//------------------------------//
// What Do You Mean? 
// Story: Love Until Dusk 
// by MyLittleGeneration 
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	Sonata was simply struck with shock. "W-What?" she asked. "I don't think I heard you r-right."

I cleared my throat. "Adagio... I saw her." I pointed my finger towards the bushes far off. "Over there, but she left as soon as I noticed. I-I really did see her, honest!"

"Shine..." Sonata said, rubbing her arms and looking down. "This isn't funny... It's not."

"But I'm telling the truth, she was right over there!" I told her. "I wouldn't lie or try to scare you." Sonata still held her arms, while Rarity looked at me. Not angrily or scared, just as if she was confused and out-of-words. "Rarity, you believe me, don't you?"

Rarity shrugged. "Darling, I don't know what to say." she said. "I mean, I'm your friend and all, but I just don't know if that's correct. Not saying that you're lying, of course, just that maybe you saw something." She let out a nervous chuckle, as if she was getting slightly scared. "I've heard Fluttershy mention a friendly bear around here, once in a while, so if anything, maybe you caught sight of that?"

"And think of a giant bear as Adagio?" I questioned. "Rarity, just tell me, do you actually believe me?"

"I don't know, darling!" she said, defending herself. "In both ways I think you're telling the honest truth, yet again, I feel like there must've been a mistake in your vision."

"Well, it was for a good couple of seconds... though she was pretty shady in the back." I scratched my chin, training in thought.

"See?" Rarity pointed out, rubbing a panicking Sonata on the back. "Maybe it was just something else." Rarity grew worrying eyes for a moment. "Dusk, dearie, is something wrong?"

"What?" I raised a brow and scratched the back of my neck. "No, why?"

"Well, I'm just taking a shot here, but you look awfully riled up." I felt my head, feeling some beads of sweat. Actually, when I felt my head, I felt warm. "Anything going on?"

I shook my head. "No. Th-Thanks for asking, but I'm fine." A flash of Adagio came on. Just a normal pose.

"Darling, you know you can tell us, right?"

"Rarity, I thank you, but... I'm fine." I rubbed some sweat off again, meeting another flash. Now, she's downed, hurt, like she's been punched.

"Dusk," Rarity said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know I can stop, but you look really uncomfortable. Please tell us what's wrong. W-We can help." Her voice sounded as if she was afraid, like me.

"Rarity..." I gently shrug her hand off, and I look away. "I'm f-" And there went another flash. Now, she's standing there. Looking evil, despicable, like something is up her sleeve. As if I just saw her a couple of good minutes ago.

Before anything else, I felt another hand touch my shoulder. I noticed it was blue, which could only mean-

"Shine?" questioned Rainbow. "Anything wrong?"

I looked back, seeing Rainbow even worried. Finally, I get my face to a normal expression, one that shows no worry. "It's alright." I said, pretending that me worrying just a minute ago never happened. "Just something got caught up to me."

"Like what?" both Rarity and Dash asked simultaneously.

"Nothing important." I answered, before a sudden sniff beside me caught my attention. I looked at Sonata, having a couple of glistening tears in the corner of her eyes. "Sonata-"

"Please... What's wrong?" she begged. "Did you really see Adagio," Sudden flash... "or was she not there?" And it was bad.

I couldn't see Sonata's tearful eyes, not her blue skin in the bright day, not even her lively self. No, I just couldn't. It was all different with this one. I could see her, but not in a way I wanted. I didn't know how I looked, but hopefully not scary. I felt a sting in my brain as the image burned in my mind of another flash of Adagio... Sonata... together. I had the flash of the nightmare. Again. My brain pulsed loudly and I couldn't help but see the image shake. It felt horrible and I couldn't bear it.

"Shiney?" said a very worried Sonata, shaking me. "Shine, are you alright?" She shook me harder. "Shiney, answer me!"

"Gah!" I said before noticing Sonata, now even more full of tears. Must've scared the shit out of her. "Sonata?" I quickly give her a hug of comfort, but she gently pushed me off.

"Just..." She looked back at the girls. "Please leave us alone for a moment, please." The girls nodded and left the area. Sonata stood there, arms crossed and shaking her head. "Shine, you're scaring me... but I feel like I know why?" I only let out the sound of my heavy breathing. "It's... the nightmare again, isn't it?" She looked at me, looking slightly better than what she looked like when I hugged her. "Isn't it?"

I nodded. "But Sonata-"

"You thought of Adagio... didn't you?" Her words were starting to sound choked up. I honestly had no idea what to do at this instance. She didn't want me to hug her, she pushed me off, so I guess all I could do was just stand and listen. "I... I... I don't want to see you in anymore pain. Not from that."

She went up and hugged me tightly, letting out a nice cracking sound from my back. She let some of her soft tears dampen in my shirt, but like almost all the time, I didn't care if it got wet. I slowly wrap my arms around her, feeling a tear jerk from my eye. "Sonata... I did think of the nightmare," I whispered. "I really did, but when it came to the bushes, I really did see something there. I was certain it was Adagio!"

She rubbed my back. "And even if it was, what do we have to worry? We're together, and she can't break us apart. She won't... Dagi won't..." The blue siren held back a couple of tears. "H-H-Hur... H-Hu-"

I tighten the hug. "No, she won't. Ever." I assured. "I swear, Sonata, honest, pinkie-promise." I could see part of Sonata's face, seeing a nice, heartwarming smile. She tightened the hug a little more, feeling comfortable. "And if she ever does manage to lay a hand on you to hurt you in any way, I'll be there for you. I won't let anyone hurt my little Sonata." Sonata's smile grew wider.

"Good." she said. "I... I won't leave you, either. I'll be there whenever you need me, too." She released the hug and looked into my eyes. "Honestly... I don't what I'd do without you. Like, even if you just saved me back at the Battle of the Bands, if you've never taken me to your home," she said, slightly blushing pink. "I don't know where I'd end up. I don't know how Aria would end up. I don't know where... where you would end up. I have no clue."

I put a finger under her chin. "Well, good thing I didn't just save you, huh?"

"Mmhmm." she said, nodding. She approached to my face to give me a kiss, raising up her one foot, putting her arms around my neck. I moved my hands down towards her small butt, earning a moan from Sonata. She released the kiss and smiled with her large blush. "Let's head back, shall we?" I nodded and walked beside her towards the stage, seeing the gang with their instruments. "We're good." She gave a sure thumbs-up.

"So, what went wro-" Dash was interrupted by a hand put on her arm from Sunset.

"I think that's personal, Dash." she said. "Plus, they can tell whenever they want, but I think the time's not right to ask that."

I brushed the back of my neck. "Yeah, she's right." I admitted. "But soon, I think we can tell you. Honestly, it isn't that much of a problem, but after what happened... yeah."

Dash gave a soft smile. "Alright, just you two lovebirds stay together, a'ight?" The two of us blushed, and Dash laughed. "Ah, I love teasing people." I once again went back and listened to the girls perform, enjoying every single song, especially Sonata and Sunset's performance on the newly-coming song. I let out a happy sigh.

"You're the best, Sonata, and I'll never think you less. I'll never... ever... let anyone hurt you."