//------------------------------//
// 9. Continuing 
// Story: Reformation's Downside 
// by Moonlit Sky 
//------------------------------//

We don't usually get anyone knocking on our van's door. The bouncer keeps the fans out, and strategic use of Aria's eternal grumpiness keeps the venue staff out.

When I open the door, I find myself suddenly face-to-face with Sunset Shimmer.

"Adagio." Her voice is small. "It's... been a while."

I don't say anything. If I did, it would most likely be something stupid and unproductive.

"I didn't realize the three of you were going to be at the festival, but I heard your song. It was good."

"That's all you have to say about it? You did that to us, you know."

"I know. And... well, I would probably do it again, if it came down to it." I slide the van's door slightly shut, indicating that she should get on with it. "But, even so... I'd like to try again?"

"What." What is she even saying.

"Not dating," she says hurriedly. "Not even necessarily spending time together regularly. But... meeting up somewhere, at least once? Chatting about life? Seeing if there's anything we can connect over, still, even though we've both changed? I messed things up between the two of us once. Trying to fix it seems like the least I can do."
My old abandoned plan comes back to me. Becoming 'reformed' like Sunset did, becoming her 'friends' until we get the same power that those other five girls somehow got, and thereby regain our old power even without our focuses.

"I... am very tempted to just slam the door in your face right now," I tell her. "I'm also tempted to pursue a half-baked almost-guaranteed failure of a plan for revenge that I came up with a month after the Battle of the Bands." I might as well be honest, since I'm not going to actually do it. Honesty builds trust, after all, and we're going to need all of that we can get for this to go anywhere other than straight into an incinerator. "But okay. One meetup. And keep in mind that, if Aria or Sonata wants me around whenever we plan our meetup for, I absolutely will skip seeing you in order to stay with them. I may or may not send you any texts warning you about it. Understood?"

Sunset nods, looking slightly overwhelmed, but with a smile growing on her face nonetheless.

"Great. Well, then, here's my current number. Text me after the festival is over."

I scribble my backup burner phone's number on a piece of paper, hand it to her in a crumpled mess, and then slam the door in her face.

I have no idea how our meetup is going to go, or even if I'm going to end up going at all. But somehow, nonetheless, I find myself looking forward to it.