“Yo, Adagio,” Aria called from her room, “Have you seen Sonata recently?”
“Hmm, no, I can’t say that I have,” Adagio called back.
“Weird,” Aria muttered, stepping into the living room. She stopped dead when she saw her sister. “Um, what the fuck are you wearing?”
“What, this old thing?” Adagio hummed, looking down at her outfit, if it could be called that. The fabric was so thin and so scarce it hardly covered anything. “I just thought I’d get some exercise, so I tracked down my old dancing veils. What do you think? I still look great, right?” She thrust out her hip, striking a seductive pose.
Aria glanced her sister up and down. The clothing left little to the imagination. Most of the colored fabric was so thin as to be nearly transparent, and what little of it was opaque enough to preserve her modesty hugged her curves very tightly. A dark purple bandeau top clung suggestively to her chest, leaving her arms, shoulders and midriff totally bare save for the golden bangles dangling from her wrists. The matching purple thong was barely concealed by a loosely tied sarong of airy pink fabric. Long violet stockings covered her legs up to her thighs, with a matching ribbon woven into her wavy hair. An airy chiffon veil completed the ensemble, draped across her shoulders like a shawl.
Aria shrugged. “Yeah, it still fits all right. Perks of eternal youth I guess. So, what’s the occasion? Did Canterlot suddenly elect a sultan?”
“Please, Aria, be serious.” Adagio waved her off, “I told you, I just want some exercise.”
“Right,” Aria scoffed, “And I’m Discord.”
“Hmph!” Adagio huffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away. “Fine, be that way. I was hoping we could practice together, a little sibling bonding time. I even found your old fans.”
“Ha! Not a chance in Tartarus.” Aria barked back humorlessly. “I’ll be in my room.” She turned to go, then paused, glancing back over her shoulder. “Did you keep Sonata’s old costume too? The skimpy red one?”
“The one that kept falling off all the time?” Adagio asked. “Yes, of course, it was with the others. Why?”
“Oh no reason. I was just imagining what it would look like on Rarity. She’s got just the curves to pull it off, don’t you think?” Aria smirked as her sister’s face turned deep red. She worked her mouth, trying to stammer out a response, but clearly the mental image was too much. Clearly that dry spell was taking its toll on her. “Anyway, just something to think about. Have fun with your exercise or whatever,” Aria taunted, slipping out of the room.
“Oh, you are the worst!” Adagio shouted belatedly. Aria chuckled as she shut her door and slipped on her headphones. Chalk up another win for the middle sister.
==O==
“Are we sure about this?”
“Yeah, how do we know you’ve got the right place?”
“Relax, amigos, have a bit of faith in your upperclassman.” Zephyr Breeze said, eying the refurbished warehouse building. He was tall for his age, with shaggy blonde hair and a bit of stubble that promised a respectable beard sometime in the future. He could have been considered handsome, and could probably have scored any number of dates were he not already well-known among his classmates at CHS as a lecher and a creep. He spared a glance for his two henchmen-for-the-day. “I told you, I was listening in on big sister Fluttershy talking to my girl Dash. This is definitely Sunset’s place.”
The two younger boys exchanged dark grins. The shorter of the two, Snails, rubbed his chubby hands together. “Excellent,” He chortled, “Time for some well-deserved payback.”
“Yeah, payback,” Echoed his best friend Snails. Where Snips was short and stocky, Snails was almost as tall as Zephyr, though he lacked the mass to make it look good, coming off more lanky and awkward. The two of them had been Sunset’s minions back when she ruled the school, and had been under her thumb just as much as everyone else. Or at least, that was what they had decided, once they realized they had managed to escape any blame for their actions, thanks to a certain demon incident.
“Well, come on, what are you waiting for?” Zephyr snapped. “Hurry up and set up the blind!”
“Right!” The pair answered simultaneously, then began rooting around in Snails’ backpack for the equipment. They worked quickly, using an old sheet and tying it off between two of the dying bushes that lined their side of the tracks. Anchoring the far end with discarded bricks, they crawled under and peeked out from beneath the shrubbery, completely oblivious to the dirt now caking their clothes. Glancing around once more to make sure the coast was clear, Zephyr followed them under, carefully unpacking his camera from its waterproof bag.
“Could you pass me some chips?” Snails asked.
“Sure thing,” Snips answered, digging through the backpack. He grabbed two bags of potato chips and tossed one to his friend. He also passed over the extra pair of field glasses. Snacks, binoculars, why did it feel like something was missing? “Uh, Snails? Where’s our camera?”
Snails looked at him in confusion. “I thought you packed it?”
“Me!? I didn’t have a bag, dumbass!”
“Well I didn’t-”
“Shut up you two,” Zephyr snapped, clicking the tripod into place, “I got you covered. It’s gonna cost extra though.”
“Aww, come on man, I thought we were cool,” Snails groaned. He returned his attention to the glasses, peeking through the windows on the first floor. “I can’t believe a hottie like Sunset Shimmer lives in a dump like this.”
“Yeah, this place is kind of a dump,” Snails repeated. He looked through his binoculars briefly, before dropping them in disgust. “Eew, that wasn’t Sunset, that was a dude!”
“Aw, gross!” Snips said, “Where?” Snails pointed, and Snips followed his finger to the window, far left on the second floor. “Aw, man, his place is a mess! Eew! Put a shirt on, man!” He shuddered, then turned to glare at Zephyr. “What’s the big idea, Zeph?”
Zephyr was too busy sighting through his camera lens to give the pair much attention. “It’s an apartment, moron. Check a different- holy shit.”
“What? What is it!?” Snips demanded.
“Guys, I think we’ve struck gold,” Zephyr said, adjusting the focus. “Forget Shimmer and check this out. Second floor, middle apartment.”
“Woah…”
==O==
Adagio huffed as her sister skulked off, then tossed her hair back over her shoulder. No matter. If she was too good to spend some quality time with her big sister, well, then it was her loss! Smirking, Adagio all but sashayed over to the television before setting it to play some upbeat pop music. It was not exactly traditional, but she liked it and the quick tempo would give her a good workout. Plus, she always enjoyed a bit of free styling. As the music picked up she began swaying her hips and moving to the rhythm, taking the veil in hand and weaving it through the air in hypnotic patterns.
A bright flash caught her eye through the window, and she smirked. Aria had resisted her teasing, but there was still fun to be had. What would be the harm in giving her voyeur a little show? She had always adored having an audience, after all. Swirling her veil, she spun a bit closer to the window, making sure to put on a good show for whoever was watching.
==O==
“Damn, even without Sunset, this was worth the trip,” Snips said around a mouthful of chips. “I can’t believe this is the Dazzlings’ place.”
“Just wait till that cuck Featherweight gets a load of this. He’s gonna freak!” Zephyr said with barely-restrained glee. “Aaand, bingo!” The shutter clicked and a brief flash of light washed the area. “Shit!” He swore, turning off the flash.
Snips laughed. “Moron, even I know to check the flash when spying on someone.”
“Ah, shut up,” Zephyr fumed, “At least I didn’t forget my damn camera.”
“Yeah, but I’ll always have memories,” Snips shot back, readjusting his binoculars. “And what sweet memories they are,” He sighed, ogling the girl on the other side of the window through his binoculars.
“Look at her go,” Zephyr chuckled, readjusting the camera and taking several more stealthy shots. “Bitch can dance alright, and damn she got the booty.” He let out a low whistle.
“I don’t get it,” Snails said, squinting through his own binoculars. “It’s just some belly dance,” The other two shot him a harsh glare. “What?”
“Never mind,” Zephyr said, “You obviously don’t get art.”
==O==
Adagio grinned wildly as her dancing reached a greater and greater pace. Her toes skipped across the hardwood floor, sending her into athletic jumps punctuated by elegant spins and twirls. She refused to stick to any one style, flawlessly incorporating elements of ballet and even salsa into her movements alongside the more traditional motions of her belly dance.
The flowing fabric of her veil danced around her like the wake of an elegant sea serpent, slithering through the air with a grace any siren might envy. It snapped and flicked into every corner of the room, claiming the entire space as her domain. The apartment was not large, but she had made full use of the limited space by pushing the furniture against the walls. It was not the elegant hall of a powerful sultan, or the great stage of a bustling dance hall, but with her skill she mastered the plain space and made it something beautiful.
As she danced, she felt her spirits lift. The world just seemed to melt away for a while, taking with it the stress of her job, her worry for her sisters, even her concerns about Sunset and her group. Her muscles burned pleasantly from the exercise, and she basked in the temporary freedom of mind even as a thin sheen of sweat glossed her athletic body. She felt one with the music, for the first time since her magic had been stolen, and was at peace.
==O==
Aria frowned at her computer screen, her furious typing gradually coming to a halt. The distracting, thudding beat of Adagio’s music was enough to overpower even her expensive noise canceling headphones, thanks to the apartment’s thin walls. She whipped the device off her head with a frustrated growl, throwing it carelessly onto her desk. Pushing out her chair, she got up to give her sister a piece of her mind, but stopped herself. The music was… actually pretty catchy. Despite herself she felt her head bobbing to the beat. Sitting down, she pulled herself back up to the desk and returned to her work with a smirk.
Her typing quickly resumed as she dove back into the stream of her work. She had just begun to regain her momentum, when a light flashed across her face. Her eye twitched, and she flicked her wrist absently, as if trying to brush the annoyance away. She tried to return to her work, only for the light to flash across her face again. With a growl, she stood up and stormed over to the window, reaching for the cord on her heavy blackout curtains.
Another reflection skipped across her face, just as she was about to draw the curtains. That time she noticed its source, as the sun shone off something on the far side of the tracks. Someone was in the bushes. She glared, trying to make them out. With a huff, she whirled toward the wall where her crossbow was mounted and swept up the weapon. Standing back away from the window so as not to be spotted, she put her eye the crossbow’s scope in order to get a better look at the source of the reflection.
She snarled as her scope focused in on a trio of teenage boys hiding under a blanket behind the thin scrub. Two were wielding binoculars, while the third had an expensive looking digital camera pointed at the window next to hers. Adagio. They were spying on Adagio.
“Those little creeps!” Aria hissed. Her sister was half naked and dancing around like a slut, and those pervs were recording it! “Oh no, I’m putting an end to this right fucking now.” She whirled back to the wall mount and grabbed a short, heavy bolt from its display frame. She held it and the bow in one hand while she unlatched and opened the window, then took a knee to load the weapon. She pulled the bolt back until it clicked into place, then shouldered the weapon and took careful aim, using the window sill as support. Sighting along the scope, she took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled, pulling the trigger in one clean motion.
==O==
Wsssssst- CRACK!
“Aaaah! What the fuck!” Zephyr screeched as the camera exploded in his hand. He looked down between his hands in horror, staring at the metal arrow firmly embedded in the ground just inches from his face.
“Uh, guys?” Snails said, looking intensely through his binoculars. “I think we may be in trouble…” The others followed his view to the next window over from the one they had been spying on. The purple haired Dazzling was glaring at them, a large black crossbow hitched up against her shoulder. Her free hand slowly rose into view, middle finger on full display.
“We gotta get outta here!” Snips cried, rolling out from under the blanket as quickly as the cramped space would allow. Snails followed, nearly getting tangled in the loose fabric as he made his escape.
“My camera!” Zephyr lamented, “That bitch broke my camera!”
“Doesn’t matter!” Snips shouted, grabbing Zephyr by the collar and pulling him to his feet. “Just run!” The trio sprinted away as fast as they could.
==O==
Aria laughed mirthlessly as the trio of weasels scampered off. “You better run, you little shits,” She muttered darkly, returning her weapon to its spot on the wall. She would collect her arrow and the remains of the camera later. If the data card was intact, maybe she could get some petty revenge. The thought made her smile.
With her crossbow put away she made to return to her desk, but stopped herself short. Her sister’s music was still pounding through the wall, and she could not keep a small, nostalgic smile from her lips. Maybe work could wait. She locked down her computer and stretched, then headed to the living room, closing her door behind her.
Sure enough, Adagio was still dancing, completely oblivious as Aria watched her from the side of the room. She had worked up a bit of a sweat, and her hair was disheveled from all the activity, but she continued to move with a poise and grace that made Aria jealous.
Aria smirked. Despite her somewhat haggard appearance, her sister looked as beautiful as ever. She had a glow about her, and a contented smile on her face. Aria had not seen that smile in a long time. She waited until the music died down before interrupting, stepping fully into the room. “Hey Dagi.”
Adagio stopped to catch her breath, hands on her knees. She looked up at her sister. “Yeah? What’s up?”
Biting her lip, Aria suddenly found herself hesitating. She looked to the side with a small blush. “Well, I was thinking maybe I would join you after all. It’s been a while since we danced together.”
“Eee!” Adagio squealed, leaping forward to pull her sister into a hug. “I thought you’d never ask!”
“Ah! Adagio! You’re all sweaty!” Aria protested, trying to wiggle free from her sister’s grip.
Adagio rolled her eyes. “Please, like it’ll matter in a few minutes.” She let go anyway.
Aria shrugged, then slipped out of her vest and tossed it toward the couch. “You still got those fans?”
“But of course,” Adagio said, retrieving two massive bundles of black feathers. She handed them to Aria, who took one in each hand. She opened the fans with a quick flick of her wrists, smirking at the satisfying snap! they made.
“Perfect,” She said. “Care to start the next song?” As the percussive beat began to play, Aria found herself naturally following Adagio’s steps, modeling her own dance around her sister’s. She smiled. Just like old times.
==O==
Zephyr lay on top of his bed sheets, staring off into space. He was still brooding at losing his camera a few days before. That thing had cost him three month’s allowance! He swore quietly, smashing his head into his pillow.
“Zephyr?” Called the quiet voice of his sister, “The mail’s here!”
“Go get it yourself, you lazy bitch,” He muttered, too quietly to be heard. Aloud he said, “Okay sis, I got it!” He continued mumbling to himself the whole while as he rolled off the bed and pulled on his sneakers before heading downstairs. Once he got outside he groaned, squinting at the sunlight as he shuffled toward the mailbox to retrieve the day’s post. He glanced through the letters absently on the way back.
“Not for me, not for me, not for- oh hello,” He raised an eyebrow as he came to the last item, a large manila envelope addressed to him. He tossed the rest of the mail onto the kitchen counter before taking his back up to his room. Grabbing a pocket knife from his nightstand, he flopped back onto his bed and swiftly cut into the letter.
Shaking out the contents impatiently, his curiosity was piqued when he discovered a developed photograph as well as a piece of paper. Flipping over the photograph, he nearly screamed when he recognized the image. It was a picture of him, taken with his own ruined camera. Trembling, he picked up the paper, which turned out to be a very detailed sketch of the siren who had shot at him. She was wagging her finger admonishingly, and below the image was scribbled a hasty caption.
I’m watching you.
He nearly jumped out of his skin the sudden knock on his door. “Hey Zeph?” Fluttershy said, opening his door to step inside. Without permission, as usual. “Hey, we’re going to go get milkshakes at Sugarcube Corner. Do you want to come?”
Zephyr squinted at his sister with suspicion, still coming down from his near heart attack. “That depends,” He said, “Who’s we?”
“Hi there!” Said a second, perky voice. A blue head peeked in over Fluttershy’s shoulder, “I’m Sonata!”
Zephyr screamed, throwing his pillow hard enough to make Fluttershy stumble out of the room before jumping up to slam the door. Needless to say, he did not get ice cream.