these are water-based creatures, right? It isn’t exactly easy to pet them. Why would there be a place like that?” I give her a skeptical look as we walk beside a large glass wall encasing different kinds of fish.

“You’ve never pet a stingray before? Aw, man! You’ve missed out! Some aquariums have some shallow pools of water where people can pet them and some small kinds of sharks. I mean, this place is lame for not having one, but you really should cross that off your bucket list!” Apple Bloom excitedly tells me, acting as if it is an experience I shouldn’t miss. It personally does not sound like something I would be interested in. Unless Sunset was with me.

“I’d rather cross off a few books I’ve been meaning to read. I prefer to read when I’m alone, but I will consider it if I go to another aquarium.” Actually, reading with the sound of water around me feels like a pretty good idea. I should find some time to go read at the beach.

“What website do you use to read?” Apple Bloom asks me with a tilt of her head. However, her question only serves to make me more confused.

“Website? I read from books.”

“Yeah, books. There are books online too. They’re pretty efficient too since there’s no need for a physical bookshelf, no worry of tearing a page or stuff like that. Heck, even if you get tired of a certain book, you can just find another one instead of having to find another physical book. Gosh. I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘book’ so many times.” Apple Bloom wags her tongue a little, trying to emphasize how much that word has been used in the past minute. “I mean, it’s not a bad thing to use physical copies, but I find it easier to use websites. Some can even read to you if you get tired of using your eyes.”

“I’ll stick to physical for now. You know my proficiency on the internet.” That is to say that I have barely any skill at using the internet. I can search things up easily enough, but aside from that or looking up music videos, I don’t use it that much. “But I will ask you for a website recommendation if I ever feel curious. It certainly sounds interesting.”

“Probably not as interesting as watching Sunset in that maze, huh?” Apple Bloom teases me, nudging me with her elbow. “I mean, seeing her win probably made you happy.”

“Says the one who was so invested in that prize counter that she missed the whole time Sunset was in that maze,” I jab back, chuckling a little to myself. “For someone who spent all that money to win a small pink bear, you really like to tease me for small things. It was weird though…” Apple Bloom’s expression perks up upon hearing my last sentence.

“What was weird about it? Did she fall a lot?”

“Nothing like that,” I instantly respond, looking directly at Sunset. Even though her back is turned to me, I can see that she is giggling at something Twilight said. “Sunset looked at me a lot during her performance… Not at the other audience members. Just me in particular. And when she won, her gaze looked especially proud. It almost felt like she was staring straight through my disguise…”

“I-I’m sure it wasn’t that!” Apple Bloom interjects with a slight stutter, sounding like she accidentally breathed incorrectly. “She probably just focused on the person she recognized. I mean, you talked with her at the ice cream shop, so she probably looked at you since she remembered you.” Apple Bloom has a nervous smile on her lips, but I can’t understand why. She quickly grabs my arm and stops me, pulling me over to one of the walls. “Actually, could we take a picture?”

“Now? We just took one-” before I can finish my statement, Apple Bloom nods at the exhibit right behind us. It’s a relatively small tank that has a few seahorses.

“Please? I think it’d be a cool selfie.” Apple Bloom pulls out her phone. After a few seconds, I reluctantly nod, smiling for her. She’s been taking a lot of photos today, but I guess it helps her have fun… As long as we don’t lose sight of Sunset and Twilight. I still need to figure out why they came here of all places.

Taking the picture, Apple Bloom quickly types some text over it, making me raise my eyebrow. “Are they cousins?” is written on the screen with an arrow pointing at me and the seahorses. Apple Bloom giggles to herself, showing me the picture. It takes me a minute before I finally understand the reason why she typed that.

“I hate you,” I whisper while rolling my eyes. Apple Bloom only laughs more at my insult, following me in the direction of Sunset and Twilight. Her humor is stupid, but at least she has a picture to enjoy now.

Chapter IV: I Hate This Job

Chapter IV: I Hate This Job

“Another three,” I tell the man behind the counter, slapping two dollars down. The employee seems a little annoyed, but he takes the money and gives me three balls. I’ve already tried this a few times, but I am sure I can win a prize this time. I’ve had plenty of experience throwing stuff on the farm. This should be easy, but the targets are pretty small. I close one eye to focus on the target, aiming the ball.

“Pretty difficult, huh?” I jump slightly as soon as I let go of the ball. Turning my gaze, I see Twilight standing beside me, looking at the targets.

“Jesus, Twi. Ya don’t have to sneak up on me like that. I’m trying to win a prize right now.” Holding the second ball, I try my best to focus on the target again.

“It’s a loud amusement park. I wasn’t exactly trying to sneak around,” Twilight tells me with a laugh. “Anyway, I figured I would come see how it is going since the lovebirds are busy distracting themselves at the maze.” Throwing the second ball, it hits the rim of the target, but the buzzer doesn’t activate. Not good enough for a prize after all…

“It’s going alright so far. I almost made Adagio aware of your plans when she said y’all were going to the amusement park first. You could have told me,” I tell her with a shrug. Twilight nods at my statement.

“You’re right. It wasn’t my change of plans. It was Sunset’s. Considering that we’re preparing for Adagio’s birthday, Sunset seems like she wants to play with her a bit. I’ll try to warn you if anything else changes.” Twilight leans on the counter, watching me aim the ball. I ain’t the kind of person who hates being watched or such, but her eyes in my peripheral vision kinda make it hard to focus. “I was a little afraid that Adagio was going to follow me instead.”

“Don’t doubt her love for Sunset,” I say with a quiet tone, one eye closed. Finally, the ball flies from my hand, hitting the stupid target. The alarm rings, making the guy behind the counter shrug. He hands me a pink bear plush. It’s honestly cute and seems familiar in a way. “Adagio doesn’t know that being here is a red herring. But since the aquarium isn’t, it will be more difficult to distract her. What do you suggest I do?” Twilight looks like she’s thinking of something to say. All the while, I just hug the plush. It’s soft and seems pretty durable. It makes me think about what I will do with it once I get home…

“We still have to get the seashells from the aquarium… Try to get her distracted on some of the exhibits. When we get close to the shop, we will try to lose you two. Then it is really up to you to keep her from seeing our transaction.” Twilight tries to give me a reassuring smile. Clearly, she doesn’t know the kind of stress playing a double agent can put on me. I mean, I ain’t a stranger to lying, but it’s still difficult to make a convincing lie when I have to constantly distract an intelligent siren. She’s not dumb in the slightest, so every lie I tell her needs to have some reason behind it.

“You know how hard it is to lose Adagio, right? She’s like a dang detective. Probably stuff I taught her,” I say with a prideful smile. “But in all seriousness, that isn’t an easy task. Especially since Sunset is right beside you for the whole day.” Twilight motions for me to follow her away from the prize counter. As soon as we are away from a lot of the people around the entrance of the park, she hands me a small packet of some red liquid. How is sauce supposed to help? Am I going somewhere to eat?

“If you absolutely need to, you can bite down on this packet to make it look like you’re bleeding from the mouth. It’s fake blood, so don’t ingest too much of it. I’m sure that if you look injured, Adagio’s attention will be focused on you.” The way she suggests that so casually is insane. Given, I’d probably come up with something equally as crazy, so it isn’t too weird. The thought of making myself appear injured still sucks though. I guess I could pretend to fall on my face and lure her to the bathroom for a bit. I should still find another way to distract her if it is possible.

“This is crazy, but I’ve done worse,” I shrug, putting the pack of fake blood in my pocket. “Do you two have anywhere else you need to go before tomorrow? I’d like to know where to go after the Aquarium since Adagio seems pretty focused on that before we go on any more rides.” Twilight takes a deep breath, looking into her purse. Pulling out a piece of paper, her eyes scan it for a few seconds.

“It looks like the last place we need to go to is a photography studio to get that picture print out. There isn’t much to do there, so you two will likely just be standing around. Unless you want to look at the picture frames. They have a surprising history behind them.” Surprising history behind picture frames? Sure. It’s probably just something boring like what kind of wood they are made out of. Twilight looks at me with a nervous smile, shrugging to herself. “Eh, nevermind. I’m sure you will enjoy the shop anyway since you can find a lot of cool frames. After that, Sunset will be heading home.” So, I only have to distract Adagio for a few more hours. It sounds a lot easier than it will be, that is for certain… I wish I was a better spy.

“I hate you,” Adagio whispers as she walks in front of me. I can tell she’s joking, but I do hate working as some sort of double agent. Both sides want me to do certain things and I can barely keep up as it is. Oh god, am I getting old? Is this what it feels like to be tired of everything? I’m only eighteen. Nah, I can still keep up… Yeah. The first step to being old is admitting you’re old. That’s what Granny always s…

“Hey, Adagio,” I state, walking up beside her. “Do you wanna look at the clownfish while we’re here? It should only take a few minutes.”

“Sunset and Twilight are about to pass the corner. I don’t want to lose them already,” Adagio tells me with a shake of her head, urging me to keep following them. That… is exactly why I wanted us to look at the fish. The gift shop is up ahead and I’d rather lose them now so they can have some time to buy those shells.

“Yeah, but I haven’t seen them here. The last time I saw some was when I was like five.” That’s not the whole truth… I have seen clownfish since then, but what else am I supposed to do? I don’t have a lot of ideas on how to slow her down.

“Then you can look at them. I’ll text you when we need to go,” she states in a matter of fact voice, not realizing that I want her to stay with me. Keeping her away from Sunset was not on my bucket list today. Heck, it wasn’t on my job description when Adagio asked me to help out. But I guess when you’re caught by the enemy, you have to do a lot of stuff you didn’t sign up for. Sighing to myself, I grab the fake blood. This is so stupid, but it seems like this will be the only way to get Adagio off Sunset’s trail. I…

“What’s wrong?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow. Adagio stopped suddenly, making the distance between us and our desired target greater by the second. However, she seems distracted… “Hey, Adagio. You okay? Is there a reason why you stopped or are you just admiring the view?” Despite my joke, Adagio doesn’t find it funny. Instead, her eyes stare into space as her body wobbles slightly.

“Let’s… Let’s look at those clownfish… I need a place to sit anyway,” Adagio tells me in a normal tone, but the way her hand grabs my shoulder isn’t usual at all. It’s like she’s lost her balance.

“Are you okay? I can get ya some water-”

“I’m fine. Just dizzy,” Adagio interrupts me in a slightly annoyed voice. Sitting down near the clownfish display, Adagio’s eyes instead look at the floor. The weirdest part about all of this was that I was about to fake an injury… I guess she wanted to beat me to the punch. “Sorry. Not enough iron in my body,” Adagio says with a slight chuckle. “In all seriousness, I think it’s just a lot of stress getting to me. Don’t worry about me.”

“Stress about the lack of time spent with Sunset?” I ask carefully, bumping her with my shoulder. A nod agrees with my question.

“Not to mention the big deals I have been trying to secure for the music studio. I signed on some big artists to record there, but I haven’t been able to tell Sunset yet. Some luck, huh?” Adagio rolls her eyes a little. “All this stress lately has been causing me to have frequent headaches and dizziness. Possibly the nausea too.”

“Then you should take it easy,” I tell her with a big smile, patting her shoulder. “Is it really so bad that Sunset wants to plan something for your birthday? Maybe you should go home-”

“No,” she interrupts me again with a shake of her head. “Even though she doesn’t know it is me… It’s nice to spend time with Sunset like this. Kind of like a stalker, but still. It’s been a while since I have spent time with her, so…” Adagio shakes her head slightly, lightly slapping her face to make herself more aware. “But still. Thank you for helping me with such a weird day.” Helping isn’t exactly what I would call being a double agent, but we can go with that. Adagio stands up from her seat, looking towards the direction of Sunset who has now disappeared.

“Don’t mention it,” I respond with a laugh. “I’ve asked you to help me with weird stuff too. This is just you cashing in my debt.” Let’s just hope this gave Sunset enough time to buy those stupid seashells… “Actually, how about you wait here?” Adagio raises an eyebrow at my question, clearly concerned. “Take a few more minutes to breathe and regain your composure. I'll scout ahead and keep an eye on those two. I can text you if we need to go before you catch up with us.” Adagio tilts her head, interested in the idea. After a few seconds, she finally shrugs.

“Fine. But I won’t be too far behind. Tell me whatever you see,” she reminds me, even though I can’t tell her a thing or else Sunset will be mad at me. Giving her a thumbs up, I quickly run ahead, making sure that Adagio actually takes a few moments to stay behind. Feeling the air against my face, I know what I have to do. If they aren’t done at the gift shop yet, I will rush them through it, I swear to god…

A bell rings as we open the door to the small shop. The place is filled with the smell of wood, but an air freshener tries to mask that with the scent of flowers. Honestly, it really just highlights the wood smell since it makes the place feel like a floral shop from smell alone. It kind of reminds me of those yoga places that try to emulate nature, but they go way too hard. Living on a farm helps you know what is an artificial smell or the real deal.

However, this place ain’t trying to do that at all. They just have a lot of wood frames for sale. They also have camera equipment to the right. This feels like a one stop shop for anything photography, which is weird for a studio. I thought the place would mostly be a place where people get their pictures taken. Not a place where you can buy a camera, a frame, and other stuff… I don’t know the names of the other products. Things that hold up a camera and… a ring light?

“Maybe this is what you should do,” I tell Adagio with a smug raised eyebrow, nudging her. “Just imagine it. People go to your studio to record music and they are also enticed to buy new speakers or instruments on the way out.” Adagio hits me in the arm, not bothering to look at me.

“Don’t even suggest something like that. That would probably just alienate my client base.” Adagio has a thoughtful look come across her face, nodding a little to herself. “But that does give me a couple ideas for some alternative services I could provide…” Before I can ask her what she means, Adagio leads me into the picture frame section of the store. Her hand sorts through the frames, but her eyes linger around the store. “I thought you said they were coming here. Are they here yet?” she asks me with a skeptical tone. The problem is that we’re here a few minutes early.

“Relax. They’ll be here s-” the ringing bell interrupts me, making our gaze turn towards the door. Sunset holds the door open for Twilight, both of them entering with a laugh. I have no idea how we got here before them since they left the aquarium before us… Adagio quickly averts her eyes, her back aimed at Sunset. It really doesn’t matter if she is obvious or not. They know we’re stalking them. It’s quite literally my job to try and distract Adagio while we follow them. “What did I tell you? They’re here.”

“That doesn’t tell me why they’re here in the first place,” Adagio mentions in a whisper. Oh, I don’t know. Going to a photography studio means they clearly want to get a sandwich instead of buying something like a picture. “What are they buying? A picture? If so, which one are they printing out?” Adagio asks, almost like she sensed my sarcastic thoughts. Sunset and Twilight walk towards the counter without looking through any of the products for sale.

“I guess that answers your question. They’re either getting a picture printed out or they are here to take some new pics.” I nod towards the two of them, making Adagio look over for a few seconds. An elderly man walks over to the counter, greeting them. I can barely hear him talk to Sunset about her order being ready.

“Thank you again for completing this on such short notice,” Sunset gratefully says. I can tell Adagio’s interest is piqued since she stops pretending to look through the picture frames.

“It's a lovely piece, might I say. It was easy to print and it is always nice to see a picture of two friends,” the elderly man comments with the kind of smile that you’d get from a grandparent that still hasn't lost their hope in life.

“She is my best friend, but it's a picture with my wife,” Sunset corrects the man, making his eyes widen slightly. Adagio leans in a little more upon hearing that.

“Oh, I'm terribly sorry for assuming. You're a cute couple and I am sure you are lucky to have her,” the man replies with the same hopeful smile. Adagio’s head hangs a little lower as if she is trying to hide behind the shelf.

“Luckier than you can imagine,” Sunset comments with the biggest smile. Twilight nudges her as if to bring her back to reality. Funnily enough, Adagio is also blushing wildly. I can't imagine being that much in love with someone… They're practically daydreaming about each other from the simple mention of each other's names.

The man turns around, picking up a yellow envelope. He gives it to Sunset after she hands over a few dollars.

“If it isn't up to expectations, remember that we offer a full refund up to thirty days,” the man gently tells the two of them. Twilight nudges Sunset, seemingly telling her to do something.

“I'm sure it is perfect, thank you,” Sunset whispers before opening the envelope. Her hand gently pulls out a small framed picture, tilted just enough that I can't see what the picture is depicting. The brightest smile comes across Sunset’s face, one that would make anyone stop and wonder what could make her react like that. I wonder what picture she chose…

Author's Note

Fun fact, I finished this chapter while in the car :) I wasn't driving of course. Don't fic and drive!

Scintillating Gaze

Chapter V: Scintillating Gaze

DISCLAIMER: Please read until the end of the author’s note of this chapter. If you don’t, you will miss out on something important for the series going forward.

What picture is she buying…? The frame is about the size of her hand, but the glare from the glass makes it impossible to see what picture is causing her to smile so much. The way her hand gingerly touches the glass makes it almost irresistible to go over and look at the picture directly. I know this is for my birthday, but… what is it? Is it from our wedding? Or maybe it could be from our trip to find Aria and Sonata. Or even before that…

“Do you see what it is?” I barely ask Apple Bloom, a little embarrassed that I am even asking that. My eyes focus on the frame so much that I almost forget just how weird it is to stare at someone from behind a shelf of photo products.

“Even if I could from this angle, it is so far away that I doubt I would be able to make out what picture it is,” Apple Bloom sarcastically remarks. I choose to ignore her tone, trying to focus on the picture. It’s a foolish attempt however… Within a few seconds, Sunset slips the photo back into the envelope. Everything in my soul wants to know exactly what kind of photo that could make her smile like that…

Sunset’s eyes turn towards us, making Apple Bloom duck behind the shelf. Even though there are some people between us, her eyes instantly connect with mine. A genuine smile greets me, locking me in place. I can't hide even if I want to… My upper lip feels hot as her stare penetrates my soul.

But… her eyes are not happy now. They're suddenly concerned. Her smile is gone and her hand reaches into her bag, pulling out a tissue. Her hand gives the envelope to Twilight, never breaking eye contact with me. Sunset starts walking towards me in that overprotective stride she rarely uses. She has a mission… but what? Why is she coming this way so fast?

Before I can do anything, Sunset grabs my shoulder, bringing the tissue to my face. Her hand holds onto me with the kind of strength that tells me she doesn't want me to move. Her body is close enough to me that no one would be able to see my face except for her. As the tissue touches my upper lip, I see red…

“Hold on, Alligator… It's another nosebleed,” she whispers in a protective tone, but that doesn't explain any of this… Alligator?

“You knew?” I can barely ask, struggling to find any other words to say. The tissue Sunset gently presses on my face is covered in red spots by now. A nosebleed… at this time?

“Of course I did, Adagio.” Her eyes look away from my lip, meeting my gaze. “Only one person looks at me the way you do…”

“How long did you know?” I ask her as she wipes away the rest of the blood. Sunset licks her finger slightly, pressing it on my lip to get rid of any red stain.

“Ever since you stopped outside Twilight’s house. Now shush. Let me take care of you,” she whispers in a teasing, yet still concerned tone. I hear a very audible scoff from our side, averting Sunset's attention. Apple Bloom looks at my wife with a seriously irritated expression.

“Seriously?! We have been running around all day where I tried to distract her and you have to tell her now?” Apple Bloom asserts with a frustrated brow. For some reason, I’m not surprised. With how she was acting, it makes sense that Apple Bloom was working with them.

“Your help has been appreciated, Apple Bloom. You and Twilight can rant about my decision,” Sunset tells her with a dismissive manner. Even though she seems angry, Apple Bloom calms down when she sees just how diligently Sunset is caring for me. It makes me feel a little embarrassed… Sunset looks back at my lip, pressing the tissue to my nose again. “It's okay. No one else can see your nosebleed. Only me,” she whispers as soon as Apple Bloom walks away.

“How did you know I was thinking about that?” I ask quietly, feeling embarrassed but… loved.

“Your cheek is warm. I will make sure no one can see you like this.” Her thumb gently rubs against my cheek as her other hand holds the tissue against my nose. “Have you scheduled that doctor's appointment yet?” The way she asks that sounds like an overprotective partner, ready to scold me if I don't tell her yes, all because she worries for me. I worry for her too…

“Yes, I did. It's for the day after tomorrow,” I respond with a nod, trying to not sound too annoyed. In reality, I’m just grateful to have her attention after the last few weeks… “I'm sorry.”

“I miss you too, Adagio,” she responds with a smile, kissing the tip of my nose. “Do you trust me?”

“Obviously,” I answer instantly, feeling caught off guard by her question. And her kiss…

“Then trust that I have your best intentions at heart for your birthday. Okay? Nothing to hurt you or go past your comfort zone.” The way she looks at me genuinely makes me feel like she's telling the truth. She is telling the truth. There's no reason to doubt that. That same stare makes me feel guilty for this whole day. Yet her loving hands hold my face without any judgment… As if she isn't mad at me. “Good news is that I’m done with my ‘project’ with Twilight. Are you ready to head home?” she asks me while holding the key to her motorcycle.

“I rode here with Apple Bloom. What about Twi-” my sentence is immediately stopped as Sunset locks our lips together. The warmth reminds me of nights long past… Movies flashing across the screen with a blanket shared between the two of us. God, I love her so much…

“Twilight can ride with Apple Bloom. Come on. You have my undivided attention for the rest of the day,” Sunset tells me while rubbing her forehead against my own. Holding my hand, Sunset leads me to the exit of the building. Apple Bloom looks confused, but Twilight just waves us goodbye, the envelope still in her hand.

I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to see what the picture is…

“You promise I will like this?” My question goes unanswered for a few seconds as Sunset applies some foundation to my face. Her hand gently wipes away an unwanted clump, making sure to evenly apply it. I could have done my makeup myself, but Sunset really wanted to help me. It feels nice in a way.

“I promise, Alligator~ Have I ever steered you wrong before?” she asks with a wink, the bright expression on her face telling me she’s also having fun.

“Yes, many times in fact,” I respond with a half joke. While I trust her with most things, there have been occasions where I should have said no. Like the time she wanted to try a new sushi place in town. It’d be fun, she said. Turns out we got food poisoning… It’s not really surprising that the restaurant went out of business a while ago.

“Shush. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Your migraines are affecting your memory.” Sunset sticks her tongue out at me before closing the makeup case. Looking into the mirror, I smile at the reflection. Not too much, but just enough to make myself appear more awake than I actually am. The light purple eyeshadow is also a nice touch. “As interesting as it was to see you with purple skin, I think I love your natural hue more,” Sunset coos before kissing my hand, my cheeks getting slightly warmer.

“You lovebirds done yet?!” Aria’s voice comes tumbling upstairs, making me roll my eyes. While I have no idea what surprises they have in store, Sunset assured me I would love them and this day wouldn’t be overzealous like I feared. Standing up from my seat, I let Sunset lead the way to the door.

“So, I did invite our friends,” Sunset warns me with a hand in the air, trying to keep me calm. “However, they know this isn’t a big party. They will be arriving later though. Right now, it will just be you, me, Aria, and Sonata. We have something to show you.” Before Sunset leaves our room, I grab her arm. A question lingers on the back of my mind, etched there ever since I found out she has been planning something for my birthday.

“Tell me. Why this birthday in particular? We’ve been together for nearly four years and you respected my wishes before. We only spent the night cuddling before. What changed?” I sincerely ask her. Sunset tilts her head a little, surprised by my inquiry.

“This is the first birthday you have Sonata and Aria back in your life. The first year you have everyone, including me, in your life. Aria and Sonata told me you used to celebrate your birthday a lot back before the Battle of the Bands.” A nervous smile is drawn on her lips, shrugging to herself. “I figured that if you used to love your birthday… maybe I could help you love it again. Maybe I could see that… smile.” Sunset averts her eyes from mine out of embarrassment, but I can’t tear my gaze away. My heart beats faster at the thought that Sunset prioritizes my smile as well, missing it like I miss hers. The sight of her lips beam at the thought of me alone makes me not want to let her down.

“I’m sure I will love it. You were the one who made this happen after all,” I confidently state, the fear of this being overindulgent leaving my mind. Kissing her cheek, I walk ahead of Sunset, descending down the stairs.

“Finally. You could have put on makeup after this. You know, before the others arrive,” Aria mentions with a small shrug. “It’s not like Sonata and I have seen you without makeup hundreds of times before. Nothing like that.”

“Is it wrong that I would want to look nice on my birthday?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, chuckling to myself.

“There’s the boastful siren I know,” Aria laughs to herself. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist celebrating your birthday.” While it’s true that I used to be very conceited and vain, the only reason I’m willing to celebrate in general is due to Sunset basically begging me to let her do this. A couple of arms tightly grip my body from behind, the blue tone making them easy to identify.

“Happy birthday, Adagio!” Sonata exclaims while holding me tightly, almost making it hard to breathe. Sunset looks at Aria with a raised eyebrow, clearly smirking. Oh no…

Aria rolls her eyes before the two of them also hug me, giving me no chance to escape. Thankfully, the embrace ends nearly as fast as it began. Sonata grabs my hand, leading me towards the back door. I quickly look towards Sunset to see if this is where I’m supposed to go. Sunset gives me a nod, giggling a little. As the door opens, Sonata leads me into the bright backyard. The immediate thing that catches my eyes is a large board with a piece of cloth on it. Around it and on top of it are small black cylinders. The same kind that were used to inflate those balloon letters at Twilight’s house. There are also a bunch of small orange flags organized in a circle next to one corner of the house. In the middle, there is a bag of seashells, only adding to the mystery.

“What’s the deal with the seashells?” I ask them with a tilt of my head. Sunset holds my hand, leading me to the area with the orange flags. Sonata and Aria stand beside the board, both of them looking at me with an oddly humorous stare.

“This is my gift to you,” Sunset whispers, her shoulder pressed against my own. No matter how hard I look at it, I can’t understand what this is supposed to be. “You love the ocean and water in general. So, imagine the shore. Imagine the water surrounding you.” Her head leans on my shoulder, rocking us both. In a way, I feel a little moronic for not understanding what she is alluding to. “I figured you could use a little piece of it whenever you feel stressed. A place meant for you.” Sunset reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small piece of paper. An unrefined scribble of a hot tub with seashells around it is scrawled on the paper, a sign stands beside it with the title “Siren Ocean”.

Taking the paper, I can’t help but smile, looking down at the location Sunset picked. While the title of this little place is a little uninspired, it’s a nice thought. It’s interesting to think about the idea of having a small pond dedicated to me for when I need a break.

“It’s perfect,” I thank her, hugging my wife. “However, can we afford that? Do you know how expensive something like that can be?” Sunset’s eyes look a little conflicted, shrugging to herself.

“I know, which is why I have those flags in the ground. It will be… a little while. Until we can get it constructed and all. Sonata is willing to help pay for it, but still.” Sunset holds her hand up as if she is trying to avoid any sadness by adding a caveat to her disappointing news. Her other hand reaches into her purse, pulling out a yellow envelope. I was wondering why she brought her bag out here… “But I do have something else for you as well to tide you over until we can get this built. I hope you like it as much as I do.” The envelope feels coarse, but I can feel the basic outline of the photo inside. Sunset nods at me, encouraging me to open it. With a deep breath, I slip my hand inside, pulling out the framed picture. The picture shows a…

I…

Is this…? She shouldn’t have… I can’t feel myself breathe. My eyes are locked on her, framed in a night. The picture depicts the two of us, taking a selfie during a movie night. A blanket hangs upon our shoulders, a soft blue light illuminates our faces. Sunset’s messy hair hints at the fact that she had been sleeping just a little bit before this picture was taken. Both of us are clearly disheveled, but neither of us could care. It’s one of those moments where nothing matters except for us. It can’t be bigger than my hand, but the moment it captures is as big as the sun.

“I figured you could use a little reminder of what you’re coming home to when you’re at the studio,” Sunset tells me while looking at the picture, bumping me with her hip. “Especially since your office doesn’t have much customization yet. If you want, I could help you decorate. We could even get a picture of us with Sonata and Aria as well.”

“This is perfect,” I whisper in response, leaning my head on her shoulder. The stupidest smile is drawn across my lips, but I can’t seem to get rid of it. “I’d love your help to decorate. This is the perfect first step.” Holding the picture close to my chest, I can feel my heart get warmer from the memory. Sunset’s arm holds me close. Not a word is said, but I can tell she is happy that I love the gift. I finally understand why she was smiling so much at the photography shop. This is a nice picture of a great piece of time.

“Are you two um… done?” Aria asks us, prompting me to look back at the two of them. Aria would usually be annoyed right now, but she seems uncharacteristically nervous. And excited in a way… Her body is jittery, but a small smile tugs at her lips trying to maintain a frown. Breathing in, I nod slowly. Sunset follows me towards the board that Sonata and Aria stand beside.

“So, we thought for a long time about what to do for your birthday. I couldn’t think of a single thing other than to buy you a lot of candy or gold stuff like boots,” Sonata tells us innocently, shrugging her shoulders. “That’s when Aria thought of something really special!”

“I-it wasn’t my idea,” Aria immediately interjects, shaking her head. “You helped inspire the thought. Anyway, we both thought you would enjoy something more meaningful than some physical thing. Especially now that you’re with miss perfect good girl here,” Aria coughs, nodding towards my wife. Without another word, Sonata stomps on a button in the grass. Instantly, all of the letters inflate to spell out a message.

“Happy birthday, Adagio! Best friend ever,” Sunset reads out the words to me as Aria grabs the cloth covering the board. With a dramatic pull, the fabric falls down to the ground, revealing the picture of a brick wall with graffiti. Painted on top of the picture is an intricate logo of pink, orange and blue… Letters spelling out a name…

“The Dazzlings…?” I ask quietly, feeling confused at the thought. “But we aren’t a band anymore. What does this mean? Do you… Does this mean…”

“You own a music studio,” Sonata mentions with a sincere appreciation, beaming in every possible way.

“And we have missed making music. With you,” Aria comments, the same kind of appreciation shining through her face despite how hard she tries to remain grumpy. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. We just thought-”

Grabbing the two of them, I hug both idiots as hard as I can. My body feels so numb from just how exciting this is. My nerves feel like they’re on fire with ideas. Tears stream down my face, but nothing in the world could make me upset right now. These stupid morons have been with me for so long and now they want to make music together again… It’s… God, I hate sappy stuff sometimes. Even though my other friends will visit later today, I doubt there is anything that could beat these gifts. We have lived under the same roof for months now, but it truly feels like everything is back to normal for this trio…

“Of course I want to. I wouldn’t trade this for the world~”

Author’s Note:

Well, you made it to the end of the story~ What did you think? Has this story been a waste of time? Or has it been an exciting new development for our favorite characters? Now that you’ve read every scene, I’m proud to say that this is the end of Another Year Another Smile. The next story in this series will feature…

Wait…

That’s right.

You haven’t read all of this story.

Have you?

You can’t just skip to the end, you know… You have to read it all. Ignoring the last part isn’t going to help anything in the long run. It might be fun to pretend that this is the end of this installment, but you know the truth.

You haven’t read the most important part…

Hospitals are always so cold. Not the inviting cool sensation that the ocean creates. It is the kind of cold that feels isolating. People fall ill and they get a room in this hell that does everything in its power to make you feel alone in the world. Even in a small office like this one, it feels way too cold. I’m glad I’m here for only a few tests instead of some extended stay. I don’t think I could handle staying here for more than a day. I can’t wait to get out of here. I’m supposed to plan out some songs with the girls. Even though my birthday was just yesterday, I can’t stop thinking about ideas for lyrics. I’m sure Sunset will tell me to slow down and that I have all the time in the world.

I don’t want to slow down though.

That’s what hospitals are good at. They almost make you lose your sense of time, stretching out minutes into hours. Whenever a doctor says they will be right back with your results, they always seem to take far too long. By the time you feel like complaining, you realize it has only been twelve minutes.

I hate hospitals… But Sunset wants me to find out what is causing my migraines. So, I’m forced to wait here. We’ve done multiple tests. The doctor even ordered a MRI, which will surely make this the most expensive check up I’ve ever had. I swear I-

“Sorry for the wait, Ms. Dazzle,” the doctor’s voice breaks me from my thoughts as soon as the door to the office opens. She closes it immediately upon entering the room, sitting down on the revolving stool. “Are you uncomfortable? Is there anything I could do for you?” she asks me, her demeanor seeming rigid. That’s another thing about hospitals I despise. Just how fake and robotic the personnel are…

“I’m fine. Just itching to go home, honestly. My bed calls for me.” My attempt at a joke gets a halfhearted chuckle from the doctor as she finishes scribbling something down in a folder. “Did you get the results back? A clean bill of health, right?” I laugh a little as I stand up from the medical bed, stretching my arms.

“For the most part. There is one thing that I need to discuss with you however.” The doctor holds her hand out towards the bed. “You should sit down.” Immediately, the way she says that simple request freezes my blood. I know that she’s probably just saying that out of procedure, but something feels off… “Ms. Dazzle, you are married, correct? You have a support system?” the doctor asks me with a completely normal voice as if those questions are nothing out of the ordinary. Giving her a small nod, I can feel my heart start beating faster. “That’s good. Everyone should have a support system to rely on when they need it.” The doctor plays with her own hand, seemingly dancing around the issue for a moment.

“Yeah? And? What about it?” I blurt out in an almost accusatory tone. “Why do you want to know that?”

“Ms. Dazzle, I…” The doctor takes a deep breath in, shaking her head quietly. “I am not sure how to say this, but we found something peculiar in your MRI scan.” The doctor takes a moment to compose herself, each second feeling like an eternity to me. “Ms. Dazzle, in your brain, there appears to be… We found a tumor. From the size of it, I’d estimate it has been around for at least a few months. Have you experienced anything aside from the migraines like halluc…”

…

A what…?

“So, apparently Applejack found a major leak under their house,” Sunset tells me from our bathroom, but it is a little difficult to listen. Most of her words seem to go in one ear and out the other. Instead, I focus on the purple scarf resting on my nightstand. The vibrant color still somehow seems bright in this dark room. The only light coming in is from the bathroom where my wife is getting ready for bed. A large comfy bed… “You must be excited to work on some songs with the girls, right?” Sunset asks after mentioning something about Applejack having to fix the leak with some kind of tool. I wasn’t paying attention. And honestly, the news about a leak isn’t exactly important. Not now.

“Kind of,” I respond, my eyes still locked on the scarf. The light suddenly disappears right before I feel the bed jostle around. Sunset must have jumped into bed… Her arms wrap around my stomach tightly, making my heart drop slightly. What is normally a warm embrace now feels like a hollow reminder of words unspoken…

“Only kind of? I could have sworn you cried at the idea of being a band again,” Sunset teases me with that same happy voice I am blessed to hear every day. The voice I am afraid I will have to take away… “Did Aria piss you off again? I can talk some sense into her.”

“They didn’t do anything. I just have a few things to do before I create any songs with them.” Namely, a few certain words need to be said. Sunset holds onto me so tightly. The way she sighs sounds like she is smiling from ear to ear, making this so much harder. “Sunset. We need to talk before you go to sleep.”

“You’re not leaving me, are you?” Sunset asks me in a joking tone. Something as complex as that feels so simple comparatively…

“No? I would never leave you,” I whisper to her, feeling her grip around me tighten even more. “Why would you ever joke about that?”

“You made it sound so serious, Alligator. Whatever it is, I’m willing to listen.” A happy giggle escapes her lips right before she gingerly kisses my cheek. “For a moment there, you made me worried. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can handle it with ease. The last thing I want is to let something get in the way of the many happy memories we have left to make together~”

Many happy memories…

Turning my head, Sunset meets my gaze with a cute little smile, clearly in love with me. The way she giggles reminds me of the times we have spent together and times we have yet to go through. However long or short that may be… It feels impossible to even think about breaking that smile. That hopeful gaze… Her eyes are full of dreams that I am not sure will come to reality. Would it really be so wrong to lie just this once? Give her one more night of blissful ignorance? To stay in this loving embrace for a little while longer until that smile disappears…

Yes. It would…

“About that…”

To Be Continued…

Author’s notes:

I did warn you. In the synopsis for this story, I asked whether or not all of Adagio’s birthday surprises would be good. Aren’t you happy for reading that last part? It wouldn’t feel like a complete story without the final cherry on top. One major plotline for us to follow into this next part of the series. This has been an idea I have had for a while. One that I’ve been conflicted about pursuing, but I hope you all are interested in this plot thread~ The next story in the series will be The Summer Mist. I have not forgotten about Colorful Miles or such. The reason why I am pushing up The Summer Mist is for a special surprise on October 15th, the anniversary of this series as a whole. Look out for the first chapter of The Summer Mist on the 15th~ As always, thank you for reading this far and I will see you all next time!