“Sunny?”
Adagio was lying on the air mattress, listening to the chirping birds and insects. She opened her eyes, only to be introduced to the sun's rays pouring into them. She quickly closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. Sitting up, she shook her head and noticed Sunset was not in the tent with her.
She crawled over to the opening of the tent and unzipped it. The sun had already risen and the heat was picking up. Stepping out, she looked at her surroundings, spotting Sunset and Twilight sitting at the picnic table in front of the cabin. She slumped her way over. The two immediately saw her emerging from the tent, with Sunset giving her a gentle wave.
“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Sunset smiled.
“Coffee,” Adagio mumbled, sitting down next to her.
“I’ll go get you some.” Sunset gave Adagio a gentle kiss and got up from the table, heading inside the cabin.
“Good morning, Adagio,” Twilight said.
“Morning.” She paused... stretching her arms and giving a loud yawn. “Princess.”
“Adagio, you know I don’t mind being called Twilight.”
“I like giving people nicknames.” She shrugged.
Sunset exited the cabin with two filled mugs of coffee in hand. She walked carefully, making sure not to spill the contents. Returning to the picnic table, she passed a mug to Adagio and sat next to her.
Adagio grabbed the mug with both hands and gently blew on it before taking a sip of the bitter beverage.
“You missed the morning sunrise,” Sunset said. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Yeah, just slept in is all,” Adagio replied. She placed her mug on the table and began rubbing her temples. “Travelling can make me exhausted; don’t be surprised if I’m lazy throughout the day.”
“I’m a bit tired as well,” Sunset said, taking a sip from her mug. “I’m just used to getting up early, having worked on Applejack’s farm and all.”
Adagio nodded and looked at Twilight. “So, Princess.”
“Yes?” Twilight replied, placing down her cup of tea.
“Have you been doing any of that research? Surely you’ve found something over the past month or so.”
Twilight remained silent for a moment. She brushed her hair back and took a deep breath, then exhaled.
“I have.”
Adagio raised an eyebrow at her response, made curious by the sudden pause, but decided not to mention it.
“So what did you find?” Adagio placed her elbows on the table, sitting her head on top of her hands.
“Plenty of information.” She shrugged. “I just finished my research before coming here. By next month I should have everything together.”
“That’s great to hear, but what did you find?”
“You’ll find out when I am done putting it all together,” she said, blankly.
“Oh come on, surely you can tell me—”
“Adagio, that’s enough,” Sunset said, placing her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder “She obviously doesn’t want to share.”
“Fine,” Adagio sighed. “But only because you said so.” She picked up her mug and took another sip of coffee.
Everyone was now silent at the table. Twilight avoided eye contact with Adagio and looked down, then immediately got up from the table. “Excuse me,” she said, walking away at a fast pace. Both Adagio and Sunset stared, perplexed.
“Did I say something wrong?” Adagio said.
Sunset shook her head.
“Let’s just finish our coffee.”
Morning had passed. Everyone at the camp had separated into small groups, though most chose to hang around the lake. Applejack and Rarity were chatting with one another at the dock. Rainbow and Pinkie were out fishing in the lake. Fluttershy and Twilight were the only ones not around, having instead chosen to go out on a nature walk.
Meanwhile, Sunset and Adagio were laid back on beach chairs next to one another near the lakeshore. With the sun fully out today, they decided to catch the sun's rays. They kept their distance from everyone else, but kept within eyesight.
Adagio had her headphones in, listening to music on her phone, wanting to cut out the surrounding sound. Sunset meanwhile took in the sounds around her, the chirping of birds and insects, the wind blowing past her, the occasional splash in the lake. They both wore their own bathing suits, with Adagio sporting a purple one piece and Sunset in a bikini with rainbow patterns.
It was quiet, but then the sound of someone screaming echoed across the lake.
“Help!”
Sunset’s eyes shot open. She looked to the lake, immediately noticing Pinkie and Rainbow had fallen out of their boat and struggling to keep afloat.
“Hey, Adagio!” Sunset yelled, grabbing Adagio’s shoulder and shaking her.
She grumbled and took off her headphones.
“What is it?” She said.
“Pinkie and Rainbow are in trouble,” Sunset pointed out to the lake. “Look!”
Adagio looked out at the lake and saw two familiar figures in the water. She sprang from her chair and ran over to the dock to examine the situation. Squinting her eyes, she saw Rainbow was flailing her arms, struggling to stay afloat. Pinkie held onto her from behind, helping keep Rainbow from drowning.
“Pinkie! Dash! Y’all all right!?” Applejack yelled from the dock.
“I got Dashie, but she’s dragging me down!” Pinkie yelled, struggling to keep herself and Dash afloat.
“Hold on Darling! We’ll get some help!” Rarity yelled, turning back to Applejack, Sunset, and Adagio.
They started talking about the best way to help Rainbow, while Adagio only focused her attention out to the lake where Pinkie and Rainbow struggled to remain up on the surface. Rainbow kept flailing her arms, while Pinkie struggled to keep them both up.
If nothing was done in the next minute, they were done for.
“No time for a plan,” Adagio took off her sunglasses and passed them to Sunset. “Sunny, hold onto these.”
“Okay…?” She grabbed them and looked back at Adagio “Do you have any ideas—”
Before she could finish, Adagio dived into the lake and began swimming towards the two. She kicked her feet at a rapid pace, her arms moving in sync.
Everyone on the dock gasped, keeping their eyes on her.
“Holy cow, she’s swimming like an athlete!” Applejack’s mouth dropped.
Sunset clasped her hands together, keeping silent and her eyes locked on Adagio. She was taken aback by Adagio’s sudden action, much less her swimming technique.
“Sunset? Are you all right?” Rarity asked.
“N-no,” she looked back at Applejack and Rarity. “Is she going to be all right by herself? Should we help her?”
“She looks like she can handle herself fine,” Applejack placed her hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “We have to hope for the best.”
“R-right.” Sunset said, placing her eyes back on Adagio.
She cut through the water like a knife, arms pulling her ahead with each powerful stroke, faster and faster. She needed to be faster. Adagio made it to both of them in seconds. Grabbing Rainbow from behind, she kept on flailed her arms, making it hard for Adagio to stay afloat.
“Help!” Dash picked up some water in between her sentence. “Someone!”
“Dash, relax!” Adagio yelled, struggling to keep Rainbow up in the water. “Pinkie, are you okay? Can you swim?”
“Y-yeah.” She said, catching her breath as she watched Adagio struggle to keep Rainbow from drowning.
Adagio looked around to see if there was anything she could use to get Rainbow to safety, she immediately noticed an oar floating next to Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie, listen to me. I want you to grab that oar floating next to you and bring it to me,” she said sternly. “Then, I want you to swim back to the shore, got it?”
“What about—”
“Just do it!” Adagio said, cutting her off.
“Right!” Pinkie quickly retrieved the oar and passed it to Adagio.
“Get yourself to safety.” Adagio said, struggling to keep Rainbow and herself afloat.
Pinkie nodded and started swimming back to the shore.
“Pinkie! Where are you going!?” Rainbow screamed, “I don’t wanna die!”
“Dash, relax! You’re going to drag us both under if you keep flailing your arms like an idiot!” Adagio yelled.
Rainbow, however, wasn’t listening; she only panicked and continued flailing her arms, about to drag Adagio under.
Okay, how do I calm her down? Think Adagio, think! She first thought of what was relaxing to her, then thought back to when she sang to Sunset and how it had calmed down the both of them. The song!
Adagio began humming the same tune she’d sang to Sunset. Dash was still flailing her arms, but soon her movements slowed and she eventually floated limply in the water. Adagio grabbed her tightly under one arm and threw Rainbows arms over the oar.
She wrapped her hands behind Rainbow and began slowly swimming backward to the shore. She kept humming the tune throughout, finishing when her feet touched the slope of the looming shoreline.
“Dash!” Applejack ran into the lake, footfalls splashing as she met them in the shallows, where Adagio was pulling Rainbow onto land.
“Take her,” Adagio said, passing Rainbow to her.
The only thing that kept Adagio going was her adrenaline. As she came down, she began to breathe irregularly, panting with her hands on her knees for support.
She looked ahead to see everyone else looking at her. Then everything turned black.
She fell onto her knees and head-first into the shallow water.
“Adagio!” Sunset screamed, running into the water and immediately pulling Adagio up to keep her from drowning. Her eyes fluttered open, and she coughed several times. Looking up, she saw Sunset was crying.
“H-hey, Sunny.” Adagio said, catching her breath. “How did I do?”
She responded with a huge sigh of relief.
“You did great,” Sunset smiled, not bothering to clear away her tears. “Let’s get you to safety.”
She helped Adagio up on her feet, then guided her over to dry land.
Everyone was gathered at the two chairs Sunset and Adagio sat on earlier. Rainbow sat on one, wrapped in a towel. Pinkie passed another one to Adagio who sat on the opposite end.
“Is everyone all right?” Applejack said.
“My chest feels like it’s about to burst,” Adagio took a few deep breaths, Sunset meanwhile sat next to her, keeping close for support. “I’ll be okay though.”
Rainbow only nodded her head, keeping silent.
“Rainbow Dash, look at me,” Fluttershy said. Rainbow shifted her head towards her. “Did you wear a life a vest while out in the water?”
“No,” Rainbow muttered.
“I can’t believe you, Rainbow! You know you can’t swim, and you figured it would be best to go out into the lake without a life vest? What were you thinking?”
“I don’t like them.” She glanced over at Adagio and Sunset, who were staring at her. “What? I don’t.”
Fluttershy slapped her across the face.
“You idiot! Not only could you have gotten yourself killed, but you also put Pinkie and Adagio at risk!” She yelled, stomping her foot.
“Fluttershy, dear, please.” Rarity placed her hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Let’s all try to calm down,” Rarity looked over at Twilight. “Can you join us Twilight?”
“S-sure,” she said, stepping next to Fluttershy, guiding her away from Rainbow. The three then went to the cabin.
“Rainbow,” Pinkie said, crossing her arms. “I’m sorry for tipping the boat over. If I was more careful this would never have happened.”
“It’s not your fault Pinkie, it’s mine.” Rainbow sighed, looking over at Applejack. “Do you have anything to say?”
“No, I don’t.” Applejack turned her head away from Rainbow Dash and went over to Adagio, wrapping her arms around her.
“Hey—“ Adagio said before Sunset tapped her on the shoulder, shaking her head, signaling Adagio to just allow it.
“Thank you for saving her Adagio,” She began to tear up. “She’s dumb and arrogant at times, but she’s my best friend, and I need her.”
“You’re welcome.” Adagio remained still as Applejack remained wrapped around her.
She soon let herself loose from Adagio, wiping away her tears. “C’mon, Pinkie; let’s go do something.”
“Like what?” She asked without looking up.
“Anything.”
Both her and Pinkie walked out of the campsite. Leaving Adagio, Sunset and Rainbow by themselves.
Sunset remained next to Adagio on the chair, while Rainbow pulled her head up to look up at Adagio.
“Why did you save me?” She asked.
“Would you believe me if I said it was because it was the right thing to do?”
“I could...” Rainbow shook her head. “But still, I was being a total bitch to you since we met yesterday. Why would you help me? It would have been easier to grab Pinkie and leave me.”
Adagio sighed. “Same answer as before, not to mention this camping trip would be ruined if one of us died, don’t you think?”
Rainbow snorted. “I wouldn’t have died.”
Adagio raised an eyebrow, staring with silent judgment.
“Okay, fair point.”
“If it means anything, I didn’t do it for you or myself, I did it for everyone’s sake.” Adagio looked over to Sunset. “Especially Sunny’s.” She said.
“Uh huh,” Rainbow grumbled.
“Rainbow, why were you being a jerk to Adagio yesterday?” Sunset asked.
“I don’t trust others so easily.” Rainbow replied.
“I remember. You were the same way with me when I turned around a few years back,” Sunset said. “Even then, you weren’t that hard toward me like you were to Adagio yesterday.”
Rainbow nodded.
“Unlike you, Adagio didn’t just target our school, she targeted my friends, the ones I am loyal to most.” Rainbow stared down at the ground. “It’s hard for me to turn around from something like that.”
Adagio normally took joy into her past actions; at the same time however, she knew others suffered from her decisions.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“That’s it?” Rainbow scoffed.
“I agree that I made mistakes, and I wish I could have done things differently.” Adagio sighed. “I’ve already said that to both Applejack and Twilight, I’m not sure what you want.”
Rainbow opened her mouth wanting to say something, before that however, Sunset stepped in.
“You know, Adagio did just save your life,” she said.
“I know.”
“So, isn’t that enough of a reason to trust her? I can understand it’s hard being friends with past enemies, but you see where Adagio and I are now. We’re well past Battle of the Bands.”
“About that, how did you two even become a thing? I get forgiving you, but don’t you think it’s a little sudden: just days after meeting again?” Rainbow asked.
“We just are,” Adagio said, sternly. “We have our differences, but I look up to Sunny, and she looks up to me. There really doesn’t have to be a reason for us liking one another.”
“I guess,” Rainbow sighed and got up. She was ready to walk away, but instead walked up to Adagio and held out her hand. “I still don’t understand why you two are together, and I may still be a bit uneasy around you, but… I’m sorry. And thanks for saving me.”
Adagio shook Rainbow’s hand.
“You’re welcome. Though, I have to ask you something.”
“Hmm?” Rainbow retracted her hand. “What is it?”
“How does an athlete like you not know how to swim?”
“Oh,” Rainbow looked down, dragging her foot across the ground. “Never really learned, I guess. My first try didn’t go so well.”
“Sassy question.”
“As in ‘nearly drowned’ bad. So, I guess you could say this isn’t my first time. Didn’t exactly feel the urge to learn after that.”
“If you want,” Adagio smiled. “I could teach you how to swim tomorrow afternoon.”
“Eh, by this point I’m pretty much resigned to it. Besides, you had to get me out once and you already look worse than I do.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll start easy and slow.”
“Who said I was worried? I don’t like swimming; I’m not afraid of it.”
“Then show up tomorrow. Think of it as doing your friends a favor.”
“I guess I’ll take you on that offer, then. Thanks, Adagio.” Rainbow looked back at the cabin. “For now, I should probably go say sorry to Fluttershy and the others.” She sighed. “This should be fun.”
“Hey, if they can forgive me, I don’t think they’ll stay mad at you long.” Adagio said.
Rainbow only nodded in response, then walked away from both Sunset and Adagio, heading up to the cabin and going inside.
Sunset wrapped her arm around Adagio, giving her a gentle kiss.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
“Yeah, just tired…” Adagio laid back into the chair, Sunset laying on top of her. The two remained there, only wanting to be at ease throughout the day.
The day had soon passed, and evening came again. After dinner and a group talk around the campfire circle, everyone headed off to bed. Sunset and Adagio, however, were at the dock along the lake instead of sleeping in their tent.
Adagio sat on the edge of the dock, her pant legs were rolled up and her feet were in the water. Sunset sat next to her, mirroring the actions.
“I probably said this already, but what you did today was amazing.” Sunset placed her hand on top of Adagio’s.
She turned her head to Sunset, she was smiling. Adagio returned a weak smile and looked back out at the lake, the moon was full tonight, reflecting the moonlight throughout the camp.
“Thanks,” she said.
Sunset’s smile dropped. She thought back to earlier that day when she saw Adagio in the water risking her life to save Rainbow. Falling head first into the water. Coming back to consciousness in her arms.
“Adagio… I really was scared today, thinking of what could have happened.”
“Like what?”
“You…” Sunset paused. “Dying.”
“You really didn’t think the water was going to kill me, did you?”
“No.” Sunset shook her head, “But if I did just suddenly lose you, I really wouldn’t know what to do.”
Adagio wrapped her arm tightly around Sunset, pulling her in close.
“That’s not going to happen,” Adagio whispered into Sunset’s ear.
Sunset smiled in response, which her girlfriend returned. Adagio kept her arm wrapped around Sunset’s side.
Throughout these past few months, Adagio had gotten to know Sunset more than ever, from when she first talked to her in that coffee shop, to helping push her bike in the rain, and the night she stayed over at Sunset’s place and had their first intimate moment. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized she had been depending on her throughout this entire time. Not as a friend, not as simply her girlfriend, but someone she could rely on throughout the rest of her life.
“By the way,” Sunset said. “I faintly heard you humming a tune to Rainbow while saving her. Was it the same one you sang to me in the park those few months back?”
There it was again, that damn song.
“You heard that?” she replied.
“Yeah,” Sunset nodded. “Since that day you sang it to me, I would never forget it.”
“Why?” Adagio asked, tilting her head.
“Because.” Sunset rested her head on Adagio’s shoulder. “After you sang that song, I knew I wanted to be with you.”
Hearing those words, Adagio’s smile fell. Through all this time, she never told Sunset about her remaining powers, and if her singing may have had an influence over her.
“I-I never thought about it that way,” she trembled.
“Though, now that I think about it” Sunset tilted her head, placing her index finger on her chin. “Why were you singing it to Rainbow?”
The moment Sunset asked that question, she couldn’t hold the secret anymore. This was it. She had to tell her.
“I sang the song to calm her down. She wouldn’t stop panicking until I began humming.”
“So… you sang, and she just calmed down?”
“Yes.”
“How does that work?” Sunset shook her hands. “Not to say your singing isn’t moving, but she was panicking while drowning for goddesses sake. No one just calms down like that.”
“I told you I still have some or my singing abilities, right?”
“Of course,” Sunset nodded.
“I feel I may still have some of my powers... not on the same level as Battle of the Bands, but… I can pull in people with my singing, a-and I feel my humming in the park did that, and…”
Adagio let her arm loose from Sunset and got up, facing away from her.
“I feel like If I didn’t sing that song that day...” She wrapped her arms around herself, looking over to the side. “You wouldn’t have loved me.”
Sunset got up and stared at Adagio from behind her.
“I do love you though.”
“Do you!?” Adagio turned around quickly, tears flowing down her cheeks. “When I sang to you the first time, people gathered around us. They didn’t just have an interest; it was as if my voice pulled them in. Not due to talent, but due to my powers, the same ones that pulled in everyone at your high school those years back.”
“Yeah, but...” Sunset tripped on her words, not sure what to say next.
“This entire relationship,” Adagio sniffled in-between her sentence, continuing to cry. “It’s possible it was all built up from nothing but a lie.”
Sunset shook her head and stepped up to Adagio. She wrapped her arms around her, giving a tight hug.
“Don’t say that,” Sunset murmured.
“Sunny,” Adagio looked up at the sky, with Sunset setting her face along Adagio’s shoulder. “Do you still love me?”
Sunset felt tears stinging her eyes, threatening to fall, but she blinked them away.
“Of course I do.” Sunset looked straight at Adagio.
“Even after what I told you?” Adagio whimpered, wiping away her tears.
Sunset nodded.
“Remember when I was at your apartment for the first time? When we were on that sofa together?”
“Y-Yeah?”
“I didn’t just sleep on the sofa next to you just because I was tired,” she smiled. “I liked being next to you.”
“So, you aren’t mad at me?”
“Of course not,” Sunset shook her head. “Maybe your song had a bit of influence over me, but I truly do love you.”
Adagio wrapped her arms tightly around Sunset.
“Thanks Sunny, you’re the best.”
They remained in each other’s embrace. Soon after they left the dock and went back to their tent, sleeping closely next to each other.