//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Cinnamon Chai's // Story: An Ocean Away // by Tennis Match Fan //------------------------------// Adagio tilted her smoothie to her lips and took a polite sip of her beverage. The cool mango drink was just what she needed under the heat of the early summer sun. A gentle breeze enveloped Adagio, cooling her slightly. Currently, she was perched right outside her favorite cafe, Cinnamon Chai's. Cinnamon Chai's was closer to her house than Sugarcube Corner and less prominent. If Adagio was in a tiff with Sunset or Rarity or anyone else (a fairly common occurrence), there was a smaller likelihood she'd run into them at Chai's. Adagio lazily checked her phone for the time. She took another sip of her drink and began to hum softly. It had been over half a year since she had lost her bedazzling voice in the Battle of the Bands. The experience had sucked all around. Currently Adagio could sing, but not as well as she had before her defeat. To her ears, any note less than perfect didn't deserve to be sung; therefore, Adagio did not sing. Humming, however, was not off the table. "When is he going to show up?" she asked herself out loud, impatiently drumming her manicured fingers on the table. "Cap knows I don't like to be kept waiting." Perhaps she had misinterpreted his text? Adagio checked her phone again and scrolled through the messages they had exchanged earlier that morning. Hey Dagi, can u meet me at Cinnamon Chai's at 5? Luv u 💗 There was no room for error. Adagio's phone displayed 5:09, and there was still no sign of Cap. She sighed and rose from her chair. She might as well go inside and refill her cup if she was to be waiting for another ten minutes. As her fingers curled around the door handle, Adagio heard her name pronounced in a familiar Southern twang. Adagio turned around and saw her boyfriend, Captain Planet, sprinting up to her. Adagio bit her lip to conceal her smile; it was unbecoming of her to appear eager. "You're late," she informed him matter-of-factly, folding her arms across her chest. "Sorry, Dagi!" Cap apologized, immediately embracing her in a tender hug. "My mom needed me to finish my chores. And I can't say no to my mom, can I?" He laughed, and Adagio's frown melted like snow in spring. "Alright, I forgive you. I did enjoy a delicious smoothie while I waited," she answered. "Aw, you didn't wait for me?" Cap pretended to pout. "I was about to go in for a refill," Adagio pointed out. "And then you decided to show up." Cap grinned affectionately. "Let's go inside, get our drinks, and then come back out here to talk." "Sounds like a plan." Adagio smiled as she clasped her hand with Cap's. Cap's amber eyes sparkled as he complimented her: "Dagi, you look really cute with your hair in a braid." "Thank you," Adagio replied dutifully, touching the long braid that composed all of her poofy hair. "Sonata braided it for me. It's gotten hot out lately, and my lovely curls aren't used to the heat." After Cinnamon Chai handed the couple their drinks, Adagio and Cap left the air-conditioned cafe and sat down under an umbrella. "So," Adagio began, stirring her smoothie casually. "What's so important you couldn't just text me?" Cap said, "Remember how I was talkin' about maybe doing some volunteer work over seas? Ya know, in Griffonstone or the Amarezon Rainforest?" Adagio nodded as he talked. "I sent in the applications back March." "Did you get a response?" Adagio asked. Her fingers paused mid-stir. If this was going where she thought it was going... An ecstatic grin split across Cap's face. "Yeah! I was officially invited to the Amarezon!" Adagio smiled. "That's great, Cap!" She enveloped his hand in her own. "How long will you be gone?" Her stomach plummeted when Cap paused. "That's the only part I'm conflicted about. I'll be gone for basically the entire summer." "The... entire summer?" Adagio asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that even legal?" "Of course it is." Cap furrowed his brow. "But, see, on one hand, I get to help so many people, more than I could in just two or three weeks. But on the other, I wouldn't get to see you or my friends for a while." Adagio withdrew her hand from Cap's; she bit her lip to keep from crying out. An entire summer? How selfish is he? I need him here! I'm a priority! "Dagi?" Cap asked gently, leaning forward. "When are you leaving?" Adagio asked abruptly before taking a long sip of her smoothie. "On the 27th... so about a week and a half from now." Adagio stood up, drink in hand. "Adagio?" Cap rose as well, his eyebrows down turned in concern. His voice was gentle when he asked, "Are you alright?" "I just need to be alone for a while." Adagio forced her lips to curl into a smile. "See you later, Cap." Adagio turned on her heel and began to stroll down the street. "Adagio!" She ignored the squeaking of chair against pavement. "Dagi, I think we need to talk about this-" "No we don't!" Adagio snapped, whirling around to face him. Cap was a step behind her. Adrenaline in her veins, Adagio thrust her smoothie forward. The drink splattered all over the front of his clean shirt. It had been white before; now Cap's shirt was tie-dyed with mango orange and banana yellow. Adagio winced when she saw hurt and shock fill Cap's eyes. "I-" For once in her life, Adagio was speechless. She grimaced before turning and running away from her sopping wet boyfriend. Adagio ran all the way back to her house, which was nestled in a court not too far from town. She slammed the door open, only to be greeted by the first of her two house-mates. "Adagio! I made cookies!" Sonata Dusk held out a tray of her goodies, but Adagio ignored her. The orange-haired girl made a beeline for her room and slammed the door behind her. Relieved to be in a comforting place, Adagio buried her head in her pillow. Tears dribbled down her cheeks. Sonata didn't take long to realize something was wrong. It was only a matter of moments before Adagio's bandmate opened the door and walked in. "Adagio!" Sonata cried, flabbergasted at the sight of Adagio expressing emotions. "What's wrong?!" "Go away!" Adagio shouted, though the command was muffled by her pillow. Instead of leaving, Sonata sat down on the edge of Adagio's bed and began stroking her back, like a mother comforting a child. "What happened with you and Cap?" Sonata asked as she rubbed Adagio's back. "Did he break up with you at Cinnamon Chai's?" She gasped. "How rude! Now you'll never be able to go there again because of the memor-" Adagio lifted her head up long to shout, "Shut up Sonata!" before returning to her regular scheduled sobbing. "Please tell me, Adagio," Sonata pleaded. Slyly, she added, "You know I'm not gonna go away until you tell me what's wrong." There's no use in trying to get her to leave, Adagio thought begrudgingly. She rolled up and did her best to block the flow of the rivers cascading down her cheeks. "Cap's going to the Amarezon Rainforest over summer break, so I won't get to see him for months!" she blurted out, sniffling. "Awww!" Sonata cried sympathetically. "Don't worry, Adagio, you'll still get to keep in touch with him! You can send him postcards!" Adagio glowered. "Postcards are lame." "Singing telegram!" Sonata suggested. "...I despise my singing, 'Nata." "FaceTime and texting?" Sonata suggested. Adagio groaned at the thought. "It still won't be the same." "Why not?" "I'm his girlfriend. I'm one of, if not the, most important people in his life. Oh, I had so much planned this summer." Adagio sniffled. "Who else will be around to appreciate my beauty? I gave up a life of polygamy for this boy!" When the monologue ended, Sonata stopped rubbing Adagio and dropped to her knees. The girls were now eye to eye. Sonata said, "Adagio, I'm kinda a dumb dumb sometimes, but I'm certain that things will work out. Cap can still appreciate you, even if he's in another timezone. Wait, is the Amarezon in another timezone? Lemme just- nope! Stay on topic!" Sonata sucked in a breath of air. "Just think of this as an ultimate test of your relationship with Cap!" Her serious façade melted, and she struck a heroic pose. "The true test of love is upon you! Are you truly destined to-" "Sonata, how in Equesria did I become so pathetic?" Adagio asked sourly. "We were cutthroat sirens for centuries, and now here I am crying over Cap." Sonata giggled. "We've adapted, silly!" "That's not... Ugh! Whatever." Adagio rolled over so her back was turned to Sonata. "It'll work out, Dagi," Sonata promised her. "No it won't," Adagio snapped. "I know it won't. You know why? Because I lost it and threw my smoothie on his shirt!" "Oooh." Sonata sucked in a big breath. "That's a problemo." "Do you see now why I'm a lost cause?" Adagio asked miserably. "Step one in the test of love," Sonata said softly. "Ask for forgiveness." "You are so cheesy. Get out of my room."