//------------------------------// // LBS BONUS CHAPTER: Adagio's One Night Stand // Story: Love Beats Stupid // by chillbook1 //------------------------------// Adagio grinned deviously as she dragged Spencer behind her. She glanced back, just to get an eyeful of him. He was divine, perfect in every single possible way! What really got Adagio was that hair; She always had a weakness for men with long, slick blonde hair. All of his perfection set off the warning lights in Adagio’s head, but she refused to let this be ruined. That’s just Aria’s pessimism rubbing off, Adagio said in her head. Everything is going to be wonderful. And it was. They sat in a booth, ordered some drinks (a martini for Adagio, the finest bourbon in the bar for Spencer). They talked and drank and drank some more. Just as Adagio said, everything was great. He was perfect, if a little… nervous, it seemed. He kept glancing over his shoulder and towards the door as if expecting to have to make a break for it at any moment. Adagio chalked it up to intimidation and, looking at herself, couldn’t blame him. If she was him, talking to someone like herself, she’d be intimidated, too. “I really should go easy on the drinks,” said Spencer, though he was already feeling rather buzzed. “I do have to drive home, you know.” “Hm… Maybe we should take things over to your place?” offered Adagio. “Finish the party over there?” “I think I like that idea,” said Spencer, rising from his seat. Adagio followed close behind, and, making sure Spencer couldn’t see, punched the air. “Um… You didn’t pay already, did you?” asked Adagio. “Me? Pay? Don’t be absurd,” scoffed Spencer. Adagio was slightly offended, but laid the money on the table nonetheless. To be fair, she was the one who initiated, so she should be the one to pay. In any case, that wasn’t a huge deal. Adagio shook it off and followed Spencer out of the door and to his car. The first revelation came at about halfway to Spencer’s house, and it was a bit of a doozy. Adagio had to ask him to repeat himself a few times before it truly settled in her mind. Her mental warning lights went from “slightly skeptical” to “WARNING, WARNING, DANGER!” “My name isn’t really Spencer,” he said. “I always liked that name better, so that’s what I’ve taken to calling myself. I realize that I shouldn’t have lied like that, but you can surely forgive that, right?” “What’s your real name?” asked Adagio nervously. “It’s… It’s Vladimir. Ugh, even hearing it from my own mouth is offensive to the ears!” yelped Vladimir. Adagio settled slightly in her seat. She understood what it was like to want to experiment with titles; She herself had changed her name a few times over the years, but she always reverted back to “Adagio”, and Vladimir would do the same. She could deal with this, it was forgivable enough. Though, if Adagio was being perfectly honest, that might’ve been the martinis talking. Soon enough, long after the name discrepancy was resolved, they pulled up to a massive, intricate, mansion of a house. As soon as Adagio saw it, she forgot all of his flaws and could focus on only him. The only proper thought Adagio could keep hold of was that Vladimir was loaded. “Welcome to my humble abode,” said Vladimir with a smirk. “Care to invite me in?” asked Adagio, matching his smile. The two exited the car and proceeded to the house, which, Adagio and Vladimir had assumed, was entirely empty. With that assumption in mind, they made no attempts at subtly or discretion on their way up the stairs and to the bedroom. “Oh yeah? Well, I hope I gave you something!” shouted Adagio fiercely. “A thousand years is a long time, buddy, and I’ve been with a lot of guys!!” “Stay off of my property, you hussy,” said Vladimir flatly. He tossed Adagio’s clothes out of the window, her shirt and skirt hitting the grass in front of her. “Are you talking to me? Or your mother!” yelled Adagio. She scooped up her clothes and threw them on before half-running from the house. She got to the end of the block before she realized a major problem. “Where in Tartarus am I?!” she shrieked. Adagio was, as the saying went, up the creek without a paddle. Her purse, which contained her phone and all of her cash, was sitting on Vladimir’s floor, and she was not going back to get her stuff. She’d rather die than look at that pathetic sack of a man again. Adagio drifted madly around, turning and reversing wildly. She had no clue where she was, and had no way to contact the girls. This was, to put it in the simplest of terms, a problem. “Calm down, Adagio,” she said to herself. “Breathe, girl. You’ve been in tougher situations. You can find your way home.” HONK! “What?! What do you want?!” yelled Adagio madly. She didn’t expect to turn around and see a hot pink sedan pulled up to her right, but that is exactly what was there. The windows slowly rolled down and a pink haired head poked out. “Adagio? Is that you?” called Pinkie. “For the love of…” muttered Adagio. “What?” “Are you okay, darling? You look absolutely dreadful,” said another voice from the inside of the car. If Adagio’s memory served her well, that was Rarity. “You would too, if you just had the worst one night stand ever,” snarled Adagio. “That rude little momma’s boy!” “Do you want to talk about it?” asked Pinkie. “Me and Rares are headed to my place for some pizza and ice cream. There’s room for one more…” “Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather go back to Vladimir than get in a car with you two.” Rarity swung open her door suddenly, she basically running out of the door and grasping Adagio’s shoulders. “Darling… Did you just meet with Vladimir Blueblood?” she asked. “Yeah. Why?” asked Adagio. “Do you know him?” “Please, darling, come along with Pinkie and myself,” begged Rarity. “You must be thoroughly distressed. And, no offense, you look like you’ve been hit by a bus.” “Considering what actually happened, I think I’d prefer the bus,” growled Adagio. “Very well. It’s not like I have a way out of this area anyway.” Rarity helped Adagio to her feet and ushered her over to the car. The two slid into the backseat while Pinkie pulled off. She didn’t live very far, and five silent minutes later, Adagio was being led through a very pink house to a very pink bedroom. Without saying a word, Adagio fell face-first onto Pinkie Pie’s very pink bed, threatening to cry into Pinkie’s very pink blanket. Pinkie and Rarity looked at each other with slight unease. After a second of thought, Rarity reached a decision. She shooed Pinkie away, then entered the room. She sat on the bed to the left of Adagio’s legs. “Would you care to talk about it?” asked Rarity. “I cannot put into words how terrible of an experience that was,” groaned Adagio through the mattress. “You couldn’t possibly understand.” “What if I told you that I dated Vladimir for an entire month during sophomore year?” offered Rarity. Adagio shot up straight, staring at Rarity in confusion. “How? That math doesn’t work out,” said Adagio. “I met him at a bar, so he is at least twenty-one. At youngest, you were dating him when he was twenty. You’re, what? Seventeen? How did you get away with that?” “Blueblood isn’t twenty-one,” said Rarity, rolling her eyes. “He’s sixteen.” “How did he get into the bar?” “When your parents have as much money as his do, finding someone to convincingly forge an ID is rather easy.” “Hey, what do you guys want on your pizza?” asked Pinkie from the doorway. “Spinach and feta,” said Rarity and Adagio in tandem. A small fit of giggles burst from the girls, but they soon regained their composure. Adagio and Rarity were very much alike in that regard; Beneath their thick outer layer of class and grace, they were still normal teenage girls (or as much of a normal teenage girl as a millennia-old Siren could be). “Okie-doke! I’ll order it now!” said Pinkie, sliding away. “We’ve beaten around the bush enough as it is, darling,” said Rarity. “It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room. What was your experience like?” “He was so hot,” groaned Adagio. “He was perfect! He was funny and charming and rich!” “Yes, that is how he gets you,” said Rarity, nodding her head. “He let you drink, no?” “Yes. I had a few martinis,” admitted Adagio. “That’s when I started to notice! He’s… He’s so… What’s the opposite of chivalrous?” “Ray Rice?” offered Pinkie from the kitchen. “Pinkamena Diane Pie!” yelled Rarity, aghast by the comment. “We have discussed this before! That is not funny, and, as a lady, I am offended that you joke about such horrible things!” “Come on, even I admit that was kind of funny,” snickered Adagio. “And I’ve been around during way worse. There was a point in your history when your husband could beat you with a stick, so long as it was no thicker than his thumb. Mind you, back in those days, guys had some massive hands.” “It still feels wrong,” grumbled Rarity. Adagio shrugged her shoulders and fell back onto the bed. “What am I going to do?” asked Adagio. “I left my purse and phone in Vladimir’s room. Even if I could call, Sonata and Aria are probably too drunk to do anything.” “You could always stay here for the night!” said Pinkie Pie brightly, bouncing into the room with a pizza box in her right hand, two bottles of soda in her left (Mountain Dew for her and Diet Dr. Pepper for the others), and a stack of plastic cups balancing on top of her head. “I love sleepovers as much as the next Siren, but I don’t have any pajamas,” said Adagio. Pinkie dropped the food and drinks onto the floor and leapt over to her dresser, retrieving a set of orange pajamas. “Sunny left these here last time she was over! I’m sure she would be fine with letting you borrow them!” said PInkie. “Thank you,” said Adagio, accepting the clothes. She stared at the pajamas for a moment, contemplating. “I don’t understand. I’ve manipulated you into fighting with your best friends. I’ve used some of the people you know and love to beat you. We had a magic fight that easily could have ended in you dying.” “Where are you going with this?” asked Rarity. Adagio ran her hand through her giant poof of hair. “I’m a terrible person! I’m awful and evil and manipulative! I am a complete scumbag!” said Adagio. “And yet, you are about to share a pizza with me.” “Everybody deserves a second chance,” said Pinkie. “Not me. Some things are unforgivable,” Rarity grabbed Adagio’s hand in her own, the two locking gazes. Rarity was surprised to see the beginning of tears form in Adagio’s eyes. “Every single thing you said was true, but for the old you,” said Rarity firmly. “It has been, what? Three months? And what do you do now?” “I sell idiots guitars and make promises to see their bands play,” said Adagio. “See? Contributing to society! I say it’s time to stop dwelling on the past, and to look towards the future! One must first forgive themselves before asking for the forgiveness of others.” “Have you been watching Joel Ostein again, Rare-bear?” asked Pinkie. “That sounds like something he’d say.” “Ignoring that comment, you really do need to learn to let things go,” said Rarity. “We have forgiven you. There is no need to feel guilty. Unless, of course, you plan to do that again.” “No! Never!” Adagio raised her hands in mock-surrender. “I would never… The very idea… I couldn’t…” “Wowzers, you’re so nervous!” said Pinkie. “It’s kinda cute.” “I know, right?” agreed Rarity. “The big, bad, scary Siren is shaking in her knee highs. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that is a bit of a nervous blush on your face, Adagio.” “Oh, shut up. You guys are worse than Aria and Sonata,” snorted Adagio. “Where’s your bathroom? I’d like to change now.” “Right there, silly!” said Pinkie, pointing to a big, pink, obvious door that Adagio swore wasn’t there before. “If it were a Gummy, he woulda gummed you!” Adagio shook her head and found her way into the bathroom. The door shut behind her, Adagio finally gave in to the tears that had been threatening to escape all night. She stood and silently cried for a few minutes before pulling off her clothes and jumping into her borrowed pajamas. She hadn’t cried in a few hundred years. Tears meant weakness, and the others couldn’t afford to see weakness in their leader. Still, it felt liberating, calming, to let it all out. “Adagio, darling? Are you alright?” asked Rarity, leaning her ear against the door. “Rarity, Pinkie Pie, are you my friends?” asked Adagio. “Of course!” they both said, without a second of hesitation. Adagio smiled and pulled open the door. “Then, yes. I think I will be just fine,” said Adagio. “You two are a nice break from the lovey-dovey morons.” “Pinkie, go fetch my emergency make-up kit, would you?” asked Rarity. “We need to get this ruined mascara off of you, Adagio.” Adagio nodded her head and flopped unceremoniously onto the floor. Soon, Rarity was removing Adagio’s make-up and applying a moisturizing cream to her face, all the while lecturing her about keeping up her complexion. The minutes ticked into hours, and soon the girls were ready to call it a night. After Pinkie Pie rolled out two sleeping bags and handed out sleep masks, she shut out the lights and wished everyone a good night. For a long while, Adagio was in a weird train of thought, where she couldn’t stop saying something to herself. “This is the best one night stand ever,” she whispered. The girls chuckled, and Adagio was soon grasped by a calm, delightful sleep.