Sonata promptly perked up, looking towards the doorway when she heard a distant creaking sound. She bolted out of her room, already beaming as she ran into the hall.
Once outside, she thought she might have seen a faint glimpse of fluffy blonde hair, but Sunset quickly pulled the door shut, looking at Sonata with a frown that said all that she needed to hear to make her excitement crumble.
“How did it…” Sonata’s eyes fell, her shoulders slumping. “Not well, right?”
“I’m sorry, Sonata. She’s… I don’t know how she feels right now. Maybe she’s just in a bad mood, and maybe she’s mad at me, but… I think you were right. She…”
Sunset kept talking, but her words merely drifted through the air, barely even reaching Sonata’s ears and certainly not taking root in her thoughts.
One thing. You trusted her to do one thing.
She failed. You trusted her and she failed.
A strange feeling took root inside Sonata. She had the vague idea that she was angry, but she couldn’t quite tell who bore the brunt of her feeling: Sunset for her failure to get through to Adagio, herself for thinking that Sunset could have done anything to begin with, Aria for not even trying, or even Adagio for shutting her out in the first place.
“Sonata? Is something wrong?”
Shaking her head reflexively, Sonata’s eyes refocused, falling on a very concerned-looking Sunset.
“No,” Sonata blurted, hurriedly backpedaling and looking away. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Sunset followed along, frowning. “Because I can understand if you’re-”
“Stop,” Sonata said, pausing and looking back at Sunset. “Just… stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop trying to help!” Sonata spun in place, hands balling into fists. “Just stop it!”
Taken aback by Sonata’s sudden anger, Sunset stumbled back, up against the wall. “I’m sorry, Sonata. I’m sorry that Adagio didn’t listen to me, but-”
“But what?” Sonata huffed, folding her arms and fuming. “One thing, that’s all you had to do. You just had to get her to like you and- b-but no, you couldn’t even do that! You’re a failure!” Sonata trembled, shuddering as her bravado faded as quickly as it had come. She shuffled back towards her door, voice lowering along with her eyes. “J- just like me.”
In her troubled state, Sonata barely heard another door opening behind her. She flinched when she felt a hand gripping her shoulder, all but dragging her towards her room.
From behind Sonata, Aria fixed Sunset with a piercing stare, not speaking a word but driving her back with just a threatening look.
Fidgeting anxiously, Sunset slowly retreated, though the concern in her eyes never wavered. “Is… is she…”
“Shut up,” Aria growled, pulling Sonata back. “This isn’t your problem.”
With that, Aria led Sonata into her room, leaving Sunset alone in the hallway.
Great. Because I just didn’t have enough going on before, did I?
Aria suppressed a scowl, assuming an expression that was at the very least neutral, if less than pleasant. It had taken a little persuading to get Sonata into her bed and tucked in, but at least she had been a clingy, docile kind of upset instead of a violent kind of upset. A little bit of coaxing, and she had been glad to curl up under her comforter with one of those stupid stuffed animals. Probably one of the ones she’d gotten Adagio to sew. Those were her favorites.
Adagio probably would've sung her a lullaby or something, wouldn't she?
But no... she's stuck with me.
Sonata had been reluctant to let her go, but a little bit of assertiveness put her in her place and Aria left quickly, carefully closing the door behind her.
Because, as much as Aria would have liked to go back in her room, flop down on her mattress and sit around until she was bored enough to go down to the nearest bar and get drunk enough to let some sleazy jackass take her home, there was still the nuisance to deal with.
And that, certainly, was one thing she sorely wished she didn’t have to handle.
Briefly, she entertained the notion of simply grabbing that girl by her scrawny neck, chucking her out the door and slamming it in her face.
Right. And then she’d round up her cohorts and rainbow us again. I wonder if it wouldn’t hurt as much, now that we don’t have any gems to break.
The thought occurred to her that perhaps the nuisance had earnestly been trying to help, but she did not dwell on it for long. Whatever the reasoning behind her actions, it seemed that there was nothing that girl did that did not work in some way bring grief to Aria and her sisters.
But even so, Aria thought of other things beyond slamming Sunset’s face into the door. She liked to think of herself as being practical like that.
After all, though it pained her to admit it, that girl had them in a vulnerable position. Even with all the magic the gems soaked up, Sunset won. Handily, even. Once she got going, it wasn’t even a fight. There was no telling what the rainbow would do if it struck them a second time, but if there was one thing that Aria had learned in her long life, it was that stupid risks were exactly that: stupid. Fun from time to time, but ultimately stupid. There was no point in giving Sunset a reason to hit them again.
Thus, her first thoughts as she left Sonata’s room were not of how much fun she would have making Sunset scream, but how important it was to stay on her good side.
But after what I said before… she’ll be suspicious if I’m too nice. She’s naive, but she’s not an idiot.
Aria clenched her teeth, quietly seething. The irony that she was the one who got stuck with handling the delicate situation was not lost on her.
I’ll bet she doesn’t even think Sonata’s evil anymore.
And she’s kinda pretty. I’m surprised Adagio didn’t just drop the pretense and charm her out of her clothes at the door.
To her grudging relief, Aria went downstairs and saw Sunset patiently waiting in the living room. As soon as she saw her, Sunset stood up and looked at Aria, her face heavy with concern.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t want to-”
“What? You didn’t want to hurt us, right?” Aria leapt the last few stairs, landing lightly on her feet and making her way over to Sunset, purposefully keeping an inscrutable expression. “I guess nobody gets what they want. We sure didn’t. Why should you?”
“Aria…”
Cutting Sunset off with a disdainful scoff, Aria turned and walked away. “I’m done with you. You did your thing, you screwed it up. I’ve got stuff to do, and I don’t need you banging on my door.”
A moment passed, during which Sunset went silent. Aria listened intently, feigning disinterest by keeping her back turned.
“You know something, Aria? I would really, really like to be nice to you. I would. And I am sorry that we had to fight, but I’m not sorry that you lost. What you were doing was wrong and I do not regret stopping you.”
Pausing in place, Aria looked over her shoulder as her lips curled into a leering smirk. “I knew there was a spine somewhere in that sack of meat.” A sardonic chuckle escaped her lips. “What, do you want me to apologize? I don’t apologize. Not to you, not to anyone.”
“What I’m saying,” Sunset stated, her voice calm but stern as she folded her arms defiantly, “is that if you try anything… I will not hesitate to stop you a second time. You’ve had a rough life, and some of it, I can sympathize with. But that doesn’t make what you were doing right.”
“Maybe not for you,” Aria retorted, shrugging and stomping off towards a backdoor to the garage.
Another pause was followed shortly by a heavy sigh from Sunset. “You don’t care, do you? All those people don’t mean a thing to you?”
“What did they ever do for us?” Aria paused at the door, sending a stern glare back towards Sunset. “I don’t care what you think of me. You wanna bow down and worship me, go ahead. You wanna slap me in the face? Do that instead.”
“How can you say that?” Sunset demanded.
"It's not so hard. You should try it sometime." Aria paused, a thought springing up in her mind. “I used to be like you, you know. It feels nice, thinking that some things are right and some things are wrong, doesn't it?” she said, turning to face Sunset head on and leaning back against the door, folding her arms and scowling whilst she picked her next words carefully.
Soft enough to keep her interest, but harsh enough she doesn’t catch on.
“But life’s too long to waste it with worrying.” Aria pressed a palm into her chest. “Take me, for example. I’ll bet Sonata would say I’m a good person because I give her candy, play games with her when she’s bored and sing with her. But pick any one of those students and they’d say I’m a nasty bitch. So which one of ‘em’s right?”
Sunset frowned, tilting her head slightly. “I guess it’s a matter of perspective,” she said.
Aria laughed, making a dry chuckle. “There, see? You’re not as dumb as I thought.” Her features twisted into a sardonic smirk. “Why should I care if someone else says what I’m doing is wrong? Anyone else could come along and say I’m right. Right, wrong, good, bad... they're just words. They mean whatever you want them to.”
“So what do you do, then? If nobody is right or wrong, then how do you know what to do?”
“Figure it out yourself, of course. Don't let anybody else tell you what's right and wrong. Make your own rules and stick to them.” Aria absent-mindedly reached up to her throat, rubbing the skin where her gem once dangled. “I stood by my sisters, and in my book, that was the right thing to do. So no, I don’t regret a damn thing. If all that went down again, I'd make the same choice in a heartbeat.” Punctuating her words with a derisive snort, Aria turned and flung the garage door open. “Now, I got stuff to do.”
Aria stepped inside. Just as she had hoped, Sunset quickly followed, no doubt intent on making sure Aria wasn't up to anything suspicious.
The garage was large enough to comfortably fit two cars. One side was occupied by a roomy but purposefully nondescript sedan, whilst the other side was lined with cluttered shelves and packed workbenches. In the center stood a sleek, glossy black motorcycle, lovingly polished and in pristine condition.
Aria practically heard Sunset’s jaw drop.
Sunset’s eyes went straight to the shelves, which were filled with a staggering, unquestionably diverse collection of musical instruments, each one tucked away in ornate wooden cases. Alongside recent additions supplemented by fancy electronics stood antique pieces the sisters had accumulated over the years, many of which looked old enough to belong in a museum. Fitting, since some of them had indeed been on display at one point or another, though their current states were varying degrees of immaculate thanks to careful maintenance and occasional refurbishing.
“Woah,” Sunset gasped, her voice filled with awe.
Aria gave no response, simply walking over to a table in the corner. She picked up a small black plastic case, pulled a pair of sleek sunglasses and slid them over her eyes. Next, she opened up a plastic bag, unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into her mouth.
“These are all yours?” Sunset asked behind her.
“Yeah,” Aria replied, nodding curtly and sitting down on a stool, crossing her legs. “I check up on them once in awhile.”
"All by yourself?"
"Yeah."
“Your sisters don’t help you?”
“The idiot’s too clumsy and the skank can’t be bothered.” Aria snickered to herself, leaning against the wall and folding her arms, sitting back and watching Sunset take it all in. “Not that I’d let them. This is my thing, not theirs.”
“Hobby of yours?”
“Something like that.”
Sunset looked over at Aria and frowned. “What’s with the lollipop?”
“Helps me relax.”
“And the sunglasses?”
“Look cool.”
Sunset held Aria’s inscrutable gaze for a moment or two and then broke into giggles. When Aria tilted her head, Sunset paused and explained. “Sorry,” she said. “You reminded me of someone I know for a second there.” Turning, she gestured to the shelves. “Which one do you play?”
“All of them. You?”
“Well…” Sunset’s eyes roamed the shelves, eventually settling on an electric guitar tucked away in the back. “A friend of mine taught me how to play the guitar awhile back.”
Aria smirked slyly. “Give it a go if you want to.”
“Are you sure? You obviously spend a lot of time on these.”
“Oh, I do.” Concealed behind her sunglasses, Aria’s eyes bored into Sunset. “So don’t break it.”
Nodding in confirmation, Sunset walked over and carefully took the guitar out of its case. Pausing to admire the craftsmanship, she plugged it in and gave it a few experimental strums. Once she got a feel for it, she went into a few riffs, filling the garage with the sweet, energetic sound of an electric guitar in pristine condition. Sunset's fingers handled the strings with ease, clearly showing signs of rudimentary practice backed by a certain degree of natural talent.
“Wow,” Sunset remarked once she stopped, pausing to admire the instrument. “You did a good job with this one.” Looking to Aria, she smiled. “So. How’d I do?”
“Passable.”
Smiling coyly, Sunset beckoned Aria over. “Care to show me how it’s done, then?”
“I’ll spare you the embarrassment.”
Sunset cocked her head to the side, gently setting the guitar down, unplugging it, walking over and pulling out a second stool to sit down in front of Aria. She leaned forward, clasping her hands together in her lap. “Why’d you come out here, Aria?”
Aria raised an eyebrow and flicked her head towards the shelves. “I told you already. Got work to do.”
“You haven’t done anything yet.”
“Can’t work with you breathing down my neck, can I?”
“Fair point,” Sunset remarked, her expression suddenly taking on a more serious tone. “But you haven’t asked me to leave yet, and I want to know why.”
Aria crunched down on her lollipop, then lowered her sunglasses to look at Sunset. Slowly, a sly smirk spread across her face. “Smart little girl, aren’t you? What, you think I’m up to something?”
“The last time we spoke, you screamed in my face. Now you’re showing off your music collection and we’re having a civil conversation.” Sunset shrugged. “So yeah, I think something’s up, and I want to know what it is. Are you still mad at me?”
There we go. That wasn't so bad.
“Yeah, you’re breathing. Doesn’t make you special or anything.” Aria cackled again, sliding her lollipop out of her mouth and giving it a quick lick. “I don’t like you,” she stated, tersely. “We don't need your help. But… when it came down to it? You beat us. You’re strong, you know. When it was just your friends, I’ll bet Adagio could’ve kicked you all to the curb without breaking a sweat, but throw you into the mix and we never stood a chance.”
Sunset leaned back, pausing to think before frowning. “Where are you going with this?”
“What I’m saying… is that you don’t need to be afraid of me.” Aria jabbed a finger in Sunset’s direction. “I hate you, but I’m not nearly stupid enough to pick another fight that I know I can’t win. And Adagio’s smarter than I’ll ever be, so I'd hope she thinks the same way.”
"There's still time to change, you know. Who you are isn't written in stone."
"I said I wouldn't pick a fight with you." Aria glared intently at Sunset. "I didn't say I would forgive you. As far as I'm concerned, I never will. But there's no reason we have to fight again. I asked you not to hurt Adagio and since she's not screaming I assume you didn't. You did what you came here to do. Get out and I won't bother you again."
Sunset nodded, going quiet for several long seconds.
Aria raised an eyebrow. "Does that disappoint you?"
"Yeah. It does. I... don't know what I was expecting from this whole thing, but this sure wasn't it." Sunset lowered her head and sighed, then met Aria's eyes and gave a warm, genuine smile. "But I'm glad you let me try. And... I know this probably doesn't mean much to you, but if you ever change your mind..."
"I'll round up my flying pig and come knocking."
“Do you have a cellphone, by any chance?” When Aria shook her head, Sunset reached into her jacket, pulled out and unlocked her phone, and held it out. “Take mine, then. I'll get another one, but you can contact me if you need to. Even if you never use it, I'd like to know that you have it. And... if you ever need someone else to talk to, I can be there for you.”
Aria slowly reached out, picked up the phone and eyed it carefully.
About a second later, she flung it back at Sunset. “I’m not dying, dumbass. We know where to find each other.”
Fumbling at first, Sunset caught the phone. Slipping it into her pocket, she dug out a pen and paper, tore off a strip and jotted a number down on it. "Let me at least give you my number," she said, carefully handing the strip to Aria. "Just in case."
Aria rolled her eyes, snatched the paper out of Sunset's hand, and gave it a cursory glance. "Not gonna happen," she muttered. "So unless there's anything else you'd like to pester me with..."
"There's so many things I want to ask you, Aria. I want to get to know you better. And if you'll have me, I would very much like to be your friend, but I can't force you to make that choice." Sunset stood up, calmly composed herself, and stuck out her hand. "But if I'm not your friend, then I hope that at least I'm not your enemy either."
Maintaining an inscrutable gaze, Aria eyed the outstretched hand for several long seconds before rising to her feet, gripping it and giving a firm shake. "I don't want to see you again," she stated. "Whatever the reason."
"Okay. I don't agree with you, but it's your decision to make." Sunset placed her other hand on top of Aria's, offering a gentle touch and a warm smile. "Whatever you do, wherever you go, I wish you good luck. And... I hope Adagio gets better. You really care about each other, don't you? I think she'd like to hear that, if it's true."
Aria held an unflinching gaze, pulling her hand back and not speaking a word until Sunset finally turned and walked away.
A minute or two later, long after Sunset had vanished from view, Aria gave a slow but definite nod.
That went well.
She felt like there should have been more to say, but watching Sunset leave didn't feel as satisfying as she had thought. There was still a nagging feeling simmering inside her, but she hadn't a clue what it was that bothered her.
Back to work, then. She picked a saxophone off of the shelf and sat down, reaching for her tools. It took her a long time to get started.
Aria glanced at a clock on the wall, noting that a few hours had passed. Setting the flute she had been fiddling with for the last half hour or so, she went back to the shelves and picked out another instrument at random, settling on an old violin. Taking it back to her stool, she sat down.
Mere moments later, the door to the garage burst open. Sonata leapt inside, eyes flitting about erratically.
"Sonata? What're you-"
"No time!" Sonata snatched up the flute and yanked the violin out of Aria's hands before turning on her heel and bolting back out. "Come on!" she called back. "Hurry!"
Aria paused, hanging her head and sighing before pulling her sunglasses off and standing up.
What's that idiot up to now?
Closing the last of her now stuffed suitcases, Adagio stood up, closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath.
A moment later, her eyes opened, staring ahead and burning with a quiet, seething anger.
Content for the moment to brood, she went over to her chair and sat down, resting her head on her hands.
Everything was as it needed to be. Her things were packed, ready to be taken at a moment’s notice. She’d wait until Aria and Sonata were asleep, then slip out of her room with her bags. She'd have a bit of walking to do and then a phone call to make. If she was fortunate, there would still be a few contacts in the next city over that hadn’t been released from her charm. Old victims lying in wait for when she found a use for them. At that hour, she would likely be forced to find a motel to spend the night in, but the next day she’d have a ride waiting to take her away.
She elected not to think of what might happen if her web of accomplices had been dissolved when those girls dispelled her song.
I’ll be fine, she told herself. One way or another, I’ll skip town. I’ll have sufficient funds to find an apartment and lay low until I can figure out something more permanent.
She hadn’t lasted a thousand years by being careless, after all. Surely a mind as keen as hers could handle the challenge of discreetly resituating.
Of course, there was a certain delusional little girl she’d have to stop by and visit before she left...
But the day was still young. Surely she’d have time to run a few errands.
She let out a satisfied chuckle, praising herself for figuring it all out so quickly.
Just another day or two, and she’d be gone. Her sisters would be free to find their own path, free of the burden that had been her leadership. It might be rough for them at first, but she had little doubt that Aria would rise to the occasion. She’d take care of Sonata, hopefully.
A faint smile formed on her lips. Those two were so sweet to each other, when they weren’t butting heads and a blue moon hung in the sky.
The satisfaction of her future being so clear was so enticing that she nearly forgot one of the best parts.
Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, Sunset Shimmer.
Her mouth curled into a sinister smile.
That would be the most challenging part, of course, but she was up to the task. She knew she was.
And so all she had to do was wait until her sisters went to bed. A glance at her clock told her that she still had a few hours.
What to do in the meantime, I wonder?
Her eyes lazily wandered her room, until they settled on the sleek piano in the corner.
Silently, Adagio moved over and stood in front of it, sliding the cover up and staring down at the simple but elegant keys. She ran her fingers up and down the woodwork, taking a moment to admire the craftsmanship.
The instrument itself was hardly anything special. Well-made, she supposed, but she had played dozens of well-made pianos.
How long have I had this one? Twenty years? Thirty? Forty? More?
It was old, by the standards of most who would have looked at it. She’d presumably had Aria tune it on many occasions.
And starting that night, she’d never ask again, nor would she need to.
It was far too large to transport, unless she planned to throw subtlty out the window.
Once more. For old time’s sake.
She pulled the stool out and sat down, her posture prim and proper as her long, slender fingers reached forward, positioning themselves almost of their own volition amongst the keys.
And then they began to move, sliding gracefully up and down the keyboard. Nothing fancy at first, merely a flurry of flowing arpeggios to warm up her fingers.
In the meantime, her mind filled with dozens upon dozens of pieces that she might play, many of them ones that carried fond memories, whether for her encounters with the one who had composed them or for the ones with whom she had played them before.
Somehow, none of them felt right. What kind of injustice was it, to waste one’s last few moments on a prized instrument following in the footsteps of another?
Pressed on by that thought, she flew blind, starting with a slow, somber dirge and going from there. Her fingers struck the keys with impeccable precision, her movements methodical but fluid. At first, she took great care to play softly, fearing what sorts of attention her haunting melody might bring, but it wasn’t long before she succumbed to the enticing rhythm and played her song with the power it deserved. She no longer felt her hands as part of her body, but more as just another component of the song, their movements guided only by instinct.
As her song grew, crescendoing and then gracefully slipping into diminuendo passages, she closed her eyes, gently swaying and letting the music flow forth unrestrained.
It was only a few minutes before one final cadence concluded her masterpiece, but they felt like an eternity that she would gladly have existed in for countless days.
With the last keys struck, she deftly pulled her hands back, opened her eyes and, despite her isolation, flashed a haughty smirk and flourished as if demanding the reverence of an unseen crowd. If there were indeed an audience before her, she felt certain that they would have adored every second of it.
First thing when I find a new home: I’m getting another one.
She sat in place for a few moments, savoring the satisfaction of flexing her talent and looking down at the keys with a loving gaze, reluctantly sliding the cover shut for the last time.
I’m going to miss you, but don’t worry. Aria’ll take good care of you. I know she will.
One final gentle caress, and she stood, turning her back on the instrument.
Scarcely had she taken a step when a sound reached her ears, faint through her door but nevertheless unmistakably the chipper sound of a flute. At first, the melody was hesitant, unsure whether or not it was wanted. It gradually lowered, wilting almost into silence.
For a few long moments, Adagio looked at the door, tilting her head and pondering the sound's significance.
And then her eyes went wide as she recognized the invitation for what it was.
Hurriedly, she spun on her heel and flung the cover of her piano open and prominently struck a few notes, ensuring they were loud enough to be heard and hoping that she had not missed her chance.
A second or two of silence passed, during which she looked frantically towards her door.
Then, to her relief, the flute returned. Again it was hesitant, but that time it wordlessly asked her to set a tune for it to follow.
Adagio eagerly complied, mentally composing a few measures in seconds and formulating the rest as she went. Spurred onwards by her newfound companion, her fingers danced and glided up and down the keyboard, filling the air with the sounds of a gentle tune.
Mere moments later, a violin joined in, pressed into the crook of a fuchsia shoulder whilst practiced hands manipulated the bow with contemptuous ease.
Honed by decades upon decades of synchrony, the three instruments harmonized in an instant, flowing flawlessly through rhythm after rhythm and seamlessly alternating roles, each one taking its moment in the spotlight before carefully retreating to give its sisters a chance to shine.
Again Adagio’s eyes closed, a warm smile on her blissful face as she once again let the music wash over her, guiding her every movement.
How fitting it was, that a siren would say goodbye not with words, but with a song.
Harnessing every scrap of will she could muster, Adagio absorbed every detail of the scene no matter how small, etching one last memory to cherish into her mind, where it would remain for the rest of her days.
If only for a few moments, it felt as though she had been reunited with them, joined by the bonds of music even as they remained separated by a wall of wood. The knowledge that she would likely never see them again threatened to tear her heart in two, but at least she could find comfort in knowing that their last few minutes together were spent doing what they loved more than anything else.
The music they played felt like it went on for an eternity, but the time finally came when a last majestic crescendo concluded the impromptu performance.
But even long after her fingers struck the last keys, Adagio remained on her stool, motionless save for craning her neck to look at her door, imagining clear as daylight what sight laid on the other side.
Thank you.
Her head lowered, a few joyous tears running down her cheeks.
I love you. I love you both.
May the tides carry you to calm waters.
Goodbye.
From that moment on, the house went silent. The sounds of music faded, shortly replaced by dejected shuffling and a few hesitantly uttered words of comfort.
Night slowly fell, accompanied by gloomy clouds. What began as a few trickling drops falling from the sky slowly escalated until it became a drizzle of falling water.
Still the house remained silent, until the moon was high in the sky and all traces of the sun vanished over the horizon.
Finally, a door creaked open. Adagio, garbed in an innocuous grey sweater, slipped out, locking it behind her and slipping the key into her pocket.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that the door to Sonata’s bedroom was open, but then she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that not only was Aria’s door also open, but there were two figures lying on the shabby mattress inside, fast asleep in each other’s arms.
A faint smile spread across her face as she went over, stopping by the doorway to look at them.
Somewhere in her head, a part of her wanted to join them. She wanted to rush over and shower them with hugs and kisses and loving caresses, but the moment she imagined their bliss turning to spite, her smile faded.
She left without a word, taking some comfort in the knowledge that they could find solace, with each other if not with her.
Down the stairs she went, taking a slight detour through the kitchen and then stepping out the door, a gust of chill wind blowing into her face the moment she set foot outside. Undeterred by the cold, she stuffed her hair into her hood and set off.
Though the neighborhood she lived in had been selected precisely because it was only sparsely inhabited, it took on an even more desolate tone once the sun set. One or two houses still had a light on at that late hour, but the majority were shrouded in shadows, only dimly light by street lamps. She pulled her hood over her face, concealing it and at the same time providing some shelter from the rain.
The route she took was one that she had only walked once before, but her keen memory guided her unerringly to her destination.
Some time after she left the door, she laid eyes on the house that she sought.
She crept up to the door with a hairpin in hand, slender fingers working quickly and methodically until the lock clicked open. She smirked, silently thanking Aria as she cracked the door open and slipped inside, careful to close it behind her.
As soon as she was inside, she stepped out of her shoes and set them down by the door, leaving her feet bare and her footfalls soft.
With all the lights off and the windows closed, the house was plunged into darkness, so Adagio advanced with the utmost care, stepping slowly and feeling ahead of her for obstacles.
It took her a minute or two to make her way through the single-story house, pausing at every closed door and listening until finally, she heard a soft snoring sound. She tested that door's knob, grimacing a little when she found it to be locked. That one proved more troublesome, obscured by the interior's darkness, but she picked it easily and slithered into Sunset Shimmer's bedroom.
And there, not ten feet in front of her, laid the girl she sought, sound asleep under purple covers and snoring softly. Even in her sleep, she smiled, appearing to be the very image of serenity.
Without making a sound, Adagio crept over, reaching into her sweater. A stray beam of light snuck through the window, falling on a glinting blade of metal held in her emerging hand.
Quietly, expression blank but eyes gleaming with malevolent intent, Adagio stalked forward, advancing until she loomed over Sunset and gazed down with callous indifference. She reached out, shaping her free hand into a claw over Sunset’s throat as if prepared to throttle her.
Briefly, she imagined wrapping her fingers around Sunset’s throat, nails gouging into her flesh as she choked the life out of her.
Satisfying, perhaps, but far too troublesome. She held the knife up to her eye.
How pathetic it was, that a soul that wielded such power and had risen to such heights could be extinguished by something as simple as metal. Such was the tragedy of mortality.
So soft. So frail. So weak.
She had never stabbed anyone before, not intentionally. Even on the rare occasions when her plans had unraveled to the point of confrontation, there had been few situations that her song couldn’t defuse and even fewer that Aria hadn't been able to handle if it came to blows. Now that she thought about it, she'd miss having that gloomy purple thug hanging around. There was a certain thrill that came with dispensing retribution without lifting a finger.
But how hard could it be, to find the heart of a sleeping girl?
With her outstretched hand, she gently grasped the covers, pulling them down to expose Sunset’s chest. Then she held out her other hand, gripping the knife tightly with the point down, poised to pierce.
It would be so easy. Hardly more than a flick of her wrist, and that loathsome girl, the one who had brought so much grief into her life, would be gone forever.
That’s right. It was so, so easy.
So why hadn’t she done it yet?
Do it. End her. You might not get another chance like this.
Glowering, she put her other hand on the handle to steady her trembling grip. She maneuvered the knife until it hovered just slightly above Sunset’s heart, and then she raised it.
An instant later, the knife plunged down.
If only for a moment, the room went completely silent and still.
Adagio’s heart pounded, but her eyes widened further when she realized that she had stopped with the point more than an inch away from Sunset’s soft chest.
No. No no no!
This isn’t the time! Just do it!
Clenching her teeth, she raised the knife again. Her whole body trembled, making it nearly impossible to take aim carefully.
She’s just a girl. Why is this so hard?
Her chest heaved with each heavy, frantic breath, but no matter how much she thought she wanted to, the knife remained suspended in the air, moved only by her own shaking hands.
Because there’s a chance she might be right.
No matter how she tried to pretend to be engulfed by fury, a voice of reason spoke in the back of her mind, faint but just loud enough to be heard. It pained her to no end to admit that the girl might have had a point, but a part of her utterly failed to deny it.
And if she does…
Then maybe, just maybe, she was making a mistake.
She understands, doesn’t she? What it feels like to be afraid of being scorned, what it feels like to belong in another world. To have a home we can’t go back to.
She thought back to their last encounter, remembering the way that Sunset had held her, offering so much comfort and asking for nothing in return. She wondered if perhaps she might like to feel that again one day.
But then an even more recent event pushed its way to the forefront of her memory.
Her fiery rage subsided, slowly but surely reducing to a mere smolder in the back of her mind. Though her face remained grim, she pulled the knife back slowly, letting it lower to her side.
Quietly, she knelt down beside the bed. Her other hand reached out, giving Sunset the most gentle of touches on the cheek. It was not a tender gesture, but more of an appraising one. There was a softness to Sunset's face that she coveted, a warmth that she craved.
I suppose it would be a shame to ruin such a pretty face, wouldn’t it?
Besides, she’s only mortal. She’ll die one way or another, whether by my hand or not.
And if she is right…
Well, I suppose giving her a few more years would only be fair, wouldn’t it?
The words that Sunset had spoken to her earlier repeated in her mind, echoing through her thoughts and refusing to be dispelled.
Ever so slowly, she stepped back, slipping the knife back into her sweater and stealing away to the door. She stopped in the doorway to send one last look towards the figure sleeping so serenely in bed, blissfully unaware of her close brush with death.
Despite herself, she found that she lingered, a pang of remorse creeping up on her as she contemplated what she had just done.
Her brow furrowed in deep thought, but shortly relented.
“Sleep well, Sunset,” Adagio murmured. “You are more fortunate than you realize.”
She slipped outside, closing the door behind and making her downstairs to the front door, swiftly but silently. Stepping into her shoes, she opened the door, locked it and stepped out, vanishing away into the dead of night.
I’ll speak with them in the morning.
And if they scorn me…
Then I knew it was coming. But if they don’t…
How can I claim to love them if I don’t even try?
I think like everything about how this chapter went.
The musical bit was incredibly fitting for a siren friendship moment (note to self: steal Sonata on the flute, and Adagio the piano at some point. I'm a little iffy on Aria's violin, but darned if it doesn't fit somehow) and Adagio's visit was tense, but strangely beautiful as she made her choice.
...Admittedly, I'm a teensy bit disappointed that Adagio sneaking into Sunset's bedroom at night didn't wind up validating the Sex tag, but things are just too sweet for me to not smile. Besides, Sunset waking or having been pretending to be asleep (even as someone held a knife to her) followed by another chat would have been kind of predictable.
7631920 To be honest, I'm not so sure about Aria and the violin either, but it's what she had on hand in the moment and I'd never seen it before. Maybe there are other instruments that suit her better that didn't come to mind, but it feels like almost everyone else gives her a guitar, so I felt like doing something different.
And I would be lying if I said I wasn't sorely tempted to have that scene in the bedroom get a little steamy, but I wasn't sure if that would have come across as too rapey or not and that was not at all what I was going for. I also think there's some merit to Adagio ultimately making the choice of her own volition and not needing another talk to realize her mistake. But don't worry. There's more intimacy to come.
Yay Adagio chose to stay with the other sirens, and didn't murder anyone! Great chapter.
7632044 Gotta love those non-murdering sorts, right? Glad you liked it!
Holy crap.
The part with the Sirens playing was hauntingly beautiful. As for Adagio's attempt at murder, I half expected Sunset to wake up or for Adagio to nearly go through but botch at the last possible moment. But I did really enjoy how Adagio chooses to walk away, with Sunset completely unaware. It felt more meaningful for her to eventually reach the decision on her own.
Ya damn skimpy! Dagi stop being so damn stubborn and let Sunny help dammit xD you want love and adoration? Do as Sunset did, look at how much love it got her, tons and millions of loyal fans xD
Beautiful.
I am happy that nothing serious happened
I loved the chapter
I mean... murder would have been nice, but... I suppose this will do...!
When Sunset talks about not hesitating to defeat Aria again, does she mean in a general sense, or if Aria had tried anything right then? If the latter, is that implying Sunset would be able to do anything magical without her friends' help?
7632359 Interestingly enough, I went through several variations of the bedroom scene before arriving at the one you read, where Adagio leaves and Sunset is left unaware. Some of my initial outlines for that scene were similar to what you describe, but I do feel inclined to agree that there's a lot of merit in Adagio making the decision herself. In any case, that scene (this whole chapter, really) was one of the parts I struggled with the most to get it to play out the way I wanted it to, so I'm very glad you liked the final version.
7632443
Hmm... That's pretty much what happened in this chapter, isn't it?. Dagi's not quite there yet, but she's taken a step in that direction.
7632748 It is my hope that you cried as much reading this chapter as I did when I wrote it. Even if you didn't, that's the word I enjoy hearing the most when it comes to my work, so thank you very much for using it.
7632794 Thanks! It'd just get depressing if things got worse every chapter, wouldn't it?
7633230
Y'know, with how many stories there are out there that involve the Dazzlings dying after the Battle, I have strongly considered writing one where the roles are reversed and Sunset is the one who dies.
This story, however, is not going to go there. Because this, you see, is a happy, cheerful story! Not really, but it's not that dark.
I swear, you keep bringing up these great details that I did not give as much attention to as I should have.
I would think that Sunset would at least try to fight back if anything happened right then and there. The way I imagine Aria, Sunset would lose (badly), but she'd be more inclined to escape, gather up her friends and do the rainbow thing again.
However, at the Friendship Games... If I remember correctly, Sunset did indeed use magical abilities more or less independently of her friends. Granted, she was in the presence of a magical rift to Equestria, so she may or may not be able to reproduce those results on her own and may or may not have known that she could do it to begin with. If she was only able to do it because of the rift, then my assumption is that she can't use magic without her friends or geodes.
But, to be honest? I didn't give it that much thought. The intent, since Aria seemed belligerent but not necessarily immediately violent, was that Sunset meant it in a more general sense and wasn't necessarily thinking of immediate conflict (and if she was, she ought to have been more concerned about Adagio). I don't think it would be that much of a stretch to say that Sunset can use magic on her own, but it's honestly not a topic I've given much thought. I'm not saying she can, but I'm not saying she can't.
Did that help? I hope it helped. In any case, thank you for asking. Love getting questions like that.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!
7633688 Sorry. Couldn't resist.
Seriously, though, your stuff's great.
7633268
I'm glad only adagio not take a bad decicion.
would surprise me, I thought she would.
I guess we have to wait? do not?
It would be funny if there was security system in Sunset's home and it stared making sound the moment Adagio opened door.
What a luck that Sunset has simple lock that can be easily opened with hairpin.
Strange is, Adagio didn't think about, how it could ruin her and her sisters life if she murdered Sunset.
Her wanting to murder Sunset came out of blue.
7634002 If it's not too much trouble, would you mind covering up some of your comment with spoiler tags? This is probably a bit excessive of me, but I never liked it when I got spoiled by reading the comments of a story, so I'd prefer that you cover up some of the more important details.
Alarms? Quality locks? In this fabulous, trusting land of peace, friendship and harmony? Surely you jest.
Seriously, though, that's a pretty valid point that I can't do much more than handwave right now. Hopefully, it didn't distract you too much.
That first one would actually be pretty funny, though... maybe some other time.
I think that's a detail one would easily overlook when consumed by blind, seething rage.
Admittedly, it's a fair point, although I would assert that Adagio at that point wasn't exactly thinking rationally. Her decisions were based off of raw emotions, not any kind of pragmatism.
7634060
I covered it, but i find it strange. I always thought that the discussion under a chapter or story is for talking about it. There is no reason to hide it. I personaly visit discussions after i red the story or chapter. It never ocured to me to visit discussion when i didn't read the story.
7634087 You're definitely right; the comments section is here so you can discuss, and you will always be welcome to say what you want to say. I love it when people talk about the chapter, so I'm not trying to stop you or say that you shouldn't say certain things. However, I wouldn't want someone to, say, read a comment that ruined the surprise of Adagio almost murdering Sunset. I personally have, on more than one occasion, glanced at the comments section before reading a story and accidentally read spoilers I didn't want to see that kind of ruined the story for me. Like I said, it's probably a little bit excessive on my part, but uncovered spoilers in the comments are a little pet peeve of mine. Thanks for being understanding.
7633344
I'm sorry, my comment was overly negative, this was a superb chapter. Just that when the only choice offered to the sirens is to become good and essentially completely change who they are, I start to feel murder might be an appropriate alternative response. That's not aimed at this story particularly, but the whole Dazzling Redemption genre, including my own work. Stabbing Sunset to death would almost certainly have ruined the story, for a fleeting moment of satisfaction.
I noticed here that you took the view that Sunset is considerably more powerful than her friends combined, which was unusual but interesting. I think your explanation makes a fair bit of sense; I try to blot out the memory of Friendship Games and so can't remember for sure either way what happens about Sunset's solo power activation in that one. It probably comes down to whether the story is closer chronologically to Rainbow Rocks or Friendship Games. I agree, I think - Sunset would try to fight back if Aria tried anything, but I think Aria's smart enough to know not to try anything unless she could be sure of a swift victory, and her best strategy would be a surprise attack using overwhelming (non-magical) force when least expected, just as Adagio decided on. I know Aria is the more impulsive one, but if she's that scared of Sunset, I think she'd keep a tight reign on lashing out.
Also, the musical farewell through the door was a lovely image.
7634371 And just to clarify, while I did play around with a few different endings for the bedroom scene, Sunset dying was never one that I seriously considered. It is an idea that I might revisit sometime, but it definitely wouldn't fit into this particular story. That being said, there are a couple problems I tend to have with the usual Dazzlings reformation story, so I'm purposefully trying to do things that I don't see often, and I don't think I've seen Adagio breaking into Sunset's house with a knife before.
I was hoping someone would bring that up, because I've had a lot of fun trying to figure out stuff like that. There's a couple of short scenes that led me to make that conclusion, as well as deciding that Adagio is the strongest siren, also by a substantial margin. The Friendship Games event is one, but also notice that when the Rainbooms fight the Dazzlings, Adagio alone starts pushing them back, but when Sunset jumps in she wins in a single stroke and then the whole crystal alicorn thingy happens. However... given the nature of the Elements of Harmony, I think it's more reasonable in some ways to assume that they all grow stronger the more of them are present, which would imply that Sunset amplified her friends' magic instead of being stronger on her own. The Friendship Games conclusion sort of implied to me that she is stronger than her friends, but again, the context was very different and MLP in general is pretty loose about that sort of thing. So it's also possible that Aria, just like she's been doing pretty much the whole story, leapt to the most obvious conclusion and hasn't thought about changing it.
Speaking of Aria... in my mind, she is pretty confident that she could easily take down Sunset right then and there if she wanted to. I've always imagined her being a total badass after centuries of venting her anger through violence, so I could easily see her taking Sunset by surprise if she needed to. Notice that she's certainly not above threatening Sunset, and indeed would probably have gotten much more hostile if she had been lead to believe that Sunset was trying to hurt them in some way. With that in mind, I'm not sure it's right to say she's scared of Sunset, exactly. Much like Adagio, she was in a pretty good position to take out Sunset if she wanted to. The difference is that Aria has so far been rational enough to recognize that such an event would look extremely suspicious and that Sunset's friends would be along shortly. If she had been pushed further, it's possible that she could have snapped, but so far that hasn't happened.
7634684
True! That's a new one I also really liked Aria's line about being uninterested in what anyone thinks of her. I am very much enjoying reading this.
I personally would think it unlikely that Sunset would be more powerful than Twilight, given that the latter is the Element of Magic. I think the power jump between Adagio knocking the Mane Six back and the Sky Allicorn appearing when all seven are together is more to do with Sunset's doubts being put to rest over whether her friends accept her, and so the whole bond would reinforce itself. I think the series as a whole is aiming for Sunset to become the human world's Twilight, so I wouldn't be surprised if she were named Element of Magic in that world, but the newer focus on Sci-Twi has cast doubt in my mind on that idea. Likewise, I think Sunset's power in Friendship Games is more to do with being a mirror of Sci-Twi's own situation, rather than actual raw power. But it's a very interesting theory, and it's good to see it being explored.
7634761
Aria's life philosophy as a whole is one that I deeply enjoyed putting into words, though I would encourage you to ponder whether or not that particular line is as true as Aria makes it sound.
And, as always, you make some very good points regarding Sunset's magic. The events of Legend of Everfree make it seem likely that Sunset has her own seventh element, rather than merely being the human Element of Magic. I personally kind of like that idea, if only because I think Sunset deserves to be her own character and giving her a different Element helps differentiate her from Twilight. And in that case, while I believe the series premier made it clear that Magic is the strongest element, that could very well be thrown out the window if Sunset has a seventh.
And given the nature of the magic they were using, it's certainly a possibility. My theory was based off of the new color that Sunset added to the rainbow, as well as how she seemingly hadn't been contributing at all prior to picking up the microphone.
In any case, I'm very glad you found that thought so interesting.
Alrighty, thoughts on this chapter.
First off, I adore how distinct you've made the Dazzlings. Not just with their hobbies or interests, but with every little detail about them. From Aria's nihilism(?) and aggressive nature, including what I guess is a somewhat compulsive desire to dominate her foe no matter what- I sort of got the impression that's she's mastered the instruments only from a belief/desire that she's the best, to Adagio's fallout from losing her powers. They're varied and make enormous sense, especially impressive given that they were mostly cutouts in the movie.
Secondly, I've really gotten the impression that Aria believes/understands, despite having lost her powers, that she ought to be the strongest. I was never particularly impressed with her in the movie, but in this her overall characterization actually made me sit back and think. It's an odd mix of a might makes right, defeatism, and an understanding that she has some kind of power that makes her stronger than everything else. I dunno, but this characterization is really enjoyable to me.
Lastly.
This line really summarized why I enjoy how you write the Dazzlings. There's that sense of otherworldly-ness, brought down, yet it's still there and they still feel it and resent what's happened to them.
Ok great chapter and sounds like sunsets a heavy sleeper lol
I love you. I love you both.
May the tides carry you to calm waters.
Goodbye.
there's a lot of things i love about this story people who understand writing better than i have said. but if i may draw your attention to that scene. the essence of that entire sequence is why i love this take on the sirens. I heard a song similar to what they could have played through this, and i got lost in the music. the connection of water and song gets to me.
8420464
Thank you very much! That part at the end that you mention wasn’t in the story at all until a few minutes before publishing this chapter, but I think it solidified that scene’s position as my favorite from the whole story. Quite glad to hear that you liked it
Which song was it, if you don’t me asking?