Triptych

by Aiyonbeam

Adagio - II

My vision's bleary as I open my eyes... I can hear a faint moan; is that coming from me? I can't quite tell. I see orange, lots of orange, and red, and yellow... It's all flickering above me, swirling in intricate patterns... Like a dance. A dance of orange and red and yellow... It's very relaxing, and I let out another soft moan as my eyes slowly close...

"Adagio!"

Sunset's voice shocks me from sleep, and my eyes shoot open. The flickering colors are back; the red and yellow and orange dancing in my vision. I stare at it, wondering where-

Sunset's head pokes into my vision, then. There's concern on her face.

"Adagio, eat."

Something's tapping against my chin; I look at it. it's a spoon, holding some strange, white stuff. It looks like a grain. Obligingly, I open my mouth, and the spoon enters. It doesn't taste too bad; it's got a very subtle, earthy kind of flavor, with an added saltiness that helps complete it. Vaguely, I wonder when I became such a good judge of food. Another spoonful follows the first, and I eat the substance slowly, bit by bit, until I feel full.

Full! It's a wonderful word to be, right now. Full. I can't eat any more. I'm not hungry. I only wish it took more than five spoonfuls for me to reach that point... Something presses against my lips again; a straw. Gazing at Sunset, I suck lightly on it. Clean, pure-tasting water fills my mouth, and I swallow eagerly, drinking more water, until Sunset eases the straw from my mouth.

"You can go back to sleep now, if you want." she says, giving me a tiny smile. I open my mouth to reply, but all that comes out is a groan. I'm so full... And I'm warm, too. Warm, and dry, and, for the moment, safe... The dancing colors are the last thing I see before my eyes close, and I drift off again.

"What's your angle?" I finally manage, when Sunset feeds me again. She raises an eyebrow, giving me another spoonful of what I now know is 'rice'.

"My angle?" Sunset says. "My angle is to get you in perfect health again. Or, at least, able to live without me feeding you."

"And then what?" The sixth spoonful enters my mouth, and, despite myself, I let out a tiny 'mmm' as I enjoy the taste of the rice.

"And then," Sunset says, giving me a tiny smile. "The two of us are going to talk about things. About why you were starving, about why you were alone... And I'll help you."

I narrow my eyes at Sunset. There's no way she'd help me like this... There's something behind her actions. When I'm stronger, I'll pin her down, force her to tell me the truth... And then I'll punish her. Or maybe I'll just leave, when I know everything I need to. But for now... All I need to do is rest. Wait. Bide my time. Grow stronger... Sunset will take care of me until then.

"If you want, we can talk a bit." Sunset says. "Or you could keep eating your rice, and then go back to bed."

Shrugging as much as I can, I indulge her.

"I can hardly move... Was I really that beat-up and ragged before?" I croak.

Sunset nods, chuckling.

"Yeah... The human body's known to stretch its limits when it needs to, and, Siren or not, you're in a human body... I'd say you were running on adrenaline and not much else when I found you. Good thing I did, huh?" she flashes me another tiny smile, and I nod, returning it with one of my own. This is the Sunset I knew. The timid, quiet girl, not the one who defeated us - defeated me - and saved my life... This Sunset, I can use.

"So... now that you're taking care of me, what of your friends?" I ask. "They won't be happy, knowing you're harboring someone like me."

Sunset looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, my friends already know." she says, her tone casual, almost dismissive. "I shot them a mass text, letting them all know you're here. You've only had two visitors, and they both came while you were asleep. Fluttershy, and someone else." Sunset gives me another smile. "If you'd like, I can tell them you're awake..."

I shake my head. Knowing them, they'd gloat over me, torture me with insults... Given how aggressive a few of them were, I wouldn't rule out physical injury.

Sunset nods, giving me a pat on the legs.

"What are these things on the ceiling?" I ask, indicating as best as I can the flickering colors. Sunset lets out a small laugh.

"A birthday present." she says, smiling. "My friends got together and made a bunch of origami things, hung them from the ceiling. When the fan's on, it kinda looks like the room's on fire, huh?"

"Origami?"

"It's a fancy word. Comes from the East or something... Basically, it's tiny little things made out of folded paper. It's hard to see unless you're up close, but some of them are little boats, or swans, or hats... Rainbow Dash made me a hundred paper throwing stars." Sunset lets out a laugh. "Typical of her... But it was an amazing gift."

"It's so strange, how humans celebrate birthdays." I say, sighing.

"Ponies do too, you know." Sunset says, raising an eyebrow. "And what's so strange about it?"

"The entire thing." I say, huffing. "So you've managed to survive for another year. Big whoop. There's no reason to throw big parties, or give gifts."

"It's not that you've survived another year." Sunset says calmly. "It's that the people - and ponies - you love care for you, and want to let you know how much you mean to them. They give you presents, and wish you well, because they care about you."

Rolling my eyes, I do my best to roll over.

"I still don't understand it." I grumble, shooting Sunset a look. It's true, though; I don't understand the point of things like that. Kindness without benefit... Just giving someone something because you 'care' about them... It's dumb. The only reason to give anyone anything is so that they'll owe you, and you might be able to call in that debt at a crucial point.

I tell Sunset so, and she just puts her hand on my legs again, and shrugs.

"You've got a lot to learn, Adagio." she says, giving me a patronizing smile. I scowl at her. I don't need her pity. "But that's okay... We'll work on getting you back at one hundred percent first, and then we'll work on the rest, eh?"

Sighing, I nod... The origami melts together into that pleasant pattern of fire on the ceiling again, and, despite myself, a tiny smile crosses my face as my vision blurs...

---

Sunset sighs, looking at Adagio as she drifts off... Slowly, she stands, turning off the light and closing her door silently, exiting her room. She enters her kitchen, waving silently at Sonata, who sits in one of her armchairs.

"How is she?" Sonata asks, giving Sunset a worried look.

"She's improving." Sunset says, smiling. "Physically, at least. She had enough energy to argue with me about birthdays."

Sonata sighs, leaning back in her chair.

"Want some food?" Sunset asks. "Do you eat human food? I recall Fluttershy saying something about you feeding off of something different than Adagio..."

"I'm basically the anti-her." Sonata says, with a wry chuckle. "She feeds off of negative emotions, like anger and fear... I feed off of positive ones, like happiness and wonder. If you're okay with it, I can just feed on what's radiating from you."

Sunset shrugs, nodding... And feels a strange tingling as Sonata opens her mouth, just a bit.

"You taste like cherries and lemons, at the same time." she says, giggling. "It's really interesting... And actually pretty tasty."

Laughing, Sunset nods, sitting down next to Sonata, the two breaking down into small talk and pleasantries; the simple, sweet conversations that friends share.

Comments

[Misago]

Damn u, teasing me with Sunata.

Also, I've heard that treating someone who was starving is a pretty delicate process. If you are not careful with how much and what you give the patient, you can easily make things worse. Then again, who knows how much of their siren power still remains, even if they can't actively use it without the gems.

Good characterization of Sunset and Adagio again, the former being nice, considering she knows how it is to be down in the dumps. And the latter not easy to redeem, so she is already starting to scheme.

[EchoWing]

Give it time, Adagio. Give it time.

[MrAskAPirate]

O mai, what have we here?

s6.postimg.org/5ul2jmext/continue_Monkey.jpg

[jaroslav]

So Sonata will take her positive emotions and Sunset becomes negative?

[Aiyonbeam]

7286169 No; that's not how it worked in the movies. The Sirens didn't make people less negative when they fed; they don't get rid of the emotions when they feed, just... Feed off of them.

[Mr Rainy Sky]

Any chance this is getting updated in the near future?