Three Dazzling Daughters

by BG9

Will they, won't they?

Anon begins to assemble the pieces

"Chess?" Adagio asks

"Chess. This is my grandfather's set and he taught me how to play. When he passed on, he wrote in his will for me to have it."

She looks in wonderment as Anon arranges the board.

"Now let's explain the game."

Anon tells her how each piece moves and the objective to take the king. Adagio seems quick on the uptake. It takes her no time at all to memorize how each piece moved. Even though this was her first time playing, he certainly wasn't going to take it easy on her.

"Ready Dagi?"

"Ready."

The intense match begins. Adagio was a natural at it, quickly being able to employ strategy that tested her father's skills. After only several moves she was accurately predicting what he would do next and how to properly counter nearly every advance he made. It was clear that he wasn't going to be able to even give an inch. Anon implemented a series of moves that allowed him to win nearly any game by progressively mounting pressure and causing the opponent to panic and thus make mistakes, and it worked. He was only a move a way from checkmate. As the sure fire victory came in, he could see the cogs in Adagio's head spinning. In just under a minute, she moves her only knight and breaks his formation, completely ruining the strategy and allowing her a straight opening to his king. And with that, she got checkmate.

"That's amazing. I've only met too other people who have been able to break through that." Anon said "How did you figure that out?"

"It was simple. I just watched your eyes move and when my hand brushed up to my knight you looked at it more intensely than the others. Also both your body language changed and your breathing slightly sped up. I also noticed your mouth twitch a bit. I tested all the remaining pieces just to make sure but none of them got the same reaction as it did with the knight."

Damn. This girl was a freaking computer.

"Wow Adagio. Color me impressed."

"It wasn't all that great."

"Don't be so modest. I've been playing for years and haven't developed that level of skill."

Just as the game finishes, Aria and Sonata begin to wake up. Sonata lets out a loud yawn. Anon and Adagio both walk inside.

"Did you sleep well?" Anon asks

Sonata nods

"Are we going on the bungee trampoline today daddy?"

"Of course we are you loser." Aria says

"I am not a loser!"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Enough girls. We are in fact going today. So get yourselves ready. Daylight's a wasting."

Adagio perks up

"Aye, sir!"

After a little while of getting ready for the day, the crew all go downstairs to the lobby for some breakfast then start to make the ride into town. Aria has her hood over her head. She still seemed to be tired.

"Alright girls. First we're going to go on the zip line."

"Awww! But I wanted to go on the bungee tramp!" Sonata whined

Aria pulls the hood further over he face, her anger only becoming more visible.

"Ugh! Shut up Sonata."

Sonata just crosses her arms and sticks her tongue out as Anon shoos them up the latter.

"So, Aria."

"Dad?"

Anon stays silent, not really knowing what to say. He didn't really have good conversation skills.

"Hello? Earth to dad."

"Sorry Aria. I just don't really know what to say."

"You're a weird guy daddy."

"Oh hey. I'm not that weird."

The two of them watch and Sonata and Adagio fly down the line, Sonata laughing and giggling the whole way down.

"I wish I could have fun like that." Aria says

"What do you mean?"

Aria immediately gets embarrassed and pulls the hood further over her head

"Never mind, don't worry about it."

"Aria are you saying you can't have fun?"

"I said don'tworry about it."

Clearly she was not in the mood to be pried at. But the awkward silence was thankfully broken quickly by Adagio and Sonata's return.

"Did you girls have fun?"

Sonata jumps in the air

"Yay! It was super duper fun!"

"Eh. It was a bit fast for me." Adagio comments, rubbing her sleeves

"Do you girls want to do that again or something else?"

Sonata seemed to have a smile so big it was going to fly off her face.

"Let's do the bungee tramps daddy!"

He turns to Aria

"You game?"

"Sure, whatever." she says, trying to sound disinterested

They make their way to the bungee trampoline, watching a few kids strapped in the harnesses of the chords jump to amazing heights. Sonata looks on in amazement. Adagio, however, begins to look increasingly nervous, her face almost becoming pale. But it didn't seem like she was afraid, it was as if she desperately needed something.

"Are you alright, Adagio?"

She jumps, as if she was so deep in thought she didn't even notice.

"Y-yeah. Fine. Perfect." she says, her eyes darting around

Instantly Anon assumed the worse. Was her Siren side coming back and Adagio was refusing to tell him? This was too similar to the time it happened first. After moving through the line and getting Sonata on the trampoline, Anon moves to talk to Dagi.

"Adagio what's the matter?"

She gives him the most fake smile he had ever seen.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I couldn't be better."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"Adagio do I look stupid? You look like you're in imminent danger"

She gets rather angry

"I'm fine ok!? I need to go to the restroom."

Adagio storms off, looking for a restroom. Either she was having a really bad day or something was seriously wrong. She was normally so calm and collected. Just as Anon thought his annoyance couldn't pile up higher, the mane six had also decided to visit the festival, which Aria was no doubt going to be thrilled over. He quickly walks back to her but it's too late. Aria already had a nasty glare on her face.

"Aria?"

She just grumbles something under her breath. Anon sighs. At least Sonata was having lots of fun. When her time on the trampoline was finished she came back even happier.

"Hey, Anon."

Anon turns around to see Sunset

"Hi Sunset."

Sunset chuckles to herself

"Whoa there, what's a matter sourpuss? The was the most deflated hello I've ever heard. Rough night?"

"You could say that."

"Want to come and take it off your mind?"

"I would but I kinda got a family to take care of."

"Well I could have my group look after them."

"You're serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"There's no way I could do that?"

"Why not? It's not like we're going to hurt them."

"And Aria? She hasn't exactly let go of her grudge with Rainbow and Rarity."

"It'll be fine. Come on." she all of a sudden gives him a look that said 'you need to come with me right now' "I really think we should go."

"Fine. But if even one bad thing happens."

"It won't."

Once Adagio returns from her bathroom break she looks much more relaxed than before. Must have been a really good dump.

"Alright girls. I'm going to be leaving for a just a little while. Until then you're going to be hanging out with Fluttershy and the others."

Aria gets pissed.

"Are you kidding me? Where are you going?"

"I just need to talk with Sunset real quick. I promise it won't take long. Please try to play nice alright."

"Oh I'll show them nice."

"Aria."

Aria pulls her hood down again, no doubt brooding like never before. Adagio and Sonata don't seem to mind one bit. It isn't long before Sunset pulls him off to the edge of the festival.

"What do you need Sunset?" Anon asks "This is clearly urgent."

Sunset looks down for a moment. She was obviously hesitating on what to say.

"Sunset?"

"I was just wondering something."

"What's that?"

"Do the girls have a mother yet?"

"A mother? I imagine they do."

Sunset looks a bit frantic for some reason

"Who is she?"

"Well I don't know. Whatever abomination birthed them in Equestria I'd guess."

"O-oh right."

Sunny clears her throat

"S-so. Rough night?"

"Yeah. I haven't gotten any sleep since two nights ago."

"Does this happen often?"

"It always has. I have insomnia. I was born with a mind that hates the idea of sleep."

"I have something that might help."

"What's that?"

Sunset grabs her purse and starts to dig around in it a bit. She pulls out a eye cover with a single green gem on it.

"What is that?" Anon asked

"I used to have really bad sleeping problems too. So Zecora gave me this. It's something that, when worn, will give you a perfect night of sleep every night. Be warned though, you have to have a clear though in mind of when you want to get up otherwise you won't until someone takes it off of you."

"Good to know. Don't you need it though?"

"Just consider it my Christmas present to you."

"So why did you really drag me out here? It was obviously not for this."

"O-oh nothing really. Just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

Sunset stiffens up

"Oh nothing."

"Well then, if it's alright with you, I'd like to get back to my girls."

"You really do love them huh?"

"I do. They are the first real instances of happiness I've had in so long. They make every day worth living."

"Are you saying you wanted to die?"

Anon doesn't respond.

"Well whatever it is." Sunset smiles "If you need to talk, you've got my number."

"Thanks Sunset. How's Rarity doing?"

Sunset looks almost offended by this

"Why?"

"Well... we had a bit of a fight the other night. I was just hoping it didn't bring her down or anything."

"A fight?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about the details. Is she alright?"

Sunset thinks for a moment

"Yeah. She's fine."

She says it in almost an empty tone. He couldn't tell if she was lying, but something was certainly off by what she said. Just then, Aria's voice is heard in the distance.

"I don't care! You're just mean!"

"What did you call me!" Rainbow responds

"I called you mean!"

"You have a lot of nerve!"

"Looks like I have to go deal with this." Anon said and started to go before Sunset put a hand on his shoulder "Sunset?"

She looks rather nervously at him before letting go of his shoulder.

"Nothing. Never mind. Just go back to your family."

Anon quickly runs back to ease the tension not hearing the words the escaped Sunset's lips.

Comments

[BlazeBlue42]

I don't know why but I was hoping Anon would say, if anything happens i will personally crush your skulls....

[Rhulain]

You can do it Sunny! Get your man and pre-started family!

[Tethered-Angel]

Rainbow... she's ten. Be the bigger person.