A Dazzling World

by Spyder27


Can We Be Friends?

Chapter VI: Can We Be Friends?

The day after Christmas can always be slightly depressing. All of the store decorations are taken down as well as all the advertisements for Christmas shopping. The bright lights are not anywhere to be seen, amplifying the already cold and dead atmosphere of winter. It’s always been the worst time of the year in my opinion. The frosty winter isn’t done with and all the cheerful things are put away, waiting at least another month through the damn cold. I sigh, causing a cloud to form from my lips as I stand outside the nightclub, holding a cup of my favorite whiskey in one hand. Perhaps it’s just my hesitation to start the walk, but something makes me wait. The only solace one can gain from the time after Christmas is possibly a birthday or New Years, but even then, those are fleeting. 
Softly, my hand reaches up to the scarf gently wrapped around my neck, the smell of blueberries in its soft fabric. Really, it felt like an expert made this. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sunset had Rarity make this, though a bad feeling rises in my stomach. I suppose I feel guilty for taking up Sunset’s time and energy…? I groan slightly, bringing my hand to my forehead and pushing myself off of the wall I’m leaning on. “I suppose now would be a better time than any, right?” I say with a slight yawn. Looking at the time on my new flip phone, I see that it’s halfway to five in the afternoon. The phone itself isn’t in great condition, but at least it was cheap. I had to save a couple weeks of my salary to buy it, but it would help me keep contacts if I need to. When would I ever need to save a contact? Maybe today…
Walking away from the nightclub, I take a big sip from my cup and let out a relieved breath. Technically, I’m still on shift, but I can’t care less honestly. With everything that’s happened in my life this month, I need to do this. I don’t give a damn if they get angry about my absence, because it doesn’t really matter any way I look at it. I take a deep breath and grab onto my scarf again.
Isn’t it… too late? For me to be friends with someone? Much less Sunset Shimmer…? I stabbed everyone in the back at the battle of the bands, giving most more than enough reason to hate me… Why do I think I can even be friends with her…? Rubbing my head slightly, I sigh in a disappointed tone. Maybe it’s because she actually tried to help me or that she guided me to find happiness… Or maybe it’s that smile of hers that I want to see again… Her cyan eyes… I shake my head gently as I walk. I know that she probably won’t want to be friends, but… isn’t it worth a try? Who knows? Maybe life will surprise me once more, especially after finding that I can be happy, a feat I once thought impossible. 
I walk past a corner and see Garden Hooves Park again, smirking slightly. Apple Bloom did help me quite a bit on that day and I suppose I’m still thankful to her for it. Though, it surprises me to see Apple Bloom at the park again, wearing her red cape and holding a map in her hands. At least, it looks like a map. Her confused face looks at the paper, turning it in multiple directions. Her wagon is yet again behind her, holding an assortment of items now, such as a telescope, an apple juice jar and what looked like a baseball bat. Walking to the gate of the park, I stop and I can’t help but think about thanking her for her help a couple weeks ago. I hesitate to walk into the park, wanting to preserve my pride instead of expressing my gratitude, but it only lasts a moment.
Walking into Garden Hooves Park, I try waving to the girl, but she seems too invested in the map. A part of me is irritated because of this, but I suppose it’s just a part of childhood curiosity. Bringing my hand to my mouth, I yell, “Hey, Apple Bloom!” trying to get her attention over the distance. Her head darts up and her eyes search the area, eventually landing on me. A happy and excited look dawns on her and she waves me over.
“Hey, Adagio! How are you doing? Was the gift right?” Her eager smile clearly tells me she’s been wondering this for a while. As usual, she’s excited and asking a million questions a second. Slowly, I put my hand on her head.
“Slow down, okay? I’m… doing fine actually. Just a bit irritated because of a stupid headache.” Bringing my index finger to my forehead, I tap gently and give her a small smile. “The gift was a pretty big success honestly, that’s why I came over here. I… wanted to thank you, I suppose. Just don’t get used to it-” Before I can even finish my sentence, Apple Bloom’s body collides into mine, pushing the air out of my lungs. Worst of all, her arms lock around me and keep the air out. 
“See? I knew you could do it! I’m really glad you made a friend, Adagio!” Her eyes close and her huge smile indicates that she really hoped for this outcome to happen. I sigh quietly out of annoyance, but I slowly bring my hand to her back and pat gently. 
“Y-yeah yeah. Could you let go now? I can’t breathe…” Suddenly, Apple Bloom lets go of me, jumping back and dawning a more sheepish look. 
“S-sorry! I’m kinda a hugger, ya know?” she said with an embarrassed blush. “A-anyway! Who’s this friend of yours?” Again, she prods like no tomorrow, but she’s always curious, so I guess it’s not as annoying now.
“They’re… not my friend right now. I was-”
“Oh no! Did you two have a falling out?” she asks instantly, seemingly having no filter or restraint. For a second, I bring my hand to my face and sigh. Just breathe, Adagio.
“No, we weren’t… friends to begin with. I was actually going to try and ask them if we could be friends today.” Without noticing, I begin to rub my arm and a nervous smile comes across my face. What if she doesn’t want to be friends…? I would… understand if Sunset still hated me. After all, I did hurt her and her friends the most at the battle of the bands. A part of me still wants to try and ask her, but… maybe it would be better to just leave her alone. It isn’t technically right of me to assume we can just forget about my damn sins… She shouldn’t have to be forced into a friendship and thus forced to let go of those memories.
“Adagio!” Apple Bloom’s voice yells out, breaking me from my train of thought. My confused expression looks at her and an apologetic feeling builds up in me. 
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get lost in my thoughts. What were you saying?” Simply, Apple Bloom grabs my hand and drags me out of the park with her wagon. 
“Ya just said you two weren’t friends, right?” she asks me with a fire in her eyes. A fire of determination, one that seems to control her own actions. Why is she so built up over this?
“Yeah, I did, why?” I ask, trying to pull my arm from her grasp without hurting her. 
“Remember what I told ya a couple weeks ago?” She asks simply, looking away from me and continuing to pull me along. Damn, this girl is strong… How much work does she have to do at that farmhouse?
“I um… To be honest, I don’t remember what you’re trying to reference here.” A pained and awkward expression comes across my face, trying to grind my feet into the ground, but Apple Bloom doesn’t seem to notice my attempts to escape. What is her hand strength?
“I told ya if ya ever needed advice about friendship, I would be there and an Apple always keeps their word. So, we need to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo now!” Almost immediately after mentioning these names, Apple Bloom’s steps quicken and an even bigger smile dawns on her face. As we walk down the sidewalk, I’m forced to try and escape and hide my face from embarrassment of being pulled along by a young girl.
“Sweetie who? Scootalong? Who are you talking about?” 
“They’re my best friends! All of us together are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Almost as soon as she says those words, I can’t help but remember Equestria… The ponies there… Celestia. 
Shaking my head, I sigh, “What does that even mean? And I would be much more willing to go with you if you let me go already.” Apple Bloom’s deadly grip finally lets go of my forearm and I can almost swear I can feel blood pump through my hand again. Her sheepish grin returns before she keeps walking down the sidewalk. Slowly, I walk up beside her and grip my arm slightly, something that Apple Bloom takes notice of.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to grab ya that hard,” she says really quietly as we walk by one of the toy stores in town. As a matter of fact, we are now in some of the cleaner parts of town. Some of the popular places in town. The mall was only a block away and Taco Pony is even down the street, though I can’t afford it. 
“It’s alright, it doesn’t actually hurt. Now, what did you mean by Cutie Mark Crusaders?” I ask as sincerely as I can. I don’t… really know why I’m humoring her. Have I learned to be… nicer? No, I’m still mean. It’s just that… Apple Bloom doesn’t deserve some of the bad in this world. 
“W-well, we’re a group in school dedicated to finding our cutie marks in a sense! You see, a cartoon we watch has these things like tattoos that show up once you find your purpose in life and um… I guess we felt inspired by that to find our own purpose in life, ya know? Maybe it’s silly, but we’ve learned and tried a lot of things because of it!” Her huge smile emerges and she holds onto her red cape peacefully. This group of hers clearly means a lot to her.
“I see. And your friends… Were they also at Canterlot High when… When I-”
“Tried to take over the school? Yeah, they were. We were all in the audience. We even tried to compete in the battle of the bands, but we failed pretty early on. Don’t worry though! I’m sure they won’t hold anything against ya when I explain.” Quickly, she pulls her phone out of her pocket and I finally notice something. Her phone seems to be pink with many different apples on it, each one with different initials in them. Is this her family? Hot damn, that’s a lot of apples… Shaking my head, my eyes look at the picture on the phone she’s showing me, a selfie of three girls in crazy outfits that seem to be having the time of their lives backstage. I’m glad to see that not everything I did caused heartache… I’m glad…? Funny, I would usually be glad that I hurt these people, but now, my heart seems to feel heavy… What has happened to me…? “What about ya? Who’s this person you’re trying to befriend?” she asks as she looks up at me. Slowly, I pull up my hood as I recognize some of the people walking around this part of town. Something makes me hate the thought about being recognized for… that.
With a heavy sigh, I ask, “Promise you won’t say anything? Not even to your friends…?” I take a quick look around to make sure no one was close enough to hear our conversation. 
“Pinkie Promise! Pinkie Pie says that’s the strongest kind of promise.” Slowly, I put my hands into my pockets and close my eyes. Why am I trying to be friends with Sunset…? What is my motivation? Maybe it’s because I want to see that smile one more time… Maybe it’s because of all she’s done for me in the past couple of weeks, helping me be able to find happiness… I take a deep breath and look in Apple Bloom’s eyes.
“It’s… Sunset Shimmer…” The statement slithers out of my mouth barely as a whisper and I can’t help but feel an immense regret as soon as I say it. Damn it… I shouldn’t even be trying to be her friend. She’ll probably try to slam the door in my face and I’ll just be alone again. Instantly, I avert my gaze and let out a warm breath, staring ahead of us.
“Sunset? I… T-that’s interesting. I never would have guessed that. I um… If ya want, I could ask my sis to help-”
“Don’t. Just… don’t, okay? I don’t want Sunset’s friends involved. Especially after what happened last time… it’s unlikely that this will even work out…” I sigh heavily, looking down at my boots as we walk by the Taco Pony establishment. 
“Yeah, I um… I don’t disagree with ya there… My big sis would probably have a cow if she knew I was talking to ya. Much less helping ya.” A moment of silence passes between us for a second as she stops in her tracks. “Ya really want to be friends with Sunset…? Or are ya trying to use her…?” For a moment, a part of me hurts when I hear Apple Bloom say that, though I’m not sure why. As a siren, I shouldn’t be hurt so easily by these things…

No… I’m not a siren anymore…

“Yeah, I do… I’ve wanted to be her friend for… a while now,” I say, thinking back to Sunset’s smile as she opened that gift. Before I can even close my mouth from what I said, Apple Bloom’s hand grabs my arm again and that all too familiar look of determination dawns on her again. 
“Then come on! We need to get to work!” she exclaims, dragging me along. Oh, not again…

========================================

Running in through one of the gates in a broad wood plank fence, Apple Bloom drags me past a lot of Apple Trees, expertly weaving through them like a seasoned professional. I can’t help but keep my hood up with my free hand, not wanting to be seen by the rest of the Apple Family if at all possible. If Applejack saw me, I wouldn’t doubt it if she would want to punch me at least once. She’d probably be even angrier if she found out I was talking with her sister, even though I didn’t start it. Apple Bloom looks at me while we run and smiles. 
“Jump in three, okay?” she says simply, refusing to elaborate by looking ahead of us. In three what? Minutes? Seconds? Why do I need to- In just a short time, we breeze past the snowy trees and there’s suddenly a ditch in front of us, giving us no time to stop or else we would fall in. Given, the ditch isn’t that deep, but it could easily cause a sprained ankle if you aren’t careful. I instantly take a deep breath, jumping across the ditch as Apple Bloom jumps and throws her wagon over the ditch. Without even a second of relaxation, Apple Bloom keeps running, grabbing onto the wagon and keeping her iron grip on my arm. My free hand darts up to my neck, feeling the scarf and making sure it’s still around my neck. I don’t want any of these branches to snag onto it, causing me to lose it in the mass of the orchard. In a few seconds, I see a small clearing in the trees come into view and an expertly made treehouse sits in one of the trees. Despite it being a treehouse, it easily branched out of the tree’s circle with a wooden staircase leading up to it. Outside the treehouse is a small garden with flowers growing inside of it as well as a crashed skateboard. Apple Bloom, finally slowing down, picked up the telescope, which was probably broken in some form now, and put it down near the garden. She finally lets the wagon rest and releases her grip from my arm. 
Honestly, I feel relieved to have my arm back to myself, rubbing it a little as Apple Bloom walks up to the door. I opt to stay outside the clubhouse and stay beside the wooden table they have set up beside their garden and art projects. I slowly sit down on the bench connected to the table, inspecting the scarf for any damages or dirt. Looking down at my hands, I feel a heavy breath go in and out of my lungs. What am I even doing here? I could just leave and not have to deal with these girls. Hell, I’m not even sure if I should go to Sunset’s apartment. Maybe it was just a stupid thought to go up to Sunset and be like, “Oh, hi, Sunset! Let’s be friends!” A stupid idea…
For a second, my memory of yesterday morning flashes before my eyes. Sunset’s note in the present… If anyone would be willing to give me a chance, I guess it would be the girl who has tried to help me. Without even realizing it, my hand feels the soft fibers of the scarf again, rubbing the fabric back and forth with my thumb. I want to make a good impression… And I want to be friends with her… or at least try being friends. Maybe I could see her smile again… Breathing into the scarf, I smile softly at the momentary warmth and close my eyes, thinking of Sunset’s warm gaze again.
“Hey, Adagio!” Apple Bloom’s voice yells out as she walks down the steps with two unfamiliar girls. The one behind Apple Bloom is a girl with white skin and hair that is a mixture of purple and pink. She has bright green eyes and a cheerful look to her face, but she noticeably wears more clean and fashionable clothes than Apple Bloom. Her magenta shirt looked nice against her white skin and the yellow skirt around her waist. The girl behind her has orange skin and magenta hair that didn’t look like it had been combed in a while. Her black hoodie and green cargo pants makes her look more like a traditional boy than a girl, but she rocks that look with confidence. Within a couple seconds, they all walked down the staircase and sat around the table with me. Apple Bloom sits nearest to me whereas the other two sit opposite of us. “Girls, here is Adagio!” Apple Bloom exclaims, waving her arms near me.
A confused look is instantly plastered on my face and I feel a bit awkward as she does this. “Um… hey…?” I barely say with a wave. Immediately, I notice the purple eyes of the orange girl glare at me pretty harshly. Usually, this would cause me to return a mean stare, but now I just try to give the girl an apologetic look. 
“You said she was different. She seems the exact same as before to me,” the orange girl says, averting her eyes from mine and crossing her arms.
“Scootaloo! You didn’t even talk to her! Or listen,” Apple Bloom says a bit dejectedly. So, the orange girl is Scootaloo. That means the girl with purple and pink hair must be Sweetie something… Belle? 
“It doesn’t matter! She’s the reason our whole school almost became mind-controlled zombies!” Scootaloo exclaims, quickly mimicking a zombie to her friend. “Clearly, she seems just as harsh as ever, so I don’t know why you believe she’s better now.”
“I don’t think that’s quite fair of you,” Sweetie Belle chips in, looking at me with a more sympathetic look. “We haven’t even listened to her yet. Would you give this treatment to Sunset? You know, a friend of Rainbow Dash?” Instantly, Scootaloo’s cheeks flush a bright pink and she shakes her head, trying to compose herself. 
“Of course I wouldn’t! I mean… This is different!” Scootaloo says with a hurt look painted across her face. A small breath is let out into my scarf, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. Opening my mouth, I prepare to try and talk from my own point of view, but before a syllable leaves my tongue, Apple Bloom stands up and looks down at Scootaloo.
“How is this any different, Scootaloo? Adagio really has changed! She’s been trying to be friends with someone and has tried to work on herself!” A small frown appears on my lips momentarily. I didn’t want her to tell anyone that I was working on myself, but I suppose it’s one of the few things that can’t be avoided given the current situation. I sigh quietly, running my fingers across the scarf and closing my eyes for a second. Again, that memory haunts me, making me wish it was the only reality among this world of sadness. The arguing continues for a few moments before I stand up from the table, sighing heavily. Gently, I stretch my arms and take my phone out of my pocket to look at the time. Great. It’s almost six. Though, one could probably tell that by the color of the sky. By now, I couldn’t hear those girls arguing, but I could feel their stares at the back of my head. Gently, I turn around and aim my eyes at Apple Bloom. She’s been the most help so far and honestly, she’s helped me realize how some people won’t let go of what I did, nor should they.
“Thanks for all the help you’ve been, Apple Bloom,” I say in a more hushed whisper. “It’s been a big help and…” A hesitant breath takes hold of my throat before I push it away by rubbing my hand through my hair. “I can’t wait to repay your kindness some day.” Before I can turn around to walk away, I feel someone come and crash into my body, almost knocking me over. Apple Bloom’s arms are wrapped around my back and I sigh, a little out of annoyance but mostly because I had expected such a reaction. 
“Please stay! I’m sure we can help you!” Apple Bloom tries to tell me, but I slowly pull her arms off of me and give her a reassuring smile. 
“Look, you’ve been a big help,” I say in a whisper. “But your friends don’t seem to be as willing, which… let’s face it, Apple Bloom. They don’t have to let go of those feelings. I did things wrong, okay?” I try to tell Apple Bloom my stance on the issue as carefully as I can because I felt scared that she might cry if I say something wrong. Despite my wording, Apple Bloom’s eyes begged with me as a couple tears streamed down her face. 
“B-but ya really have helped people! A-and I don’t want to break my word, so I-” 
Slowly, I crouch down to her level and put my finger on her lips. I’ve… never had to do something like this before, but I hope I’m doing it correctly. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t be back, did I? You can still keep your word another time, okay?” I explain carefully, holding out my pinky finger. Suddenly, Apple Bloom’s face lights up and she instantly locks her pinky finger with mine. 
“O-okay. I’ll try to get them to understand while you’re gone! W-well, Scootaloo at least,” she explains with a sour breath. “When will ya be back? Tomorrow?” For once in a very long time, a small laugh exits my lips and I can’t help but smile. It’s been so long since I’ve laughed legitimately out of happiness. 
“Let’s say next week, okay? I’ll be free then and I’ll have a more definitive answer by then for-”
“Operation Sunset Isles?” Apple Bloom says with a wink. 
“Yeah, we’re not calling it that. I don’t do operation names.” A nervous smile comes across my face as Apple Bloom nods. 
“W-well, I do! So, good luck, okay? Be as kind as ya can and I’m sure my friends and I will be able to… help ya more properly next week!” A huge grin comes across her face before she looks back at her friends who were still staring at us. 
“Will do,” I say with a tired salute. “Just stay well, okay?” I say slightly, standing up and rubbing the dirt off my jacket. Apple Bloom, of course, gives me another hug before I can leave. I guess it’s just a part of her to hug people she likes. Huh… She likes me. Odd considering that I haven’t really done that much for her, but I guess it’s that weird personality of hers that makes her like me. Apple Bloom is a really strange kid. She smiles at me and points straight out to a barely visible fence past some trees
“Stay safe, Adagio.”

=======================================

The streetlights offer a much nicer atmosphere than the one in my neighborhood, filled with darkness and silence. Perhaps it’s just the ability to see, but it feels a bit safer than near my apartment at night. Even the sidewalks are scraped of ice a bit, but there’s still a giant snow buildup nearby. Definitely, walking by these apartments is a much nicer experience since you can feel safe as you feel your purple scarf. Well, not everyone has a purple scarf, but it is something that can help calm your nerves from keeping your eyes darting every which direction, trying to find the will to trust the ground you walk on. Honestly, it’s hard to trust most things in this world now. Almost anything can be a trap. The ground you walk on, fake walls, a faux personality, a pretty smile… 
Walking back and forth beside this damn tree, I can’t seem to make up my mind to finally cross the street and knock on the door. I guess I just feel afraid. Afraid of… this being a wrong choice. Maybe this was all a stupid idea. Maybe I will fail this game.
Slowly, I bring my hand to my cheek and sigh, letting out the pent up air in my lungs. I’ve done so much so far… Clearly, Sunset is a person who’s willing to give me a chance and help me when she can… Isn’t it worth a shot? Seeing that front door again makes me feel happy and anxious again, but I try to calm the nerves. Gently, I pull the hood down and shake my head, taking my first few steps across the street, my feet telling me to turn back. My body tells me to turn back… Even my mind tells me to turn back, but… I need to do this. If not to be friends with Sunset, at least to prove to myself I’m not a coward and I can go through with things… 
Slowly, I walk up on the doorstep, placing my finger on the doorbell lightly. Taking a deep breath, I gently press the button and wait. Maybe it would be a sign if she doesn’t answer the door or maybe I’m just scaring myself for no good reason… Still, it’s jarring to think that maybe she won’t accept my insignificant request.
“Hold on, I’m coming!” a voice yells from beyond the blue door. For a second, I feel my heartbeat rise yet again, hearing her sweet voice yell in a kind tone, but I try to make the feeling subside. Within a few moments, the door opens to a girl with fiery hair in pink pajamas. Her cyan eyes squint at me for the first few seconds, probably indicating that she was just asleep, besides the messy hair and dark apartment. Then her eyes widen and a look of confusion is plastered across her face as her hand grips onto her door tighter. “Adagio? What are you doing here?” Her kind voice addresses me as if I’m a neighbor, but her eyes display the awkward feeling in her stomach. Nonetheless, I step back to give her some space and smile as kindly as I can. Her eyes look at the scarf around my neck and her mouth opens, but before she can speak, I smile and interject.
“Hey, Shimmer~ Mind if we talk…?”