Chapter 3: Marshmallow and Yellowquiet
Rarity’s weekend was busy in all of the best ways. She had deigned to spend the entire two days working on her newest design. One just for her. There was no formal gathering, no special event. Just her and a dress she had designed all for herself. She smiled radiantly at the fabric in her hands, lovingly following the pattern with gentle snips from her scissors. A few moments later, she held up the perfect measure of white satin in front of her, admiring it lovingly.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
A polite knock at her boutique door interrupted her thoughts. She looked to the front room with curiosity. “Now, who could that be?” she mused aloud. Reaching the front door in only a few strides, she opened it to see quite the surprise. “Why hello, Adagio? What on earth brings you here?”
The siren, for her part, looked like she had seen better days. Her normally well-managed hair had started to fray, her clothes sat oh-so-slightly askew, and she seemed out of breath. However, she took a moment to compose herself, and greeted the fashionista with a smile. “Hello, Rarity! It’s good to see you. I know this seems a bit sudden, in fact it IS a bit sudden, but I was wondering if you had any time to spare for a… potential friend.” She stressed the word carefully, as if making herself remember to say it.
Rarity was slightly confused, but was nothing if not a good host. “O-of course, please, come in. My, you look simply dog-tired, my dear!”
Adagio welcomed the invitation, placing herself in the nearest seat she could reach: an armchair near the window usually reserved for waiting customers. “It has been… a rather eventful day. I have been making an attempt to… make friends. It hasn’t been going very well.”
Rarity took a seat in a matching chair next to Adagio’s. “Whatever do you mean? I thought you had friends. The other sirens-”
“Are sisters of mine,” Adagio explained. “I would very much like to have people I can socialize with that I don’t see every hour of the day.”
The designer nodded her head knowingly. “Oh, belive me, I understand. I have a sister of my own, you know. I love her dearly, but if she was the only person I could talk to day in and day out? Why, I would-”
“-lose my mind,” they finished together. They shared a friendly laugh, then Adagio inquired, “What are you doing today? I’ve heard you’re quite the fashion expert, and if this room is any indication, that was more than mere rumor.” The siren examined the room with great interest, making note of the wonderful displays and variety of color and design.
Rarity feigned humility. “Oh, pshaw. I simply do what I love, darling. I believe any girl should take pride in her appearance. Speaking of which, and no offense, but you seem like you could do with some freshening up,” Rarity noted, catching the slightest of whiffs from Adagio’s direction. The girl had made the first minute steps towards her transformation into a raging dumpster fire.
The bushy haired girl noted Rarity’s nostrils flaring, and the carefully controlled expression of displeasure. Taking a moment to sniff her clothes, she realized she rather smelled of sweat, light dirt, tacos (still?!), and something from Applejack’s farm. “Well, like I said, it has been a very eventful day.”
“Well then,” Rarity exclaimed, standing up quickly. “This calls for only one thing. You need some cleaning up, and I have been working all day. I think we both deserve a little spa time. And what better way to get better aquainted, anyways?”
Adagio mulled over the idea, for a bout two seconds. “Absolutely,” and they set off.
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“-and then they chased me down five city blocks, swinging trophies!” Adagio explained, sinking deeper into the mud bath. She kept her gaze straight ahead, ensuring the cucumber stayed in its proper place atop her eyelids.
“Oh, my, yes, Rainbow’s parents are rather… distressingly exuberant about their daughter,” Rarity conceded, mimicking Adagio’s actions and posture. “They really should be more courteous towards their guests.”
“They really should come with warning labels,” Adagio grumbled. They both shared a giggle at that.
“Well, Adagio, I commend you on your dedication to turning over a new leaf, and expanding your circles. Goodness knows my friends aren’t always the easiest people to get to know, especially with our… mixed history. But I must say I certainly am glad you came around to see me. With the exception of dear Fluttershy, I practically have to drag any of them here,” the designer gave a relaxed sigh as she took a drink of iced tea.
“Oh, I love a good spa. They’ve come such a long way since the first… attempts at beauty in this world. I don’t know what they were thinking when they started the corset.”
Rarity lifted a cucumber off her eye and glanced sideways at Adagion. “Do you… have something against corsets?”
Adagio chuckled mirthlessly. “Stylistically? No. But when they were first introduced, it was less of a fashion statement and more of a way to crush your internal organs to give your body the proper curves. I have nothing against looking good, but I do enjoy breathing, every once in a while.
“Of course, I do forget how… long you’ve been around,” Rarity conceded.
Again, Adagio laughed. “Oh, please, Rarity. You can call me old. I’ve been around for centuries. Age means very little to me. Of course, now that I’m… mortal, I imagine that will change over time, but I still have quite a few decades under my brassier.”
Rarity scoffed. “I would never call you ‘old’! And besides, youth is all in the mind, my dear. And you seem just as young and vibrant as any of us. You sure do seem to know how to enjoy the small things in life. Although, I must say I’m surprised. I’d heard rumors that you were… more of a flirt than you seem.”
Her statement was greeted with a loud, appreciative laugh. “Oh Rarity, you heard correctly. But given my interaction with Sunset earlier, I thought just maybe I should hold on on hitting on anyone I was actively trying to make friends with. Unless, of course, you want me to flirt with you,” Adagio added, waggling her eyebrows.
Rarity chuckled lightly herself. “One step at a time, dear.”
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Rarity and Adagio, both distinctly refreshed, stepped out of the front doors of the spa. “Well, Adagio, I simply had a wonderful time. I think I would rather enjoy spending more time with you, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not. I’m elated to have found at least one kindred spirit in all of this… adventure today,” Adagio said, shaking her great mane of hair. It shined wonderfully. “Well, I imagine you’d rather get back to work.”
Rarity smiled, waving a hand dismissively. “Oh, Adagio, we can certainly spend some more time together, if you wish!”
The siren shook her head. “No, I appreciate it, but I wouldn’t want to keep you from your exciting weekend. You sounded so enthusiastic I can’t imagine tearing you away from it. And besides, I still want to visit, what were their names. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?”
Rarity flinched slightly.
“...what?”
“Oh, nothing, darling. It’s just. Well, Fluttershy is a sweetheart. I don’t imagine you to have any problem endearing yourself to her. But Pinkie Pie? Well, it takes a special kind of person to just go up to her and make friends. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a wonderful friend, full of live, laughter, and energy, but...”
“She’s a handful and a half?” Adagio concluded, raising an eyebrow.
The designer nodded, sighing heavily. “Yes, yes she is. I suggest saving her for last. You might not have time for anything else afterward. Or energy… or consciousness.”
“That’s… a rather alarming consideration,” Adagio said, eyes wide.
“Yes, well. Oh, look at the time! I really should get back to work. Oh, tell Fluttershy I said hello! Or rather, I should call her and tell her your coming! She isn’t one for surprises,” Rarity explained, walking away as she spoke.
Adagio waved her new friend away, taking off in the direction of Fluttershy’s house. “Well, one out of five isn’t bad. Two out of six should be, either.”
As she strolled away, a familiar blue-skinned girl stepped out of the spa, her skin shining and her hair soft and voluminous. She raised an eyebrow at the siren as she walked away, mildly intrigued at the frequency of which she had seen her today.
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Fluttershy’s weekend was full of gentleness and fur. Lots of fur. She had spent the entire day thus far with her beloved animals, up until Rarity had called her just a few minutes ago. Explaining in great detail the fun they had had at the spa, and the misadventures Adagio had endured thus far, her friend was rather enthusiastic about Fluttershy meeting and engaging the apparently reformed villainess.
The animal lover had received a few calls today, one from Sunset, in frustration, one from Applejack, warning her about that ‘pineapple lovin’ varmint’, one from Twilight asking if she knew whether or not the sirens could teleport, and one from Rainbow Dash. Who, alarmingly enough, had asked Fluttershy not to tell her parents where the siren was, should she be asked, on the off chance that she would actually know the answer.
Apparently, Adagio had been making the rounds, and Shy was surprised that Pinkie Pie hadn’t called her also. However, Fluttershy wasn’t particularly keen on meeting the siren. Between the upsetting calls from Applejack and Sunset, and her conversation with Rarity, in which her friend described in great detail how she had gone to the spa, without her, and how much fun she had, the normally shy girl had decided she was not even going to entertain the thought of making friends with Adagio Dazzle.
It helped that Fluttershy hadn’t quite forgiven the sirens for making all of her friends yell at her. A LOT.
So, she had prepared a present for Adagio. One that sat in a large cardboard box next to the front door. And moved.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Fluttershy sighed, getting up from her warm, soft spot on the couch, surrounded by fuzzy animals, and made her way to the front door. She picked up the box, tucked it under one arm, and opened the door, to see, surprise surprise, Adagio Dazzle.
“Why hello, Flutershy, I was wondering if-”
“Box of snakes,” Fluttershy said simply, flinging the box carelessly at her.
“Wha-” Adagio had no time to respond as the box full of harmless, non-venomous, gardener snakes fell upon her with lots of hissing, and writhing, and anger.
Adagio Dazzle froze in place for exactly 1.7 seconds before she screamed and ran off, her hair now full of slithery rage.
Fluttershy turned on her heel, and closed the door behind her. She grumbled all the way back to her seat. “Take my friend to she spa without inviting me make my friends mad harass Sunset Shimmer the spa is our thing you homewrecker...” she trailed off, sitting back down amongst her animal companions, and sighed contentedly. All was right with the world.
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Sugarcoat stepped out of the froyo shop, gently licking her frozen treat, as an all-too familiar sound filled the air.
“…………...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa………………...”
She took a step back into the archway of the shop as Adagio Dazzle ran past her. She didn’t even bother to raise an eyebrow this time. Licking her dessert, she walked away from the receding noise.