Later, at the Siren’s home…
Adagio had just arrived home and saw Aria on the couch. “Hey,” she called out to her middle sister with a mockingly smug grin, “Good to see the house is still in one piece.”
“Ah shaddap,” Aria huffed. The purple siren was wearing a white tank top with some equally white yoga pants. “Did you manage to place our pre-order at the chicken place?”
“Yes, don’t worry,” Adagio replied with a sarcastic eye roll as she placed her jacket on the nearby coat rack. “Honestly, not worrying about having to cook this year will make things much more relaxing.”
“Can’t believe people in the Far East eat fried chicken during Christmas,” Aria commented with an impressed scoff, “Heh--that’s genius if I ever heard it.”
“I think it’s because their culture is a tad different from the Western side of this world, Ari,” Adagio replied on her way to the kitchen, “They don’t eat that sort of food very often, so to them, it’s like a rare, national treasure.”
Aria chuckled and put her hands behind her head. “Well, glad to see they’re finally making cultured food choices. Also, about your text from earlier; what did you need to go see teach about? Aren’t we on holiday vacation or whatever?”
In the kitchen Adagio had poured herself a glass of apple cider and had taken a sip. “Mm?” She answered after finishing it. “Oh, that’s right. The professor wanted me to see what I could find regarding this weapon’s facility. Apparently they’re the ones responsible for the weapons that those Yakuza goons managed to get.”
“Ah, so we’re castrating the minotaur on this one, huh?” Aria gave a rather grim expression she used to utilize in Equestria. “I’m down.”
“...in human terms, it’d be, ‘cutting them off at the source’ but I get what you mean,” Adagio corrected her as she walked out to the living room. “Just make sure you don’t say that around any human males. It’d make them extremely uncomfo--”
“Yeah yeah, I got it,” Aria rolled her eyes, “Now c’mon. Gimme the details on what it is we’re gonna do here.” She folded her arms with an excited smirk on her face, “You know I’m always down to kick some scummy human ass, sis.”
Adagio placed her glass on the coffee table and sat down next to her sister. She then took out her phone to show her the GPS map that Aidon gave her with the company’s address.
“There,” she called out, pointing at the building on her phone, “That’s where it is. No idea how we’re going to get in though.”
“Oh you just leave this to me,” Aria suggested, which put a nervous grimace on Adagio’s face.
“Um…maybe we should come up with a plan first?” Adagio asked with a raised eyebrow, “Maybe get Sonata’s input as well?”
Aria sighed and leaned against the arm of the couch with her cheek resting on her hand. “Ugh…fiiiine. I suppose it would be a bad idea to head in without a plan first. Where is Sonata anyway?”
“I think she’s with Trixie today,” Adagio replied as she swiped through her phone. “Give me a minute, I’ll call her.”
Meanwhile, across town…
On his way home near his suburban neighborhood, Aidon would be flagged down by a familiar face.
“Oh! Professor! Good timing!”
“Hm?” he turned to see who it was, and it was Sunset Shimmer rapidly approaching him with a wrapped box. “Ms. Shimmer?”
“Whew..” she huffed and offered him the red box with blue ribbon. “I wanted to give you this ahead of time since I’ll be away for a bit when I spend Hearth’s Warming with Princess Celestia back home.”
“For me?” he accepted the box hesitantly. “...are you certain?”
“Of course,” Sunset confirmed with a nod. “As a fellow Equestrian, I wanna make sure you’re having a good time here. I know adapting to this world must’ve been hard for you, and yet you’ve been a great teacher and an even better protector. It’s like…like you’re everyone’s dad or something,” she added with a teasing chuckle.
Aidon replied with an uneasy chuckle in return. “Naaaah. Not even close. But I appreciate that you see me as such, Ms. Shimmer.” He then turned his attention to the box she had given him. “Now I wonder what’s in here…”
But Sunset quickly cut him off, waving her hand in his face. “Nonono! Don’t open it until Christmas Day! It’s…a special something that I think you’re gonna like.”
“Hm? Very well,” Aidon agreed to her terms, then thought about what to give her in return. “Let’s see…ah! I know. How would you like a magic lesson from me?”
“...magic? From you?” she asked with a breathless tone.
“...I’ve learned about your past, Sunset,” he went on, “And I believe you’re ready to learn at least a little bit about dark magic so that you’ll be able to deal with such threats in the future. What do you say?”
“...”
“...Sunset?”
She simply stood there, eyes wide, mouth agape in disbelief…