//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Tying Up Loose Ends // Story: Fluff and Kidnapping // by Eyeswirl the Weirded //------------------------------// "No," the next name on the list answered with crossed arms, "the Great and Powerful Trixie has not seen Adagio Dazzle anywhere." She glanced between the three of them while bobbing silvery hair in one hand, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Why? Did she say anything about me? I mean, not that Trixie would take any interest in her anyway. So, did she?" They tried every name on the list. The track team, Photo Finish, Snips and Snails (they proved to be more who didn't actually hate the Dazzlings and said it was nice to see Sunset again), the soccer team, a guy they couldn't find named Cheese Sandwich, certain staff of the local zoo, a local herbalist named Zecora (Subscript: See Cheese Sandwich), Lyra Heartstrings, Bon-Bon, Vinyl Scratch, and random people on the street. They literally had "just random people" on the bottom of the list. Sunset noticed the strange absence of Vice Principal Luna on that paper, but didn't really want to ask. In between checking those on the list, they popped into the few buildings in town that had Help Wanted signs out front to briefly ask if anyone had seen her, to no avail. Their last attempt, the guy who ran Aria and Sonata's work place, yielded similar results. He was going through divorce papers at the time, but Sonata somehow cheered him up a little about it while talking about looking for the girl whose fault it (technically) was. "Y'know, the one with the big, fluffy, cheesy-poof hair? Like your whole arm-span wide, so deep you might just find the secrets of the universe at its center?" This ended up earning her a raise and Aria's glare. However, Sonata was on a roll for making people smile, getting Aria to join in making fun of their search target's hair. "You couldn't even tar and feather her if you wanted to," Aria said with a chuckle as the trio walked along a downtown sidewalk, "she'd just absorb it like a sponge!" Sonata giggled. "You could probably pick her up and use her as a feather duster!" As they laughed together, rare occurrence though it might have been, Sunset didn't join them. She guessed, hoped, that they were just trying to use humor to distract themselves from the fear and worry of losing their friend, not a genuine sense of joy at her expense. She'd noticed they'd often remark on Adagio's crazy curls when asking if anyone had seen her. Admittedly, Sunset had done that too not very long ago, as it was a ridiculously easy target. Was that why she reacted so strongly at Fatbear's whenever I mentioned it? "You guys talk a lot about her hair," she said conversationally, "is she sensitive about it or something?" "Duh," answered Aria, "that's why we make fun of it at every opportunity." "Yea," agreed Sonata, "that and her tremendous, huge butt!" Aria snickered as she went on. "We sorta have to. It's actually kinda hard to get to her the way she gets to-" Aria quickly thwapped her on the back of the head, "OW!!" "She didn't need to know that," the surly siren hissed. As the two started bickering again, Sunset reflected on how it wasn't hard at all for her getting under Adagio's skin. I didn't always do it by making fun of her hair, either. Or her hips. Maybe I just have more experience than they do? That she could think, without irony, that she knew more about hurting feelings than any of The Dazzlings, who fed on negative energy from fights they started, was a painful realization. Regardless, she kept such thoughts to herself, more concerned with how the group apparently tease each other viciously. Adagio broke down crying when she admitted she didn't want to live without Aria and Sonata. Aria and Sonata willingly spend the whole day searching for Adagio, but Sonata constantly squabbles with Aria. They simultaneously fear and make fun of Adagio, but from the sounds of things, she does it right back at them? To an even greater degree? Was there just some twisted triangle of dysfunction keeping these three together? Did Aria and Adagio take turns calling Sonata an idiot? Did Adagio and Sonata have anything in common? What kind of friendship was this? Sunset waited until they were walking down the street after the next house to investigate further. "I've gotta ask, just how many nicknames do you two have for Adagio? Just today, I've heard Cheese-Puff, Queen Fluffy, Puff-O The Clown, The Towering Cotton-Ball, Orange Fury, Evil Miss Frizzle, Sugar-Free Cream-Puff, and Fluffymongous, and those are just the ones about her hair." More surprising than the list was that Sunset could recite it with a straight face. Sonata smiled. "We've got more, but I think those are the greatest hits." "Why would you come up with all of those, anyway?" She wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, new to mocking people, but Sunset knew there was no need for that much diversity to effectively tear down a target. Maybe it was actually affectionate? Aria shrugged a little. "Kinda making up for lost time, since we can actually get away with it now. It's not like we do it constantly, or there'd never be a minute to breathe. That, and Spiky Dominatrix can still be scary as all hell, but since we have jobs and she doesn't, she won't get that mad if all we do's poke fun at her." She hoped. Sonata had pulled a little notepad from somewhere. "I don't think that one works, Aria, her clothes aren't that prickly and she doesn't wear any leather." "Tch, whatever." She smiled. "Ooh, how about Prickly Priss?" Sonata giggled, quickly jotting it down. "Adding it!" Sunset picked up from a moment ago. "Lost time?" Sonata answered this one. "Before our gems got busted, her magic was always stronger than ours. That and her actually coming up with ideas are why she was the boss, but now...?" Aria smirked. "Magic doesn't matter anymore, money does, and Fuzz-Tastic can't hold a job to save her life." Sonata jotted something down on the notepad again. "And since we make money and she doesn't, it's almost like we're the ones in charge." The confident smirk slipped away over the next half-minute. "Kinda. A little. Sometimes. Maybe." She glanced nervously at Sunset. "Don't tell her we said that." Sonata looked around as though afraid someone was listening in. "Y-you're the one that said it!" Aria was visibly sweating. "Shut up, Sonata!!" As they bickered about whose head would roll if Adagio suspected they were legitimately trying to usurp her, even if none of them had their magic anymore, Sunset could only shake her head. The longer she listened to them, the more she figured the enemy list was pointless compared to how they treated each other. These three were a mess, and badly needed help, whether they knew it or not. But first, she'd have to find Adagio. "Got an idea," she said loudly enough to be heard over the squabble, "maybe she just went to the mall? Plenty of stores that might need an extra hand, plenty of hang-out spots for bored teenagers, she could be there for either one." Come to think of it, she sort of wished she'd thought of that sooner. Apparently, so did Aria and Sonata, who looked at each other wide-eyed, facepalmed in unison, and groaned. "Oh, duh." So they headed to the mall, but rather than going in through the front door, Aria and Sonata walked around the side of the building, to Sunset's confusion. "Eh, guys? Where are you going?" Aria motioned for her to follow. "'Nother door over here, leads to the roof, that's probably where she's been all day." They found themselves at one of those white doors Sunset got the feeling random mall-goers weren't actually allowed to go through. There were no Staff Only signs, no cameras watching the entrance, and the door wasn't even locked, but something about it still felt sketchy. Two flights of stairs later, they were standing on the roof of the mall, which gave them a good view of the town as well as the mall's interior via skylights. They spent a few minutes looking around, but there was no sign of Adagio. Aria stomped in frustration. "Dammit!!" Sonata had an entirely different reaction, lowering her head and idly playing with her ponytail. "What if she's really-" Turning to her, Aria all but snarled. "Shut, up, Sonata!!" Sonata scowled back at her. "You just don't wanna face it! She could have-" Pointing a finger a the blue girl, Aria cut her off. "You think that every single time we don't know where she is, that's why she leaves notes!" "Then why didn't she this time?!" Aria clenched her jaw. "B-because, she, she might just, uh..." "Might just what," asked Pinkie Pie, looking over her shoulder, "and, who? Where? When? Why? How?" She seemed to have earnestly confused herself, scratching her head. "What?" Aria turned to look at her. "We're looking fo-GAHFRAHABLA?!" She nearly fell backward, the look of terror on her face a familiar one to Sunset by this point, drawing a smirk. One thing Sunset could say about the startling effects of the Pinkie Pop-up? It was still funny when it wasn't happening to her. "Hey, Pinkie. What brings you to the roof of the mall?" Rainbow's voice was heard from the direction of the staircase. "We could ask you the same thing, Sunset!" She emerged through the doorway, looking a little winded. "I'll never know how Pinkie gets up stairs so quick." In her and Pinkie's case, they were just hanging out at the mall, saw Sunset and two sirens go through a door that wasn't usually opened, and chose to investigate. She paced over to join the others, Aria more or less having recovered from her tiny heart-attack. "So, yea, what's up?" Sunset turned to the sirens. "I was kind of wondering the same thing, actually. Why would Adagio be on the roof?" Sonata shrugged. "She's kinda like a cat." "What?" Crossing her arms, Aria nodded. "The view of the town's nice, but it's more about being able to look down on people from up high." Sunset smiled. "Yep. Sounds like her." It was then that she noticed Pinkie and Rainbow giving each other worried looks. "What's wrong, guys?" They turned to her at the same time, their faces absolutely screaming 'busted!' They shared another quick look, Pinkie giving that nervous, 'oopsie' kind of grin. "Uh, y-you're looking for Adagio Dazzle? Fuzzy-licious? The Wig That Walks? She Who Must Not Wear Hats?" Aria and Sonata both giggled, the latter writing on her notepad again. "Good one!" Sunset, however, was a little less amused. "Pinkie? Rainbow? Do you know where Adagio is?" Rainbow smiled sheepishly. "Uh... Haha, promise you won't be mad?" Half the mall-goers stopped what they were doing at the sound of a sudden outburst. "YOU WHAT?!" --- Adagio sat still on the cushioned stool as Rarity braided a particularly thick column of her hair, thinking about things. One of them was the idea that 'beastly behavior' made someone uglier than any amount of disfiguration. She didn't want to be ugly. "Sorry." Rarity didn't slow down in her task. "What was that, darling?" She was getting deja vu for that time with Sunset Shimmer again. "When I threatened you earlier? I wasn't really going to do any of those things, I was just trying to scare you into letting me go. At the time, I was afraid you had very different intentions, and opted to try to intimidate you into submission first. Still, as you might not have known that, sorry if it sounded genuine." Rarity smiled at her, giggling. "There's no shame in being frightened, darling, I'd have been crying myself into hysterics in your shoes." Adagio sighed. "No you wouldn't. I can tell even without looking you in the eye that you're a lot sturdier than that." Now Rarity stopped what she was doing, a little taken aback. "W-what do you mean?" Turning enough for Rarity to see her, Adagio made an annoyed face, (so expressive!) but her answer was very calm. "I've bluffed my way out of unfavorable situations before, and while I could tell that it was worrying you, you didn't budge when I threatened you and your friends." She shrugged. "If anything, it seemed to give you new resolve." She cut Rarity off the moment she opened her mouth. "I know, I know, don't say it! Yes, I suppose if it were you threatening my idiots, I'd have gotten colder too, but that you are not easily intimidated is the point I mean to make." Rarity smiled a little. "All things considered, you held together very well." Adagio shrugged, turning away again. "Thanks." Neither felt like bringing up that she almost fled the house immediately upon release. Then Rarity's phone rang again. "Ah, pardon me a minute, darling." She answered it. "Hello? Ah, Sunset, how can I-... What? Y-yes, I-please, slow down a minute... Er, yes, she's here now. Yes, that's the gist of what happened. No, no everything is fine! Would you like to talk to her?" She handed the phone to Adagio. "It's for you." "Adagio?" "Speaking." "Oh, good, you're alright!" She shot Rarity a worried glance. "Why would I not be alright? What do your friends normally do to people?" Apart from the whole kidnapping thing, but she felt pretty safe here. "What? N-nothing, I just, err, I-I've got Aria and Sonata here, we've been looking all over for you." She turned away from Rarity to hide a smile. "I'll take that to mean you weren't in on the scheme, then. Good to know you don't plan your felonies as a group." "Very funny. Just hang tight, we'll be there soo-oh, wait!" Sunset's voice got quieter. "Do you guys wanna say anything? No? Okay." "We'll be there soon." *Click!* "Well," said Rarity as Adagio returned the phone, "I suppose we'll have more visitors soon." Adagio smiled wryly. "Would you like to be the one waiting in a box this time?" Rarity giggled. "I don't think that'll be necessary. Let's see if we can finish up here before they arrive, shall we? We wouldn't want you seen before you were perfectly presentable, after all." Nodding once, Adagio turned away to let Rarity continue with her task, which she set to with gusto. Her first instinct might have been to apologize again for the box thing, but her former captive's face and tone said she was already comfortable making jokes about it. She noticed that Adagio really had been remarkably docile. From the moment she untied her, Rarity had at least anticipated that she'd be insulted a few times, but what she'd heard from the other girl today (once all that kidnapping business was behind them) was mostly complimentary! Perhaps having to scramble to find work after wielding so much power for so long really has been a humbling experience? Rarity knew it would be off-topic and uncalled for to ask, but she couldn't help wondering why she and her sisters(?) didn't think to just seduce any well-off young men into feeding and housing them at no charge. --- Ending the call, Sunset sighed with relief. "Well, she sounded pretty calm, at least." Then, a little less calm herself, she turned to the culprits of Adagio's disappearance. "Now why did you kidnap somebody and offer them as a present?!" Rainbow held up her hands defensively, though the contrition was clear in her face. "It was supposed to be a prank-gift, we-" "No, no," Pinkie interrupted, "gift-prank! A prank gift would be like a spring-loaded pie in a box, this was giving a gift that was also part of a prank on someone else! Totally different!" Aria raised an eyebrow. Her posture suggested irritation, but her tone was one of amusement. "You pulled a prank on Adagio?" Pinkie seemed to forget that she was feeling guilty for a moment. "Yep! The ol' think-they're-being-Taken-but-actually-everything-is-fine gag!" Rainbow nodded. "Plan was, we sneak into you guys' place early in the morning -Pinkie knew where to go, don't ask- and grab her while she was asleep. Then we bring her to Rarity's place for the party thinking she'd wake up a little before we went to get her. Seeing it was just us, she'd figure out that we weren't crooks that wanted to sell her kidneys or whatever, have a good laugh about it, then get her hair done for free." Sunset, Aria, and Sonata all stared at the kidnappers in shock, which Pinkie didn't really seem to notice, looking at Sunset. "So, did it work?" "Did... did what work?" Pinkie smiled. "The plan, silly! You were talking to Rarity just a second ago, were they doing hair stuff?" "I, they..." She scratched her head. "I didn't really ask, but-" Rainbow tilted her head. "We left them alone hours ago, what else would they be doing all this time?" Remembering Adagio's racier comments when they were trapped together, one particular means of passing time sprung to the forefront of Sunset's thoughts against her will, drawing a blush. "Uh, I-I guess, they're, yea, the, hair-thing." Unfortunately, Aria seemed to notice her change in pigment, whispering to Sonata. "Crazy seven-ways." Sunset flushed brighter, clenching her fists. "Will you STOP IT with that?!" She noticed Pinkie and Rainbow sharing a confused look, but just shook her head. "Don't ask." She also couldn't help noticing that neither of Adagio's closest friends(?) seemed the least bit angry at the perpetrators of her disappearance. "Why are you two so calm about this, anyway?" Aria shrugged. "I told you, as long as she's pretty much okay, we just wanna know where she's been. If she's been doing stuff with the prissy girl al-" "Rarity." Sunset corrected only that part because it went without saying that Rarity wouldn't do stuff with someone brought to her in a box. "Whatever. If she was there the whole time, that's all we really wanted to know." She glanced at Sonata. "Might as well go get her, though, I don't wanna be stuck alone with her tonight." Sonata worded her eloquently-composed thoughts in the form of blowing raspberries. Ignoring that, Aria smiled with what might have been genuine admiration at Rainbow and Pinkie. "Besides, it takes serious guts to kidnap Adagio and not even wear disguises, can't wait to see how that goes down." Rainbow and Pinkie shared a quick, worried look, turning back to Sunset with sheepish smiles. Rainbow let out a short, nervous laugh. "Well, sounds like you guys know where to go, so-" Before either of them could take a step toward escape the stairs, Sunset grabbed both of them by an ear. "We are going to Rarity's, you are going to apologize, no discussions." Rainbow proved more audible in terms of pained complaints as she dragged them along, Aria and Sonata watching in fascination as Pinkie hopped along on one foot. Pointing to them, Sonata sounded almost nostalgic. "Remember the time Dagi did that with us?" Tenderly addressing one of her own ears, Aria smiled a little. "Heh, yea." --- A little later, Adagio again stood turning back and forth before the mirror, quite pleased with the results. The bulk of her hair was still hanging loose, but brushed into as orderly a mass as could be managed. Decorating it were thin, criss-crossing strands woven into long lines of loops trailing down the sides. Running down the middle of her back was a single, massive braid, thicker than both of her arms and reaching down a little past her waist, ending in a perfectly spherical bun. This combined with the elegant dress made her look positively radiant! Rarity would have tied in another large bun or four at the top of her head, but she didn't want to still be at it when the others arrived, and Adagio would probably like to go home soon. She smiled. "It's been lovely having you here, darling. I'd be happy to try something more in-depth if you should ever decide to drop by again." Adagio stopped admiring herself, turning to Rarity with something of a demure look. "Actually... About your offer, two weeks ago?" "Oh!" Her eyes widened a little. "Someone to model my designs? With Prim Hemline's offer, I may be in need of someone like that sooner than expected. Are you saying...?" Adagio shrugged a little, lowering her head as though afraid to ask. "I remember you said there wouldn't be a lot of money in it, but I'm running increasingly short on options, so, is it too late to sign on?" She'd first proposed it because none of her other friends wanted anything to do with standing before a camera for long periods of time, even in her most fabulous creations. That, and all three of the Dazzlings definitely had the looks for it. Rarity smiled widely. "Not at all! Do you think you can stop by after school hours this Tuesday?" Adagio grinned brightly. "I think I can make time." Before Rarity could start on what she had in mind for the showing, the door opened, an annoyed Sunset Shimmer dragging Rainbow and Pinkie by the arms, Aria and Sonata calmly following behind them. Sunset gently pushed the first two forward. "Okay, there she is, now say it." Rainbow turned back toward her, rubbing her wrist. "Yeesh, was it really necessary to drag us here?" Pinkie just smiled. "It was that or by the ears, remember?" "Oh, yea..." Rainbow gingerly addressed a still-sore ear before turning to Adagio... who looked like she came straight from a fancy ballroom or something. "Uh, hi. Spiffy duds." The others apparently just noticed as well, Rarity grinning wider and wider as they collectively took in the fruits of her labor. That Adagio smirked and struck a regal pose to be admired only helped, as far as she was concerned. Aria crossed her arms as Sonata tilted her head. "Is this what you've been up to all day?" Adagio chuckled. "Kind of, it was a bit of an odd morning." Sunset, snapping out of her daze at seeing a victim of abduction apparently doing just fine in a pretty dress, cleared her throat meaningfully, prompting Rainbow and Pinkie to remember what they were here for. Bowing their heads a little, the two spoke in unison. "Sorry we kidnapped you." Rainbow felt like they should at least explain themselves. "It was supposed to be a present to Rarity and kind of a joke on you. We figured you'd get a little scare and walk out of here with a snazzy new hairstyle, no harm, no foul. And-" They turned to Rarity, again delivering their apology at the same time. "Sorry we left you with a hostage." Rarity blinked twice. "Err... Th-that's alright, all is forgiven." Those gathered waited to see if Adagio felt the same way as she stared her abductors down. Her gaze held them like a vice, Pinkie's nervous giggling doing less than she'd hoped to abate the sense of impending ouchies. Just as she and Rainbow (and Sunset, albeit for different reasons) were starting to sweat, Adagio smiled. "Yes, yes, very funny, congratulations on your little prank." Even Rarity looked surprised. Adagio shrugged. "It's fine, I forgive you." She allowed only three seconds of relief before going on with a smirk. "I mean, I can understand someone wanting me badly enough to do something extreme, I just didn't think anyone would use their friend's birthday as an excuse to see me tied up." Pinkie and Rainbow both blushed. "Th-that wasn't-" "We didn't-" "That reminds me," continued Adagio, coquettishly brushing a lock of orange aside, "I wasn't fully dressed when I fell asleep last night. Which one of you did the honors?" Rare was the day that Pinkie Pie could flush bright enough for it to be noticeable, but here they were as she twiddled her fingers. "I, uh, c-couldn't really just leave you in your birthday suit because it wasn't your birthday, soo..." Rarity turned red too, relieved in hindsight that Pinkie hadn't tried to force any such rule on her. Grinning predatorially, Adagio stepped closer to them, putting forward one bare leg through the slit in her dress and leaning on it, both hands on that knee. "Really? I ask because it only seems fair to return the favor some time, but you're both invited. If you like," making what could only be called bedroom eyes, she whispered huskily. "you can even bring ropes..." Given her attire at the time, the effect was somewhat magnified. Rainbow and Pinkie turned bright red as the former stammered nonsense, the latter grabbing Rainbow's arm. "Unwanted Sexy-Times! Run!" And the two fled the building, shouting 'Sorry!' one last time as Adagio threw her head back and laughed. Sunset was looking a little red too, but she shrugged. "I guess that went as well as we could hope for." By the looks on Aria and Sonata's faces, they weren't too surprised by that reaction either, the former smirking a little. "So, got nabbed for your hair, huh? How's that rank on your list of proud moments?" Judging by Adagio's scowl, not very high. Sonata tittered like the schoolgirl she technically was. "At least it was for your hair, not your big butt!" Adagio clenched her fists and grit her teeth, turning red. "You two are-" Aria barely suppressed a laugh. "Yea, I can think of a few things they mighta done with that!" Sonata grinned ear to ear. "Paintball target?" So did Aria. "Nah, it'd be too easy!" The two howled with laughter, Sunset a little ashamed to find herself snickering too, but at least tried to hide it by covering her mouth and turning away as Adagio started chasing her giggling tormentors around the room. As a near-Whinny-Hill-style chase scene ensued, Sunset looked to Rarity, who was just observing in silence. "Aren't you worried she'll mess up the dress or something?" She didn't look away. "Actually, I'm just impressed she's keeping up that speed in stiletto boots. Aria is wearing heels too, do you think it's a matter of practice?" Sunset shrugged. "I wouldn't really know. How'd you get her from tied up in a box to letting you doll her up, anyway? It had to have been a rocky start." Turning her attention to Sunset, Rarity smiled with a hint of fatigue. "Ohh, goodness it was, but I remembered how Fluttershy treated you in those first few days and took a page from her book, so to speak." "You were just... nice to her?" "That sums it up, yes." In hindsight, Sunset's own experience wasn't so different. She'd teased Adagio a lot, too, but not without a little comeuppance later. Maybe that was just how Adagio functioned, making an effort to re-assert her image of dominance over those around her any time she felt threatened or embarrassed? Still, that she didn't just throw Sunset to the mascots must have said something. About a minute later, Adagio stopped running, Aria and Sonata still snickering at her. They stopped too, Sonata still beaming. "Tired already, Miss Fluffy-Fluffs?" Aria chuckled. "Guess she's got a little something extra weighing her down, and I don't mean the hair." It looked like Adagio might have been seeing red, but to the surprise of all present, she started to smile. "Yes. Yes, I suppose I do." Ignoring the confused, slightly amused stares of the other girls, she took up a dignified pose. "However, the two of you remarking on it so frequently is hardly polite, don't you think?" Before they could laugh at her, she went on, fingertips drawn to her chest in slightly melodramatic fashion. "I may have a slightly wider posterior than is average, but it would be unladylike of me to go pointing out the abnormal qualities of others." Now she smirked, a devilish glint in her eyes. "Like your little problem, Sonata. It may not happen often, but wouldn't it be unkind if I were to mention in public the times I've found you laundering your bed sheets in the middle of the night?" "EEP!" Sonata turned red, hiding her face in her hands. "Dagiiii!!" Aria chuckled at the other siren's shame, her smile vanishing when Adagio turned to her. "Speaking of ladylike, would it not be unbecoming of me to let slip that most teenage girls don't wear undergarments like yours?" "Gah!" Aria moved both arms in an effort to cover herself despite being fully clothed as she joined Sonata in blushing furiously. As Sunset and Rarity both giggled behind their hands at them, the two looked at each other and spoke in unison. "Welp, she's fine, let's go!!" And they followed Rainbow and Pinkie's example of sprinting out of the building in embarrassment. Sunset facepalmed, smiling. "You're a monster." Adagio mockingly hissed at her, wiggling her tongue like a snake. All present had a laugh. "Really though," said Adagio, turning to Rarity, her face uncertain, "that wasn't too beastly, was it?" Smiling proudly, Rarity shook her head. "Not at all, darling." Looking back and forth at the two of them, Sunset refrained from initiating a group hug or something in celebration of what appeared to be some kind of success in passing-on of friendship lessons. This was definitely going into a message to Twilight, though. A little later, Adagio had changed back into her usual outfit, though Rarity offered her a rectangular, shiny, paper bag in which to keep what she'd tried on. In the spirit of why she'd been abducted in the first place, she opted to keep the intricate series of hair loops and the massive braid for a while. She and Sunset bid Rarity farewell and headed out, walking together. Not looking at Sunset, Adagio kept her head down. "So, did you tell them anything?" "Huh?" Sunset got a quick, worried glance, jogging her memory. "Oh! No, I didn't say anything about... what we talked about in Fatbear's, don't worry." While Adagio was relieved to hear that, it wasn't what she meant. "No, I mean, -well, thanks for that too, but- your friends, the ones that kidnapped me?" Now Sunset was confused again. "What would I tell them?" Adagio grumbled for a few seconds, looking like she was trying to think of the least humiliating way possible to say something. She partly succeeded. "W-when you heard that I, the one that jumped and screamed every time one of those machines got close, was abducted in my sleep, tied up, put in a box, and left at the mercy of an old enemy, what was your first guess for how I might have handled it?" Taking a minute to think on it, Sunset felt bad for her. If she didn't know it was a joke, waking up like she did must have been terrifying, and knowing Adagio's disposition already...? Sunset frowned, putting a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Sorry." Her face sank. "You did tell them?" "What? No, no! I hadn't really even thought about it that hard until now. I haven't told anyone and I'm not going to, okay?" Adagio smiled gratefully at her, then seemed to remember something and huffed a little. "You're going to have to let me return these favors some day." "Huh?" "Nothing, just... if there's something I could possibly, I mean," she glanced back and forth, double-checking that the coast was clear, "I'll help if you ask for it, alright?" Sunset spent a minute mulling over her answer as they walked. "There... there might be one thing." Adagio blinked once. "Oh. That was fast... What is it?" She took a quick breath, not sure how this would sound. "Do you think you could ease up on the other two?" "What?" "My friends and I tease each other too, but nothing like what I've been hearing today." She looked Adagio in the eye. "There's friendly ribbing, and then there's what you guys have. I don't know how long you've been like this, or how much longer you can do it before the three of you really have problems. You told me once that you wanted them to stop making fun of you, but how often do you tear them down?" For just a second, Adagio looked surprised. Then she huffed, turning away and crossing her arms. "Don't try to turn this back on me, they were the ones that started it!" Sunset frowned. "You said you'd help if I asked." She turned back toward Sunset, incredulous. "And how does this help y-" "Just hear me out? Please? It might sound odd, but I'd feel a lot better knowing you guys could get along." Still looking annoyed, Adagio's mouth twitched a few times, all manner of defiant gestures and contrary statements spinning in her head before all were dismissed. She sighed. "Alright. Fine. Why shouldn't I strike back when they laugh at me?" Feeling hopeful, Sunset smiled a little. "Because I think you'll be a lot happier learning to laugh at yourself than getting angry and hurting feelings by shooting back with something nastier." By the way Adagio flinched, Sunset's guess for one of Sonata's earlier statements seemed all but validated. "They're afraid of you, Adagio. It might seem hard for a while, but I think if you stopped first, they'd stop feeling so threatened." By the way she shuffled her crossed arms, it looked like Adagio was trying to cross them again as she looked away, gears visibly turning in her head. After about a minute and a half, she looked back at Sunset, her eyes conveying hints of fear, remorse, uncertainty, and desperation. She replied in a whisper. "You really think it can work?" Sunset smiled widely and warmly. "I think it's worth a try." They locked eyes for a long moment, Adagio still looking unsure. "Just, let them say whatever they like until it's out of their systems?" Sunset smirked a little. "Ohh, I didn't say you couldn't defend yourself, just don't go overboard with it." She shrugged. "How you responded just today was a little vicious, but it got them off your back while more or less making the point that mocking each other wasn't nice, whether you meant to or not." Adagio smirked too. "That I can do." As their paths parted, she turned to leave. "See you around, Sunset Shimmer." Watching her go, Sunset felt like she'd really done something right this time, along with the feeling she'd be seeing those three more often in the future. Later that evening, just as she was going to sleep, Sunset remembered the reason she was supposed to think that as she sat up in her bed. "Aw, crap! I was supposed to persuade them to come to school!" Well, there'd be time for that later. She hadn't used up all of Adagio's good will with her request today, right? Wondering whether or not she and Adagio could be called close enough that strictly repaying favors was really a factor, Sunset drifted off to sleep.