Chapter III: Sunscreen and Convos

“It really was kind of you to invite us over, but Applejack simply could not make it,” Rarity tells us as she sips her cup of water. Normally, the fashionista would be requesting a fine tea or a certain kind of coffee. However, she told us she did not want to excite her nerves before going home. This abnormal behavior isn’t lost on my dear wife. She was probably the most confused about Rarity asking for water. Not to mention her attire is a lot less… flashy. “She isn’t feeling herself. I must apologize on her behalf.”

The incredibly formal tone leaving her lips does little to mask the disappointment in Rarity’s soul. There is no need for her to say anything else. Sunset and I both know what she means by that. Applejack has not really been the same in the last few months since her grandmother passed. Still… I was hoping to interact with the cowgirl at least once today. It has been too long since we have exchanged words.

“I hope she feels better soon,” I offer my condolences, knowing that my words will not change a thing. Rarity smiles at the notion, nodding her head. “We’re still happy you could come over today. Are you sure you don’t have an appetite?” Rarity waves her head at my inquiry.

“Thank you for the concern. I am not hungry though. Enough about me. I’d love to hear about you two,” Rarity expresses with a coo to her voice. “How is the married couple after all? Surely there is some drama to share?” The end of her question is heightened to press us for details. Even when she is sullen with her girlfriend’s situation, Rarity is still a gossip queen.

“Just because we’re married doesn’t mean that we suddenly have interesting news to share,” Sunset comments, lying as easily as sleeping. Although, sleeping is incredibly difficult for some people like Aria… “I’m surprised you and Applejack aren’t married by now, Rarity. You two were in love far before Adagio and I even became friends. All the way back during high school.”

“It’s not from a lack of desire, darling. We just haven’t had the time. Every time we get close to talking about something like that, something serious happens. Like the time Sweetie Belle had a musical showcase that she asked me to design ensembles for.” Rarity moves her hand in a circular motion to convey the consistent events that have stopped the mere idea of marriage. “That and we have some items of interest to settle before we go on such a venture. I’m sure you two lovebirds did something similar.” Sunset looks at me with a curious eye, wondering what I have to say. When it came to our marriage, Sunset and I did not have much we needed to do before getting married. I mean, I apologized to a lot of people and we went on the trip to find Aria and Sonata, but that wasn’t something we needed to plan for. Sunset proposed to me and I agreed. As simple as that.

“I’m not sure I follow,” I state in response, grabbing Sunset’s hand. “All we did before we were engaged was live together in an apartment. There wasn’t much we had to settle.”

“That’s simply not true, darling,” Rarity insists with a tone that implies my claim is false. “You both bought a house together and the music studio you run. Then we went across the country to find your missing friends. I would say that qualifies as pieces of the puzzle you needed to finish before your vows.” Rarity smiles at me with a smug look, seemingly proud that she dismantled my point. “Every couple has interests that they need to work on before they even think about marriage or any other similar ritual. My dear Applejack and I have to figure out a few things like whose place we will sell and if we should wait until after Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom move to college in a month.”

“Yeah, wouldn’t want the brats to get in the way of a honeymoon, huh?” a gruff voice comes from behind Rarity. All of us look towards Aria, standing behind the couch in an oversized tee shirt and pajama pants. Surprisingly, she walks around and sits beside Rarity, taking a bite of a cracker. Where she got the cracker remains a mystery to me. “Hi, Rarity. I didn’t know you were coming over,” Aria states with an actually pleasant tone.

“Are those my pajama-” Before Sunset can finish her question, I nudge her to stop. We can handle it later.

“Sunset and Adagio invited me. But you must tell me how that piece you asked me to make for you fit. Did I tailor it to the right size?” Rarity asks Aria excitedly, making Sunset tilt her head in confusion. Sunny seems like she is about to ask me what is going on, but I shake my head. I am just as confused as she is… For some reason, Aria’s face turns bright red. Her eyes widen and I can almost see her sweat.

“Uh… It was great. Thank you again,” Aria awkwardly responds, trying to shut down this particular topic.

“You asked for new clothing from Rarity? What was it exactly?” Sunset asks her, oblivious to the nervous expression on Aria’s face. It’s not exactly a surprise. Aria and Rarity have been spending more time together and Aria has even helped her with some seasonal outfits. Aria has developed more of a fashion sense and the two of them seem to connect on their flashy personalities and somewhat entitled viewpoints. I may have an ego, but both of them are a different kind of confident than I am. Aria has even been showing Rarity some hardcore rock music. In a way, it’s nice to see Aria getting along with her.

“Oh, that’s kind of priva-”

“She asked me to make her a stunning piece of lingerie,” Rarity says with a prideful look. “All black of course. It was detailed enough that I wish I had made a copy for myself. And it was so romantic because she wanted it to impress Sonata. You should have seen some of the other pieces she asked me to-” Rarity’s mouth is instantly covered by Aria’s hand, a gaze of hellfire coming from her. I honestly did not expect that to come from Rarity’s mouth. Nor did I think Aria would ask for something like that. Rarity can make those items…? I… No, not right now.

“I didn’t ask for anything else,” Aria tells Sunset and I while her eyes remain locked on Rarity. “Isn’t that right? Don’t make me burn your hard work.” The fashionista looks at us before giving a small nod, finally prompting Aria to remove her hand from her lips.

“Yes, that’s right. Nothing else.” Rarity nods her head slightly, taking a breath. “Regardless, I’m glad you are happy with it. You really must tell me if there is anything else you wish to see brought to life. Your sense of design is very creative.” Aria seems to shrug the compliment off, but I can tell it genuinely touched her.

“Thanks. Are we still on to look over some of your dresses this Saturday?” Aria stands up from her seat, taking Rarity’s now empty cup.

“Of course. Tell Sonata she is welcome too,” Rarity emphasizes with a smile, but Aria shakes her head.

“Sonata has plans with Pinkie Pie that day. And these two wives are planning on doing something for the next week as well,” Aria comments while looking over at Sunset and me. Rarity tilts her head, intrigued by the insinuation.

“Really? What are you planning to do, Sunset?” My wife sheepishly smiles at Rarity’s inquiry, even though this was her idea. Now is not the time to lose conviction.

“Well, Adagio and I have been pretty stressed for a… couple of weeks. I was thinking that she and I could take some time off. Just a few days.” Sunset shrugs slightly, seemingly backing down. Nudging her, she looks at me before taking a breath. “We were thinking of just going out camping unless those cruise tickets you offered me a few weeks ago are still on the table?” From what Sunset told me, Rarity offered her two spare tickets for a cruise that she was going on with Applejack. Funnily enough, she offered those two days after I told Sunset about my… condition. So, she refused them. It was Sunset’s idea that something like this could help resolve some of the stress between us.

I’m not convinced… I still think Sunset and I need to have a discussion about how we feel and how we will go forward instead of avoiding the problem with a small getaway. Even then, it is unlikely Rarity still has those spare tickets considering it is only a couple days away.

“I gave those tickets to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy,” Rarity responds with an understanding tone. “But you could take the ones I was going to use with my darling. Applejack told me she wasn’t going on the cruise and…” Rarity takes a moment to compose herself after a small voice crack. “Let’s just say that I am planning on staying with her in case she needs me.” Rarity reaches into her purse, laying down two pieces of paper onto the coffee table.

“Oh, Rarity. You don’t have to. I was just wondering, that’s all. You should really try to convince Applejack to go with you,” Sunset immediately insists, but Rarity shakes her head.

“Sunset, I don’t quite feel like going this year. Really, this is a blessing. They won’t go to waste after all. I need to be here for Applejack.” Rarity smiles at us before surprise spreads across her face. Her eyes look over at Aria’s hand on her shoulder, a gesture that bewilders me as well.

“I’m sorry. About your whole… situation,” Aria tries her best to offer her condolences. “Tell Applejack that we should all hang out again sometime. Don’t tell her that was my sappy idea. Blame it on uh… Sunset.” Aria averts her gaze, walking towards the kitchen before any of us can show gratitude towards her action.

“Thank you for the concern, dear. You really are more kind than you like to admit,” Rarity compliments her, causing Aria’s body to immediately jerk straight. Her now rigid form turns towards us with the most awkward face, trying her best to not cringe.

“I-I am not nice. That shit’s sappy. Just… yuck.” Aria brings her hands to her face in annoyance, making an audible slap. “Let’s just hope you don’t have any other family troubles so I won’t have to be nice.”

“Yes… Let’s hope indeed. I’m not sure my darling and I could handle more grave news this year. Whether it be illness or… worse,” Rarity mentions with a morbid smile on her face before seemingly trying to shake some sense into herself. Her words cause my chest to tighten, my air flow halting. It’s almost ironic that she mentioned illness. I know she does not mean it in that way. She would obviously want to hear about the situation that we are going through, but…

I don’t want her to hear it.

As someone who loves the appearance of gold and diamonds, I can adequately say when something seems a little tacky. Whether it is because the owner decided to use the material fruitlessly or due to a mishap in design, I can almost always notice when these symbols of wealth are used incorrectly. The ship in front of me is one such case. While it is big with many different windows, the gold that ordains each one is clearly fake, even from a good distance away. I suppose that is necessary since gold is not the strongest metal out there. It would also incentivize thieves to try and steal window frames of all things to make a quick fortune. Still… The vessel could have used a different appearance to make the ship look nice. Instead, they went with a cheapy, shiny replica of gold, making it more of an eyesore from land. The color is off by five shades, which shouldn’t piss me off, but it does.

“Someone looks a little grouchy,” Sunset’s voice breaks me from my thoughts, making me turn my gaze towards her. A smile is bright on her face, unlike the past couple of weeks. Maybe it’s because of the fights we’ve been having, but it’s nice to see her trying to ignore the obvious tension strewn about our lives. Her finger presses my nose as if it is some sort of button, making me simply narrow my eyes. It’s times like these that I wonder if she has some elaborate plan in mind or if she is just being stupid… It’s not like I would stop loving her either way.

“You’ll just make fun of me,” I respond, trying to excuse my expression. Sunset vehemently shakes her head.

“You ask me what I’m thinking about all the time, but it’s wrong when I ask?” She pulls my arm even though her other arm is absolutely covered by holding her purse, the handles of two suitcases, a coat, and a coffee she insisted on buying. Yet she decides to have one hand free to hold mine. Unpractical, but… cute.

“I was thinking about the color of the gold trimming on the ship. It’s… off,” I reluctantly admit, motioning my head towards the aforementioned color. I would have used my other hand, but like Shimmer, I am busy holding stuff. Not the same things though. I am in charge of holding all of our paperwork, the sea passes, our personal identification, and, of course, our phones. This stuff isn’t as heavy as Sunset’s toll, but I constantly have to keep a tight grip on them to make sure I don’t drop a single piece of paper. Ideally, using two hands would be a lot easier, but our little embrace makes her happy. Me too…

“That’s not bad to think about. Though, I can’t really see what you mean,” Sunset says while squinting her eyes. “You want to take a picture of it to show everyone?” she asks while nodding to the camera hanging from my neck. Another item that Sunset insisted we bring… I mean, this is technically our first vacation if you don’t count our trip across the country to find Aria and Sonata, but still. Even if I do look stunning, it will be a little tiring to take 200 pictures with this hefty camera. However, I can think of some particularly fun ideas to do with it~

“I can just take a picture of it with my phone after we get checked. Besides, I-”

“YO! DAGI! SUNNY!” a raspy voice comes from behind us, making our gaze turn. In a white tank top, jean shorts and flip flops, Rainbow Dash walks up to us with a single suitcase in her hand. Her phone sticks halfway out of her pocket, a laughable downside to the shorts she chose to wear and women’s fashion in general. Standing beside her, Fluttershy wears a green dress and white sandals, two big travel bags following behind her. The sheer size comparison between their luggage is comical. Part of the reason Sunset and I only have two bags is because we planned on sharing bath supplies and some other things. Not to mention Sunset is making me wear a backpack. Needless to say, it does not fit with my attire, but all is fair in travel struggles I suppose. “I didn’t know y’all were coming on this trip! Does Rarity know?” Dash asks us with a laugh.

“Rarity isn’t coming actually,” Sunset nervously responds, making me shrug.

“She and Applejack had to cancel last minute due to previous obligations,” I lie, trying to make Sunset feel more comfortable. “Rarity decided to give us the tickets.” At least that part is the truth. “She mentioned you two were coming. Funny. I thought cruises like these were more of a romantic and family thing,” I briefly tease Dash, making her open her mouth.

“Huh?! Wait, is this a couples cruise? I just wanted to get some sun,” Dash stammers in a confused manner.

“She’s teasing you, Dash,” Fluttershy reassures her, giggling to herself. “You look nice today, Adagio. I love the sandals you picked.” Today? Did I look bad on other days…? I mean, I have had nose bleeds and nausea recently. Did she notice my pale skin on one of those bad days?

No… She doesn’t know. She can’t. I haven’t told her. It’s just a simple compliment. She doesn’t mean anything else by it. This is Fluttershy. She would be absolutely terrified and worried beyond comparison if I told her, so clearly she isn’t alluding to that. I guess that also confirms that she’s a real friend of mine too since she would be worried for me.

“Thanks~ I tried to pick something that would be fashionable, but sturdy enough to walk around in for a while. Though, they don’t make me feel as powerful as boots,” I state with a smirk, making Sunset laugh a little. Even though I act confident, it takes a little bit to get rid of particularly troublesome thoughts. “Dash, are you sure you will get by with just that?” I ask while nodding to her small luggage.

“Totally! I don’t need as much stuff to enjoy a good time like you girls,” Dash proudly states while bringing her hand to her chest as if she is some superhero. “I made sure to pack enough toothpaste and shampoo this time,” Dash starts to list off while Fluttershy mouths to us that she did not, in fact, pack enough for the trip. “I also have my phone for pictures, so I didn’t need to ask my mom for her camera.” Fluttershy again silently tells us that she will likely ask us for our camera for any picture she wants to take. “And I counted out every outfit so that I won’t run out of clean clothes.” Despite Dash’s prideful smile, Fluttershy mouths that Dash never packs enough and she makes sure to bring any extras that she or Dash will need. Honestly, this just makes me wonder how many school trips and family vacations they have been on together to make Fluttershy this prepared for her friend’s clumsy behavior.

“And we’re all really inspired,” Fluttershy says while trying to nudge Dash towards the building to get on board. “We all should get in line. I kind of want a small nap before we do anything else if you all don’t mind.”

“I don’t get how you could be tired. I’m running on pure energy right now,” Dash tells her with a smile. A lot of that energy could either be attributed to her magic or energy drinks she consumed right before getting here.

“Fluttershy’s right,” I tell Sunset with a nod of my head. “My hand is getting tired of holding all of our important stuff. You know, the things we NEED to get in.”

“Oh, you poor soul,” Sunset teases me before pressing her lips against mine, making a wave of sparks surge through me. That’s unfair, but I love it. “Nevermind the fact that I am carrying-”

“Okay, I get it,” I interrupt her, not wanting to hear the whole list. “That’s just another reason for us to follow them.” Holding her hand tightly, I guide her, hoping the line won’t take too long. Focus on calming thoughts. Like the pool. A bed. Sunset’s tan. A bed…

Maybe a nap doesn’t sound so bad.

Author's Note

After almost two and a half months, I have finally updated the Sundagioverse. It may not be a long chapter, but I finally feel some of my writer's block is gone. Just in time for my birthday today~ Yes, I wrote my own birthday present. No, that's totally not weird... Right? Regardless, enjoy the Sundagio snack!