For the next few days, Sonata and Feather Bangs worked on her voice on the way to Baltimare. Sonata would stay in the first level to sleep on the couch with Adagio and Aria every night, but as soon as she woke up, she was up on the top floor to work on her singing with Feather Bangs or otherwise simply spend more time with him. On the other hand, Adagio and Aria continued to stay on the bottom floor of the tour bus, taking advantage of the luxuries the pop star had unashamedly, much to the disapproval of Cherry Berry.
Finally, the tour bus entered Baltimare. Sonata pressed her face against the window on the top floor of the bus, beaming at the sites of the large city. Feather Bangs chuckled, finding Sonata's behavior to be adorable. After a while, they went downstairs to the bottom floor of the bus, where they found Aria still watching TV and Adagio checking the time.
"Good, the auditions are in a couple of hours and not far from where we are heading,'' she said.
"Awesome. I'm glad Cherry Berry and I could help you get there in time," Feather Bangs said. "I hope you had a comfortable ride."
"Oh, I'd say those brats had too comfortable of a ride, sir," Cherry Berry grumbled so no one could hear.
"I hope you are going to uphold your promise for a new van after this," Aria said.
"Don't you worry, madam," Feather Bangs said. "I'm a man of my word."
"Good," Adagio said. "I expect us to get a better gig this time and be able to leave as soon as possible when we are done. We do not intend to stay in one place longer than we have to."
Sonata felt a tug in her heart as it hit her that she would soon be separated from Feather Bangs. Deep down, she was afraid of what life would be like without her sisters after being with them for well over a thousand years. As much as they were horrible to her, they were still family. And yet, she could not deny the feelings she had for Feather Bangs after a short time of him showing more genuine care for her than she could ever imagine. She stepped closer to the boy, wanting to stay close to him for as long as she could.
Eventually, Cherry Berry made her way to the other side of the city, where several people were setting up stages, tents, and food stands in a large park. Cherry Berry pressed a button to open the door, and Adagio, Aria, Sonata, and Feather Bangs got out of the bus with Adagio carrying the equipment for the Dazzlings to use their vocal processing and a flash drive containing the instrumental track for "Let's Find the Magic."
"Wow, this is so much bigger than the Starswirled Music Festival," she said.
"Oh gee, what was your first clue?" Aria remarked, earning a glare from Feather Bangs.
"That just makes it all the more important that we get a bigger gig at this place," Adagio said. "The bigger it is, the bigger the crowd, the more money we make. We might even grab the attention of the right people who would want us to sing at other events."
Aria smirked in approval while Sonata became uneasy with her sister talking about entertaining people using technology to enhance their damaged singing voices. Feather Bangs placed his hand on Sonata's shoulder as they walked, and she turned her head to see him giving her an encouraging smile. His sweet jester made Sonata feel a little better as they made their way to the main stage, where a rock band was performing their audition in front of the festival director. The director was writing on his clipboard as the band finished their song. He thanked them for their audition before they exited the stage. Adagio wasted no time walking over to him and clearing her throat.
"Excuse me, sir, my sisters and I are here to perform. We are the Dazzlings."
The director turned to the oldest Dazzling and then looked at his clipboard.
"Oh, yes. The teenage band from Canterlot," he said. "We don't have anybody ready to audition right now, so are you three able to audition now?"
"We are," Adagio said with a confident grin.
"Good," the festival director said. "If you have your song in a flash drive or something, hand it over to the sound crew backstage. You can start when you are ready."
"Thank you," Adagio said. "Come, girls."
Aria immediately followed Adagio while Sonata hesitated and turned to Feather Bangs. Feather Bangs smiled and held out her hand to give it a peck.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "Just remember what we practiced and do your best."
Sonata gave Feather Bangs a heartfelt look. Then, without thinking about it, she took a step forward and kissed him on the cheek. Feather Bangs stood still in shock, and Sonata flushed as she ran over to catch up with her sisters without a word. Feather Bangs continued to stand still for a few more seconds before a goofy grin entered his face.
After a couple of minutes, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata entered the stage, each of them carrying a chair that they set up on center stage in a parallel line. Adagio gave the sound guy a nod before she and her sisters sat down, and he nodded back before pressing play on his laptop. As soon as the girls began singing, the festival director was captivated as though he was in a trance. Even the sound crew was amazed to hear the girls sing so beautifully while they performed.
Despite taking pleasure in the way the men were spellbound, however, Adagio and Aria occasionally glanced at Sonata. Though they didn't show it, the older Dazzlings were puzzled by their sister's voice. The way she sang the semiquavers or the vocalizing parts sounded like she didn't need to be auto-tuned through the entire song. It wasn't ruining the performance, but the three of them had been singing "Let's Find The Magic" long enough to know that something was different.
Feather Bangs, on the other hand, was smiling as he watched the girl of his dreams. Though he had never seen the Dazzlings perform before, he could see in her posture and how she was focused on her singing that she was using his teachings. It was impossible to improve her singing to the point of not needing vocal processing within such a short amount of time. They both knew it would take months, maybe years, before that was possible. Still, it was enough for Sonata that she was sincerely trying.
When the song ended, the festival director clapped his hands vigorously.
"Beautiful!" He praised. "What a splendid performance."
"You're far too kind, sir," Adagio said, resisting the urge to grin at how she had the man right where she wanted him.
"Tell me, do you have any other songs?" The director asked.
"Several," Adagio said.
"Splendid. How would you girls like to perform one song per night at the festival?" The director asked. "You will be paid for each performance, of course."
Aria smirked, and Sonata beamed like an excited little child. The bluish-white Dazzling turned to Feather Bangs, who smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
"Why, sir, we would be delighted," Adagio said.
"Marvelous. Why don't you give me your numbers and e-mail addresses, and I'll fill you in once we have an official schedule," the director said.
"My pleasure," Adagio said.
The festival director grinned as Adagio and Aria got off the stage, and Adagio wrote down their contact information, keeping up her angelic behavior. Sonata, meanwhile, rushed over to Feather Bangs and jumped into his arms giggling. It took a moment before she realized what she was doing and immediately stepped back, blushing again. Feather bangs chuckled and pulled her into another hug that startled her at first, but then she smiled and hugged the boy of her dreams back.
"You sounded beautiful," Feather Bangs whispered into Sonata's ear.
Sonata briefly smiled before she pulled her back to look at Feather Bangs with a face of regret.
"I wish you could hear me sing naturally," she said.
"It's okay," Feather Bangs assured. "You did the best you could. You'll get there someday. I know it. The youngest Dazzling gave him another heartfelt look, and the two of them stared at each other's eyes. Sonata and Feather Banks slowly leaned their heads toward each other, but the moment was interrupted by Adagio loudly clearing her throat, forcing them to take a few steps away from each other.
"Everything is settled," she announced. "We have secured our spot throughout this entire Festival."
"I'm glad to hear it," Feather Bangs said with a smile. "I bet you girls are going to do fantastic."
"Of course we will. With my leadership, no one can resist the skill of the Dazzlings," Adagio boasted. She took a few steps closer to Feather Bangs and pointed her finger at him. "In the meantime, you have your promise to uphold."
Feather Bangs nodded and said, "Absolutely. Why don't we go back to the bus and head to the nearest car store?"
"As long as we get a van and we can go our separate ways, the sooner, the better," Aria grumbled.
Sonata felt a tug in her heart again, and her smile faded away. She turned her head to Feather Bangs, who gestured to her sisters to follow him with the look of dread. A part of her thought it was for the best that they went their separate ways since she wasn't the perfect girl Feather Bangs thought she was, but the idea of never seeing him again made her heart ache.
*********************************************************************
After the four of them went back to the bus, Feather Bangs looked up the nearest car stores that fit Aria and Adagio's demands on his phone, then texted the address to Cherry Berry. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata sat on the couch with their suitcases while Feather Bangs sat next to Sonata. The youngest Dazzling occasionally glanced at the pop star, and he would give her a small smile that warmed her heart, but at the same time, it made her wish all the more that they didn't have to part ways.
Eventually, they made their way to a car dealership, and Adagio in Aria wasted no time looking for tour vans, while Sonata and Feather Bangs followed behind. Sonata looked down at the ground as they walked, not noticing Feather Bangs looking at her. It was apparent to the light gold boy what was on her mind, and her downcast expression made his heart grow heavy. He wished there was something he could do to make her feel better, but he knew that her place was with her sisters.
After twenty minutes of searching, they found an expensive tour bus that made Adagio and Aria grin. They went to the nearest car salesman, and Feather Bangs bought the van and registered it to Adagio. With everything in order, the Dazzlings put their stuff in their new van, drove to the nearest supermarket with the tour bus following them for supplies, making sure Feather Bangs was still covering for them, and then went back to the park. They looked for a spot in the grass where the girls could settle for the week, and everyone got out of their respective vehicles to meet each other.
"So, are you ladies all set?" Feather Bangs asked. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No, thank you," Adagio answered with a sweet voice. "We couldn't possibly trouble you any more than we already have."
"Oh, I seriously doubt that," CherryBerry grumbled.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Feather Bangs said, bowing like a gentleman. "I could never stop myself from helping ladies in need." He turned to Sonata and gave her a smile that made her heart melt. "Leastways, someone as angelic as you."
Sonata gave him another sweet look while Adagio glowered at her, still somewhat bitter that the boy valued Sonata's looks over hers. She cleared her throat to break the moment again and said, "Anyways, we shouldn't keep you any longer when you still are on your way to Fillydelphia for your concert."
"Yes, you're right," Feather Bangs admitted. "It was nice seeing you, Adagio, Aria."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Aria said with her arms crossed.
Feather Bangs turned to Sonata, and the two of them were instantly downcast, knowing what was about to happen. Feather Bangs walked over to the bluish-white Dazzling, took her hands, and looked deep into her raspberry eyes.
"Goodbye, Sonata," he said. "I hope we'll see each other again."
Sonata's eyes began to water, and she shook her head to hide it from Feather Bangs.
"I do too," she said with the best smile she could muster.
Feather Bangs leaned in to kiss Sonata's forehead with a heavy heart and begrudgingly let go of her hands. Sonata's mouth quivered as she watched him walk back to the bus with Cherry Berry. Feather Bangs resisted the urge to look back as he walked, unable to bear to see Sonata's face again. Adagio and Aria walked back to their new van and began discussing plans for the Music Festival. Sonata, however, stayed outside, watching the boy she liked walk to his bus.
Sonata looked back at the time she had spent with Feather Bangs. She thought of how kind and caring he was without magic or vocal processing to gain his attention. For him to develop the feelings, she had for her. She knew she wasn't a bright girl, but what she felt for Feather Bangs was not something to let go of. At that moment, Sonata remembered what Feather Bangs said to her the night they met and began to wonder if he still felt that way. It was a long shot, but if there was a chance she could see him again, she had to take it.
"Wait!"
All eyes turned to Sonata as she ran to Feather Bangs. Adagio furrowed her brow, and Aria scoffed, wishing Sonata would get over her favorite artist. When Sonata caught up with Feather Bangs, she took a moment to catch her breath before giving him a pleading look.
"Feather Bangs, about that offer to come with you and stay with you always," she bit her lip before she mustered the courage to ask, "Is that offer still open?"
Feather Bangs didn't say anything, putting Sonata on edge. Then he smiled, got down on one knee, and took Sonata's hand.
"Girl, nothing would make me happier."
Sonata squealed and jumped into Feather Bangs's arms just as he stood back up. Adagio and Aria, on the other hand, were astounded by what they just heard. Then, with a look of frustration on Adagio's face, the two of them marched over to the new couple, immediately catching their attention.
"What are you talking about?" Adagio snarled. "You can't just break up the band over some guy."
Sonata turned to her oldest sister and said with a brave face, "Yes, I can, and I am."
"Don't be ridiculous," Aria said nonchalantly. "You have always been relying on us for years. How can you have the nerve to just walk away?"
Because Feather Bangs cares about me," Sonata said confidently.
"And that's enough to stick around with some pretty boy who probably won't still be a celebrity when he gets older? Smart thinking, Sonata," Aria remarked.
"I don't care if that does happen. I want to always stay with Feather Bangs," Sonata said. "Besides, what do you care? You've never really cared about me, and you can do just fine performing without me. After all, you are the prettier ones. On the outside anyway."
The older Dazzlings looked at their sister, astounded as though she had cursed them. Then, Adagio's shock turned into anger, and she said, "Think very carefully about this, Sonata. You have been relying on us for millennia. And you're putting your trust in someone you have only known for a few days. How do you expect to live your mortal life away from us?"
Sonata paused until she figured out her answer.
"Just like you said we would when we were together, Adagio. One day at a time."
Silence took over the area with Sonata's response. After a moment, Adagio let out a loud scoff.
"Fine. Indulge yourself." She turned her gaze to Feather Bangs and said, "She's your problem now. Don't say we didn't try to save you from a life of annoyance."
"I'll take my chances," Feather Bangs said, putting his arm around Sonata's side.
Adagio scoffed and stormed over to the new van and grabbed Sonata's suitcase. When she came back, she tossed the suitcase in front of Sonata's feet and said, "Have a nice life."
"You too, Adagio," Sonata said. "For realsies."
Aria rolled her eyes and followed Adagio without saying a word to Sonata. Sonata, Cherry Berry, and Feather Bangs watched the two girls get back into their new van, and Sonata let out a heavy sigh. Feather Bangs turned his head to her and pulled her closer to him in a side hug.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
Sonata was silent for a moment before she turned to him with a small smile.
"Yeah, I think I am," she answered. "It was nice to stand up to them for once."
"It looked like you had that built up for a while,'' Feather Bangs said. "I'm proud of you."
Sonata's cheeks heated up, and without thinking about it, she pecked Feather Bangs on the cheek. She looked away to hide her blush while Feather Bangs chuckled with a goofy grin.
"Not to break the moment, you two, but we do have to get moving," Cherry Berry said.
"Yes, you're right, Cherry Berry," Feather Bangs said.
He picked up Sonata's suitcase and offered his arm, saying, "Madame?" Sonata giggled bashfully as she took her arms, and the two of them followed Cheery Berry to the van. The bus driver opened the door and allowed the new couple to come in first before she went in and sat in the driver's seat. Feather Bangs and Sonata sat down on the couch as Cherry Berry turned on the bus. As it drove away, Sonata watched Adagio and Aria grow smaller and smaller through the window until they were out of sight. Feather Bangs took her hand, and she turned her head to give him a sweet look.
"So, I guess this means I'm going to see your concert in Fillydelphia, huh?" she asked.
"You sure are. And I'm going to arrange it so that you're watching backstage," Feather Bangs said. "Consider it a perk for being my girl."
Sonata tinted again and said, "Your girl. I like the sound of that."
"I'm glad you do," Feather Bangs said. "Speaking of Fillydelphia, though, I did some research on the city and found that they have a nice little restaurant that serves taco salads."
Sonata's face lit up, and she shouted, "Taco salads?! I've never heard of that!"
"I hear there's the best in town," Feather Bangs said. He scooted closer to Sonata and put his arm around her, making her blush grow. "I thought we could try that together a little before the concert? Maybe consider it our first date?"
Sonata's heart skipped a beat, and she scooted closer to Feather Bangs until their sides were touching.
"I'd love to," Sonata said. "I want to enjoy every taco-related thing with you forever, Feather Bangs."
Feather Bangs' smile grew, and he gently placed his hand on Sonata's cheek. Sonata was confused until she watched him lean his head toward her and press his lips against hers. She let out a squeak that was muffled by Feather Bangs' mouth, and after a couple of seconds, she closed her eyes and gave into the moment. The kiss lasted for half a minute, and when they parted, Sonata was looking away with a blissful smile as she rested her head on Feather Bangs' shoulder. The light gold boy pulled her closer to him with a loving look as he whispered.
"As you wish, Queen of my Life."
The End