//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Code Red // by TheNewYorkBrony //------------------------------// The scream that echoed through the Dazzling residence was almost the loudest thing Sonata and Aria had ever heard in the one thousand years that they had been in this world. “What the hell was that?” Aria asked, looking at Sonata from across the room. “I don’t know. It sounded like Adagio screamed.” Sonata responded, putting down the taco she had been about to eat when the scream had occurred. “What the hell is she screaming about?” Aria responded, getting up to stand at the base of the stairs. She was deciding whether or not it’d be worth it to ascend and see what all the commotion was about. The blood curtailing scream came again, and Aria bolted up the stairs with Sonata close behind. They both burst into the bathroom to find Adagio on her knees in a towel clutching her stomach. She turned around to stare at the two younger sirens, her eyes wide with alarm and panic. “Don’t just stand there! Help me! Call a doctor or something!’ Neither of the girls in front of her moved. Aria looked less than amused and Sonata seemed actually a lot more perplexed than she was a few minutes ago. “Why would we need to call a doctor? What the hell’s so wrong with you that you gotta scream like you're bleeding to death?” Aria responded, folding her arms. “That’s because I am, you half wit! I’m bleeding!” Adagio shrieked, gesturing about herself to the very small pool of blood by her feet. Sonata’s eyes widened, her expression almost an exact mirrors of Adagio’s from earlier. “Ari, we gotta help her! She might be dying! Call the hospital!” she pleaded, shaking the older siren’s arm. “She’s not dying,” Aria said, releasing herself from Sonata’s grip. “She’s probably just faking it or something. She doesn’t even have any cuts or anything.” she folded her arms and looked at Adagio expectantly, as if her declaration of disbelief had blown her unclever and quite frankly unfunny, ruse apart. But when Adagio said nothing, Aria frowned. “What the hell. You’re not shitting me? You’re really bleeding?” Adagio’s head rose up and down like a poofy orange bobble head. “But where? I don’t see anything on ya,” Aria leaned down to examine her older siren companion. She raised her arms and inspected them and found nothing. It was then that she noticed the slight blush on Adagio’s face. “What? What is it?” “I-I am bleeding, it’s just...the where.” She mumbled. “What about the where? Did you sit on glass or something?” Aria asked, tilting her head. “No! Just, it’s...it’s coming from...” Adagio took Aria’s hand and guided it down to the lower part of towel and refused to look at her in the face. “You’re bleeding from your vagina?” Aria asked her in disbelief. “Did you stab yourself or something?” “No! No, I didn’t. It just happened. I was about to take a shower, and then I saw blood running down my leg!” Adagio said, hugging the towel closer to her chest. “And then the next thing I know there’s a pool of blood at my feet. Great goddess above please tell me I’m not going to die!” There was a long patch of silence where none of them moved. Aria doubled over in laughter, using the sink as leverage to stop herself from falling onto the floor. “Bahaha! You’re bleeding from your pussy! You probably had sex with too many guys or something!” “What? I-I did not!” Adagio said indignantly. “Besides, you’ve had your share of men too! You should be bleeding right along side me!” “You guys think this might be a human thing?” Sonata asked, still standing in the doorway. “A human thing?” Adagio asked. “Like, well...maybe since we don’t have our magic anymore, maybe we’re starting to become more human.” Sonata explained, twiddling her fingers. “Are you mad?!” Adagio barked. “Never in a million years would—” Adagio suddenly doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. “Alright, maybe it is a human thing. But we don’t know any humans who can help me.” “Um,” Sonata started, “we kind of do,” “A human? What human do we—” Adagio asked, and then her face flooded with realization. “No!” “I know you don’t like her because of what she and her friends did to us, but she might be able to—” Sonata started but Adagio wasn't having it. “No! No. We are not asking Sunset Shimmer or her pathetic little friends for help. We can figure this out on our own.” Adagio declared. “You were the one a few minutes ago screaming for us to call a doctor. If you don’t know what’s wrong with you, why not swallow your pride and ask for help from someone who does?” Aria said, rolling her eyes. “Because Adagio Dazzle is not going to take advice from Sunset Shimmer!” Adagio responded, storming out of the bathroom. (break) About an hour later Adagio found herself standing in the doorway of a surprised Sunset Shimmer’s apartment. Her disbelief was warranted, but Adagio had more pressing issues that needed to be attended to and her shock was starting to annoy her. “Nice place you’ve got here,” Adagio said, eyebrows raised. “You gonna let me in or not?” she clicked her teeth as Sunset stepped aside to allow her entry. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Sunset asked, closing the door behind her. “Me and you aren’t exactly on speaking terms. Hell, me and the girls thought you and your sisters would have already skipped town by now.” Adagio’s eyes quickly rested on Sunset’s. “Well, we didn’t.” “Great.” Adagio gave Sunset a perplexed look, and the former unicorn cleared her throat. Adagio rolled her eyes, but answered her question nonetheless. “I needed something from you, why else would I track you down and be here.” It was Sunset’s turn to roll her eyes. “And what exactly is it that  you need?” “Uh...” For the first time ever Sunset had heard uncertainty in Adagio’s voice, and it both baffled and worried her. She stared at Adagio, expecting her to come out with it. Adagio on the other hand, was trying to look everywhere but Sunset. The clock on the wall, the empty pizza box on the table across the room, just, anything but her. “I’m bleeding.” she mumbled low enough that Sunset couldn’t hear. “You’re what?” Sunset asked, eyebrows furrowing. “I’m,” Adagio cleared her throat. “Have you ever...experienced...the phenomenon of blood, leaving your...vaginal area?” her face was as red as a tomato. “A period?” “Pardon?” “A period,” Sunset repeated. “You’re talking about a period. Did you...?” her eyes shifted to Adagio’s clothed crotch briefly before averting somewhere else out of respect and embarrassment. “I suppose so,” Adagio confirmed nodding. “I have...no idea what’s going on in my body. I feel icky, and tired, and i want to sleep and eat tons of junk food but also scream and cry. What is this curse?” Sunset couldn’t help but laugh. “This curse is called womanhood. And...I guess since you guys don’t have your magic anymore...you’re all becoming more human.” “But I thought humans had heat cycles, you know, like we do,” Adagio said, twirling her hand. “Expelling blood from your nether regions sounds appalling compared to an endless sex drive.” Sunset coughed. “Well, humans aren’t like us. Human women, at least. Instead of heat, they have periods. They go through all the things you listed every month for a long time.” “A long time?” Adagio repeated. “How long are we talking? I can’t just sit around and let this keep happening to me. Surely there’s a way you and your....friends can fix this.” “Unless you mean chocolate and chick flicks then no, there is no way to fix this. Human women tend to have this late into their adult years. And seeing how you’ve been forever eighteen for a thousand years....all that tomato sauce is probably coming for you.” “Y-You mean that my body is going to release a thousand years worth of periods?! Don’t you think that’s impossible?! Absurd?! I would die!” Sunset shrugged. “I said probably. I don’t know how exactly human you girls are. If anything you could just be normal. You’re not going to die. I think. In the meantime, I should probably explain to you why human women have this thing.” Adagio stared blankly at her, so Sunset continued, letting her know all about what a period was. When she was done, Adagio looked more disgusted than terrified. “So...babies. It was preparing for babies.” The former siren’s lips were curled up in repulsion. “Yes, but you didn’t have any, so, yay you.” Sunset responded, giving Adagio a weak cheer and an awkward laugh when Adagio didn’t laugh or crack a smile. ‘B-But there is an upside to it,” Sunset told her, scratching the back of her neck. “Oh? And what would that be?” Adagio inquired. “Well...when you’re on your period...sex is...extra sensitive.” Sunset explained, blushing. “Sunset Shimmer, are you asking me to have sex with you?” Adagio asked, raising a brow. “Maybe?” Sunset asked, hopeful. Adagio got up and shrugged, pulling Sunset towards the bedroom down the hall. “Eh, what the hell.”