Sunset Shimmer is a good guy now.
It was a long road getting there, but through hard work, dedication, and the support of her closest friends, Sunset Shimmer had managed to turn over a new leaf. No longer the cruel, manipulative bully she once was, Sunset was now what those around her had expected her to be all along: Someone who uses her intellect and magical ability to aid those less fortunate than herself. These days, Sunset stayed on the right side of the law, always took the high road, and looked out for the little guy. She was now a warrior of the light, a defender of harmony, and—no ifs, ands, or buts about it—Sunset was now a good guy.
Which was why she was very hopeful no one would see her in the dead of night, picking the padlock to the tow yard. Even in her position, she could see how bad the optics were on this one.
“Come on, come on…” It had been quite some time since Sunset had done any breaking or entering, so it wasn't altogether surprising how rusty she was. Even still, three broken bobby pins later, Sunset knew that she was close. She jiggled her improvised lockpick and, much to her dismay, it snapped in two under the strain of the lock. “Damn it!”
“Ouch. I think I broke a nail just watching.”
Sunset jumped at the voice, turning towards its source. She couldn't see much through the inky darkness, just what was barely illuminated by the feeble flicker of the lot’s dying lampposts. As her eyes adjusted, Sunset could just barely make out the approaching figure. Almost a head taller than Sunset, with a confidence swagger as she strolled into the dim white light. If the sinister grin and taunting, musical laughter didn't give her away, then the giant mass of curly orange hair certainly would.
“Bit of advice, babygirl.” Adagio stopped just a few paces from Sunset, and smirked that smug, all-knowing smirk of hers. “Leave the breaking-and-entering to the professionals. You don't see me going around giving friendship TED talks, do you?”
“Didn't we chase you off back to the aquarium like a year ago?” said Sunset. She was a bit shaken to see Adagio here, in the dead of night, but she stood her ground. For better or for worse, that was one of Sunset's greatest strengths; Unflinching, unwavering, stubborn iron will. “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you, I imagine.” Adagio paced along the edge of the shadows, just barely in Sunset's sight. “How's this sound, babygirl? I'll get that lock open for you if you help me find what I'm looking for.”
“Don't tell me you actually have a goldfish memory,” snorted Sunset. “Did you forget how you pitted my friends against each other, brainwashed my school, and tried to enslave my entire race?”
“Love the recap of my incredible résumé, but your point is…?”
“My point is you're an evil, mind-controlling fish monster. Why would I ever help you?”
Then came that laugh again. Adagio’s confident, villainous chuckle was starting to work its way under Sunset's skin. It was the laugh of someone who knew more than her, and that didn't sit well with Sunset. Likely a holdover from her time as Celestia’s student, she couldn't stand the feeling that she wasn't the smartest in the room. She would tolerate it for the sake of polite conversations, not rocking the boat, but here, alone with a sinister, monstrous Siren, it was getting Sunset a bit hot, to put it mildly. The old Sunset would have shot back, told Adagio to wipe that smirk off her face or else. But that's not the kind of person she was anymore. Now, Sunset had to wait patiently for Adagio to get it out of her system. It still felt odd to give up control of a situation like this but that's what good guys did, so she was told.
“I don't see the rest of your band anywhere. Which leads me to believe that you don't want them to know that you're here,” said Adagio with a grin. “It'd be a shame—a travesty, really—were they to see that their little rehab project went and relapsed.”
“Are you blackmailing me?”
“Ugly word, but I suppose so. The ball's in your court.” Adagio offered her hand to Sunset, who stared at the perfectly manicured digits with a scowl. “One night only performance, Adagio Dazzle featuring The She-Demon of CHS. We have a deal, babygirl?”
Sunset's scowl persisted, but after a few more moments of consideration, she hung her head in defeat. A good guy teaming up with a villain wasn't the most absurd thing in the world, was it? It happens in comic books all the time. Perhaps that's just the part of the story Sunset found herself in.
“We get in, we get what we came for, we get out. And we never speak of this to anyone, ever.” Sunset went to shake Adagio’s hand, but thought better of it and swatted it to the side. “And cool it with the ‘babygirl’ crap.”
“Would ‘sweetie pie’ make you feel better?”
“Shut up and unlock the door, before we get caught.”
“You're the boss, babygirl. Step aside.” Adagio strutted forward into action, sliding what appeared to be a brown leather wallet from her back pocket. When she opened it up, instead of money, there was a full lockpicking kit, which she took to the lock and quickly set to work. She went quiet, focused, and Sunset was just about to remark how it's harder than it looks when a satisfying clock signaled that the padlock had been cracked open. She swung the gate open and took a bow. “Ta-da. After you, babygirl.”
Sunset rolled her eyes, but led the way into the lot regardless. It wasn't a very sophisticated facility, little more than a dirt lot lined with impounded vehicles, with a small office trailer near the front. With Adagio close behind, Sunset slowly crept through the near-darkness, slowly slinking deeper and deeper into the lot. Just as she was about to step into the light, a hand grabbed her by the collar, and yanked her back. This was it. It was a trap, a set-up from the very beginning. Adagio was out for revenge, and Sunset had played right into the villain's hands.
At least, that's what Sunset thought, until Adagio chose not to continue her attack, despite having the upper hand. Then, when Sunset was certain she wasn't about to end up dead in a ditch and was able to actually look back at Adagio, she saw her point. She followed the trail of Adagio’s finger up, to the nearby light post, and finally, she saw the small security camera installed below the bulb. Like the rest of the lot, it was old and a bit worse for wear, but the red light by the lens certainly gave the impression that the camera was still functional.
“Thanks for the save,” whispered Sunset. She watched the camera for a bit, determining that its view probably included their search area. No way to get past without getting spotted. “What now?”
“I have an idea.” Adagio reached into her pocket again and, bizarrely, came back out with a tube of scarlet lipstick, which she applied heavily to her lips. “Give me a boost.”
Sunset cocked a brow, but interlocked her fingers and offered them down as a stepping point for Adagio. The Siren pulled her hood over her head (Sunset was amazed that she managed to fit all of the hair in one hoodie) and stepped onto the improvised platform. After Sunset boosted her up, Adagio pursed her lips and laid a firm kiss on the lens. She kissed it again, and one more time, before jumping down to admire her handiwork; her lipstick left thick kiss marks on the camera, obscuring most of its view, and giving the two intruders a perfect cover. It was quick, simple, and quiet, so much so that Sunset couldn't hide how impressed she was.
“Clever,” said Sunset with a nod. “Where’d you learn a trick like that?”
“Harley Quinn. I’ve been absolutely dying to try that out from the moment I saw that show.”
“Harley Quinn?” Sunset snorted. “Never would’ve pegged you for a comic nerd.”
“It's a show about attractive, evil women,” said Adagio with a shrug. “How could I not be a fan?”
Adagio cocked her head before taking off into the rows of cars, and Sunset chased close behind. Now taking the lead, Adagio seemingly decided to inject a bit of energy into their caper; She weaved playfully between the rows, oftentimes faking one direction before heading another, for no apparent reason other than to taunt her begrudging partner in crime. Adagio maneuvered through the place with confidence, and after a few twisting turns through the maze of vehicles, Sunset lost sight of the villain she was being forced to work with.
“Crap…” Sunset's eyes darted around in search of Adagio, but apparently, she had disappeared into thin air. “Hey, Adagio. Quit screwing around, you're gonna get us caught!”
“Tag. You're it.” A finger tapped Sunset on the shoulder, and when she turned, Adagio was waiting there with a cocky smirk. “You're going to need to put some pep in your step if you want to keep up with me.”
“Trust me, the last thing I want is to keep up with you,” growled Sunset. “Why'd you run off like that?”
“Looking around, trying to find what I need,” said Adagio. Sunset was about to ask some important clarifying questions, but Adagio quickly cut her off at the pass. “No luck yet, but I think I found what you're after. Three rows over.”
Sunset was suspicious. It was natural for her to be weary. Yet, no matter how intently Sunset studied her, she couldn't see any malicious intent in Adagio. She was more or less how Sunset remembered her—controlling, confident, almost dangerously attractive, and with a simmering malice deep within—yet, she was being so strangely pleasant to Sunset. A bit overly familiar, but, were the stakes not so high, Sunset could find herself strangely enjoying her time with Adagio. Sunset gave a little nod, and Adagio grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along, weaving through the rows of abandoned cars until they found what Adagio was referring to; A lone red motorcycle, decorated with a blazing red sun along the body.
“Hell yeah!” Sunset grabbed up Adagio in a hug, elated to finally see her precious bike all in one piece. Almost as soon as her arms wrapped around Adagio, and their bodies came close, Sunset jumped away. She hadn't meant to hug Adagio at all, just got caught up in the excitement. “Dude, you're a lifesaver.”
“I've been called a lot of things, but that's a new one,” said Adagio with a grin. “Listen, babygirl, I'm looking for a specific car. It's a 2018 Platinum Caster Acclaimed AE2020. You seem like a car girl, mind pointing me in the right direction?”
“Hm… That's a two-door model. Looke for four vents on the back, and no spoiler, unless it's a custom.” Sunset arched her brow. “You don't know what your own car looks like?”
“If you must know, I'm picking it up for someone. But thanks for the tip.” Adagio winked and took off down the yard, in search of the car that fit Sunset's description. “Meet me by the gate, I'll be there in five minutes!”
Sunset had a lot of feelings bouncing around in her head. Regret for letting Adagio out of her sight. Concern that she may have just made herself an accessory to grand theft auto. Dread from the possibility of her friends somehow learning about what she'd done. Shame for temporarily stepping into the dark and breaking the rules she had sworn to now obey. But more than any of that, Sunset was relieved, ecstatic, over the moon to finally have found her bike.
She ran over to the motorcycle, giving it a careful inspection from top to bottom. Still perfect, despite its unceremonious relocation. Sunset hopped onto the bike, the engine roaring to life and purring like a tiger at her touch. After backing out of the spot where it had been parked, Sunset whipped the bike towards the entrance and took off. She zipped forward through the yard and, just as requested, came to a stop just past the gate. It wasn't long before she could see a car approaching from within the yard, a hot pink sports car that pulled to a stop just beside Sunset. The door popped open, and out stepped Adagio, who crossed the path to Sunset with a grin to rival The Devil himself.
“Found it. Keys were still in the ignition, just like my friend said.” Adagio crossed her arms over her chest, and gave Sunset a little wink, as if she knew something that the Rainboom did not. “We make for one hell of a team.”
“Yeah, shame about you being super evil and all,” said Sunset. Despite her somewhat incendiary words, even she had to admit that working with Adagio was a breeze. Now if only they were on the same side. Who knows what they might accomplish? “I might actually like you, if you weren't a bad guy.”
“And despite being a goody-goody, I suppose don't find you completely nauseating. In any case, I better get this car where it's going, and I'm sure you've got places to be.” Adagio took another bow before returning to her car. “We should do this again sometime. Or maybe you should pick something, since you're too righteous and heroic for a little grand larceny.”
“If you promise not to break the law again, I can do boba on Friday.” Sunset watched Adagio slide into the vehicle, studying her intently. It was as she suspected before; Adagio was different, somehow. It would be in Sunset's best interests to keep an eye on her. “We should keep in touch.”
“Check your back pocket.”
Before Sunset could ask what that meant, Adagio put the pedal to the metal, and took off away from the tow yard. All alone in the dust, Sunset reached into her back pocket, and withdrew a slip of paper that wasn't there before. A phone number scribbled in red pen, with a note and a scarlet kiss mark just beneath the digits.
“Text me sometime, babygirl,” read Sunset. She wasn't sure whether to smirk or roll her eyes, so Sunset ultimately did both when she slipped the note back into her pocket. She revved her bike again, before something occurred to her; Sunset tapped her back pockets, then her front, and even checked her jacket pocket, before letting out a groan. “She stole my wallet…”
Adagio Dazzle is still a bad guy.
For years and years, Adagio had done all she could to thoroughly earn her loathsome reputation. A cruel, sadistic, self-centered monster, the likes of which typically only existed as villains in fairy tales. And yet, here she was, as real as can be. Adagio Dazzle never met a rule she wouldn't break, never saw a back she wouldn't stab, never known a low she wouldn't stoop to in order to further her ends. Cunning and vile in equal measure, Adagio was a creature of the night, an agent of malice and—no matter how you slice it—she was a bad guy.
Which is why she felt a bit odd waiting at the mall to get boba with the hero that had vanquished her a year ago. That might tarnish her image as a cold-blooded villain somewhat.
“I still don't really get why you're hanging out with her.” Adagio rolled her eyes, only half listening to her sister on the phone. The mall was at a constant buzz around her, but the dull roar of vapid mall-goer chit-chat still wasn't enough to drown out Sonata’s voice. “She's, like, the whole reason we lost at the Battle of the Bands! I thought we agreed that we hated her.”
“Obviously, I still hate her, moron. This is called playing the long game,” explained Adagio. “I'm using her. She got me the car, but she might still be useful for more than that. It's worth looking into.”
“I dunno, the way you were talking about her made it sound like you had fun together.”
“I stole a car, Sonata. Of course I was having fun.” Adagio’s eyes caught a glimpse of Sunset emerging through the crowd, making her way to Adagio. “Here she comes. I've got to go. Text me if you have any more pickups you need me to do.”
She hung up and slipped her phone in her pocket. As Sunset approached, Adagio felt that familiar energy grow between them. It was electric, the cataclysm that was birthed when good met evil. Though Adagio smiled as Sunset approached, Sunset herself did no such thing; She was all business as she came to a stop before Adagio, reaching out with one outstretched hand expectantly. Adagio, of course, knew exactly what this was about, but she decided to play around with her food a bit more, as it were.
“Hello to you, too.” Adagio shook Sunset's hand, grinning at the slight smolder in Sunset's eyes. “I wasn't expecting this meeting to be quite so formal.”
“My wallet,” said Sunset flatly. Adagio chuckled, but produced Sunset's wallet from her pocket and handed it over. Sunset opened it up and quickly flipped through its contents. A bit of money, her ID and license, her laundry card, and a stick of gum; exactly what she remembered being in there to start with. “Doesn't look like you took anything…”
“Of course not, babygirl. Robbing your date is beyond tacky.”
“Yet you still took the whole wallet.”
“Had to make sure you'd actually show up.” Adagio offered up her arm, not unlike a noble knight to a fair maiden. “I believe you made mention of boba?”
“Yeah, there's a great stall right before we hit the food court.” Sunset accepted Adagio’s arm, and at her direction, the two set off in the direction of the food court. “Also, I didn't say this was a date.”
“Yet you took my arm.”
“Have to make sure you don't run off,” countered Sunset. “You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“Fair enough. I have to say, though, us? Enemies?” Adagio shrugged. “Who's to say? I think we're more alike than either of us realized at first. I mean, what are the odds that we both decided to steal from the same tow yard on the same night.”
“Hey, keep it down! You want someone to hear? Besides, what I did isn't even really stealing. The dude is a scammer, he towed my bike for no reason and tried to get me to pay $2,000 to get it back.”
“Blegh. And there you go, ruining it.” Adagio rolled her eyes. “You know why I always liked you, Sunset?”
“Hm… You like a girl that can kick your ass?”
“Ha! I like a girl bold enough to try. But no, it's not just that. I always liked that no matter what you were, good or bad, you did what you wanted because that's what you wanted. This desperate attempt to justify your actions… The old Sunset would never.”
“The old Sunset was a miserable C-word with no friends,” countered Sunset. “So you'll have to forgive me if I don't model my behavior after what she did.”
“Okay, how about a little thought experiment? Let's say, just hypothetically, that he wasn't scamming you. Let's say it was an honest mistake on your part, and he was in the right. Would you have paid what you owe?”
“He was scamming me. When I parked, there was no sign about a tow truck. When I get back, my bike is gone and there's suddenly a sticker on the street post for his company.”
“Hypothetical, babygirl.”
“Maybe I don't do hypotheticals, cherry pie.”
They stopped, and for a moment Sunset feared that she may have overstepped. She wasn't sure if Adagio was capable of having feelings outside of malicious self-satisfaction, but if she was, and Sunset had hurt her feelings, then she'd feel terrible. Slowly, however, as Adagio turned her head, it was clear that the exact opposite had occurred; Adagio smiled from ear to ear, a devious glimmer to those spellbinding garnet eyes of hers. It wasn't that Adagio was offended by the nickname, but something far, far worse.
She liked it. A lot.
“Finally flirting back, huh? Sure know how to keep a gal waiting.” Adagio threw her head back and laughed. “I knew you couldn't resist the Siren’s call for long.”
“W-what? Don't be stupid. I am not flirting,” said Sunset with an almost comical lack of credibility. “I just… I know you're making fun of me. With the babygirl thing. Just giving you a taste of your own medicine.”
“Making fun of you? Is that what you think?”
Sunset would have responded, but the two had finally reached their destination; the boba shop was mostly empty, and it didn't take long for the two to place their orders and receive their drinks. Adagio paid for them both, despite Sunset's insistence that they should at least split the bill. With delicious beverages in tow, Adagio led the pair to the adjacent food court, where they sat to more comfortably continue their conversation.
“I mean, it's pretty obvious that you are,” said Sunset, sipping her taro drink. “You're a bad guy, I'm a good guy. It's your job to make fun of me, right?”
“Heh. You know what I think?” asked Adagio. “I think that you want me to be making fun of you. Because if I'm not, then maybe you're not as good of a guy as you think you are.”
“Hey, I've changed. It wasn't easy, but I'm different now. I'm not a demon anymore.”
“Didn't say you were. But your first instinct after getting your bike towed—fairly or otherwise—wasn’t to talk to the guy, or even seek the help of your friends. Your first instinct was to steal it back, because that's what you wanted to do.” Adagio bounced her eyebrows as she sipped her avocado smoothie. “And you just sat and watched me run off with a stolen sports car. Face facts, babygirl, you may not be evil, but you sure aren't a good guy either.”
“You said you were picking it up for a friend,” said Sunset with a frown.
“That friend was my sister, she runs a chop shop. I was collecting a car she wanted to strip for parts that just so happened to fall into the possession of our sketchy tow man.”
“Ugh. Of course,” groaned Sunset. “I should've known Aria had something to do with this.”
“Sonata, actually.”
“Okay, now you're making fun of me.”
“I wish. No, somehow it turns out the idiot has a really good mind for business,” explained Adagio. “But that's neither here nor there. The point is, I did something bad, and you didn't stop me.”
“Stealing from a thief isn't really that bad,” countered Sunset. “So maybe you're not as evil as you think.”
“Hey, I didn't know he was scummy. As far as I knew, I was robbing a decent man who's only crime was doing an honest day's work. So, yes, I'd say I'm plenty evil, babygirl.”
“Then what are we doing here? Good guys and bad guys don't date.” Sunset paused before looking up and locking eyes with Adagio. The silence held for a moment, before Sunset gave a half-hearted little shrug. “Not that this is a date.”
“Why am I here? Because I think you're hot,” said Adagio simply. “And I know you feel the same. So I figured why not? If it doesn't work out, then fine by me. But maybe, just maybe, there's a chance.”
“A chance for what?”
“A chance to bring you back over to the dark side.”
Sunset was about to respond, to argue that it couldn't be done. Her bond with her friends was too strong, her commitment to her righteous path too unshakeable. She was incorruptible. Yet, before Sunset could say as much, something caught her eye; Across the food court was a man, in his early-twenties, with a scraggly blonde mullet sticking out from under a dusty blue truckers hat. He also had a very irate woman walking alongside him, who occasionally chirped and barked at her companion. Sunset frowned at the sight of the man, slinking down slightly in her seat, as if hoping not to be seen. Adagio noticed, of course, and followed the trail of Sunset's gaze. Though she wasn't sure precisely what she was looking at, her instincts told her to keep a close eye on the pair.
“Something wrong?” asked Adagio carefully. Sunset sipped her tea while watching the two walk past. They didn't seem to notice Sunset, thankfully, as they approached a nearby pretzel stand. “You know them, babygirl?”
“The guy. He's the prick who took my bike,” grumbled Sunset. “Ugh. Just my luck…”
“Hm. Seems like he's having a domestic with the missus,” remarked Adagio. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We should jump him and steal his wallet.”
Sunset nearly choked on a boba pearl, much to Adagio's somewhat cruel amusement.
“What?! We are not going to jump him!” hissed Sunset. “What're you, crazy?!”
“No, babygirl. I'm evil.”
“Yeah, you keep saying that, but I don't know if I buy it. The old Adagio, the one me and my friends beat, wouldn't even be sitting here talking to me. She would've just sang a little song and stole whatever she wanted.”
“You destroyed my gem, remember? I can't do what I used to, but don't you for a second mistake my weakness for kindness. I'd slurp up all that Prick’s energy like a smoothie if I could.” Adagio paused, her lips parted around her straw to take a sip before she grinned. That devious smile put Sunset on edge. Slowly, Adagio set down her drink, and stood up from the table. “You know what? I think I'm getting a little peckish.”
“Uh… There's a Hot Dog on a Stick right there,” suggested Sunset. “I've been craving—”
“Thanks, but no thanks, babygirl. I think I'll have something a little more… substantial. I'll be back before you can miss me.”
On that note, Adagio slithered away before Sunset had the chance to stop her. Sunset had no choice but to watch, horrified, as Adagio approached The Prick and his girlfriend. She said something that Sunset couldn't quite hear, but it was clear that The Prick wasn't happy about it. He began to sweat visibly, eyes darting from Adagio to his girlfriend and back, and he nearly keeled over when Adagio offered him an enthusiastic fist bump. After being left hanging, she shrugged, waved goodbye, and turned back to the table where Sunset sat. She didn't make it more than a few steps before the sounds of an argument began boiling up behind her, and by the time she reclaimed her seat, it was evident that Adagio had managed to spark a shouting match between these two relatively calm strangers.
Adagio sipped her boba, grinning at the way Sunset tried, and failed, to hide her begrudging respect for Adagio’s performance.
“Mmm, delish,” sighed Adagio. She took on a deep breath, and smacked her lips. “Ooh, bitter. That means this fight of theirs has been a long time coming.”
“What did you say?” demanded Sunset. “What made them start fighting like that?”
“I asked him how he did it.”
“Huh?”
“How did he do it. I've been trying to convince my girlfriend for ages to open our relationship, I wanted to know what he said.”
“Open relationship?” Sunset’s eyes slowly went wide as the pieces connected. “Wait… you made it seem like…”
“Like I had seen him with another girl, yes. Patently false, obviously, but the vibes she gave off made me think it wouldn't matter.” Adagio laughed. “Seriously, their negativity is delicious. I wish you could taste it.”
“Adagio, you can't just go around lying to people just to start fights.” Even as she spoke, Sunset began to wonder why. Why was she defending this guy? Just because it was the “right” thing to do? And who was in charge of deciding what was right, anyway? “You could have seriously ruined their relationship, and—”
“You're sleeping with Stacy?! That slut!”
“Or… Perhaps I unveiled an actual affair,” said Adagio with a shrug. “Sounds like that relationship wasn't long for this world anyhow. I—”
“I don't give a shit what we were arguing about! You banged my sister, you pig!”
Adagio froze, nearly stuffing her fist into her mouth to keep down the cackles. Sunset, unfortunately, wasn't far behind her, and she grabbed a tight hold of Adagio to keep from outbursting. She wasn't proud of it, but at the end of the day, Sunset couldn't deny that she was a bit messy. Drama makes things interesting, there was no debating that. And, considering the circumstances, she thought it was okay to laugh a bit. Since the affair was, apparently, real.
“Holy crap!” wheezed Sunset. “He did what?!”
“As much as I wish I could take credit for that,” cackled Adagio. “I had absolutely no idea. Honestly, sometimes I amaze myself.”
“Yeah, well, I gotta hand it to you.” Sunset offered up her drink in a toast. “That was pretty incredible.”
“Is that so?” The two clinked their plastic drink cups together, and sipped their drinks to their victory. “Is Ms. Goody-Goody finally willing to admit that the dark side has its perks?”
“Well, I dunno. He actually was cheating, and your lie got him to admit it, so…” Sunset shrugged. “I think that's a net neutral, at worst.” She glanced at Adagio and smirked. “Besides, don't you feel good knowing that poor girl won't have to deal with her lying, cheating, D-bag boyfriend anymore?”
“I suppose it is a bit satisfying. Girl power, and all that. Although I don't know how much credit I really deserve. Like I said, I didn't know he was actually cheating on her. It wasn't my intention to help anyone.”
“But you did.” Sunset's phone vibrated suddenly, and she quickly checked her texts. Her eyes went wide, and she shot off a quick text before stuffing her phone away. “Oh man, you’re gonna hate me. I totally forgot, I have a band meet today. We think there might be another villain popping up, Twilight wants to start coming up with plans.”
“Aw, so you’re ditching me, babygirl?” Adagio batted her lashes, her display clearly meant in jest. Even still, Sunset felt bad about it. “And they say I’m the evil one.”
“I know, it’s so lame of me, but I really—”
“Spare me, Sunset. Do what you have to do. I won’t hold it against you, on one condition.” She let the silence hang for a bit, watching Sunset as she hung onto every word, and smirked. “You, me. Dinner on Friday. I’m taking you someplace nice, and you’re just going to have to deal with it.”
“What if I’m busy on Friday?” said Sunset with a bemused little grin. She wasn’t busy, and even if she was, she would certainly make time for Adagio somehow. She was just very curious to see how she responded, and Adagio didn’t disappoint.
“I’ll just kidnap you.” She bounced her eyebrows as she spoke. “I’m evil, remember?”
“I’ll save you the trouble. How does six sound?” A wink and a nod was all the confirmation Sunset needed, and she went about gathering her things to leave when Adagio suddenly grabbed her wrist. “What’s up?”
“Friday’s a long time away,” sighed Adagio. She leaned in, biting her lower lip as she did. Sunset’s head may as well have caught flame, and she froze as Adagio came nearer and nearer. “How about you give me a little something to remember you by, babygirl?”
Sunset paused, then in a flash, she grinned, and slowly leaned in to meet Adagio.
“Alright, then.” Sunset whispered sensually in Adagio’s ear. For once, it was the Siren who seemed taken aback, and she just smiled like a fool as Sunset whispered her sweet nothings. “How’s this for a souvenir, cherry pie?”
Adagio was primed and ready for lips, tongue, maybe even more if Sunset was feeling particularly spicy. Her seductive charms and feminine wiles had proven successful, as usual. But instead of a passionate kiss, or even a peck on the cheek, Adagio was treated to the sensation of something sliding into the collar of her top. As Sunset pulled back and began to walk away, Adagio grabbed it and removed it from her shirt, looking the crisp, folded $10 bill over in confusion.
“What’s this about?” asked Adagio. Sunset flashed a grin but didn’t stop her departure.
“Paying you back for boba. Next time, we split the check. It’s only fair.”
Before Adagio could resist or argue, Sunset waved and disappeared into the crowd of mall-goers. The Siren chuckled, and turned the money over in her hands before stuffing it into her pocket. The money was inconsequential, and she was positive Sunset knew that. Of course, the money wasn’t the point. It was the principle, and even though she didn’t particularly agree, Adagio had no choice but to respect it, and by extension, Sunset herself.
“Fair play, babygirl.” She sipped the last of her drink with her feet kicked up on the table, and enjoyed the last morsels of her meal when the girl and The Prick finally stopped yelling at one another and stormed off in opposite directions. The Prick came her way, scowling at her all the way, and Adagio responded with a raised cup, a mocking toast to her victim.
“Cheers, mate. Here’s to love.”
