The Trick to Success

by Hakuno

10. Rejoice

Chapter 10. Rejoice.

Adagio was comfortable. Her pillow was soft yet firm, and the quilt that covered her provided her with such a nice warmth and smell of lavender, she wanted to remain like this forever.

And that’s when she noticed she wasn’t dreaming anymore.

Her eyes shot open and her brain began working on high alert, and the first thing she saw was a white ceiling. Where am I? She wondered.

She turned her head to the right, and was relieved to see the sleeping form of her sisters. She also noticed that the three of them were sharing the same bed, and were covered with the same blue quilt. Gazing a little beyond, Adagio could see the rest of a large bedroom, wherein another bed paralleled hers, and various generic paintings adorned the pristine white walls.

Slowly she sat up, taking in her surroundings. She saw the window and the sunlight that easily made its way through the swiftly waving white curtains that seemed to greet her with the kindness of a friendly hug. Adagio felt herself smiling at such a sight, since, for the first time in her life, she could wholeheartedly appreciate the beauty of a late winter morning.

“I see you’re awake,” a soft voice interrupted her train of thought, and Adagio would be lying if she said it hadn’t startled her.

Adagio turned to her left to the source of the voice, and she found a purple skinned girl sitting in what could only be described as a blue bean, with a closed book on her lap. The girl looked back at her with a kind smile. Adagio was sure she knew the girl, she had seen her somewhere, but she couldn’t remember as of now.

“Who are you?” She finally asked. Her voice was hoarse and dry, but she paid it no mind. “What… What’s going on?”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle,” the girl replied. “We met at Everton’s Science Fair.” Adagio nodded as she remembered that day. “As for the second question, it’s kind of a long story, but I’d like to ask you a few questions just to put us on the same page, if you don’t mind.”

Adagio lowered her head cautiously, but didn’t get her eyes off Twilight. “Sure…”

Twilight’s smile widened a little bit just to disappear a second later. “Alright… Do you remember where have you been for the past months?”

The question struck Adagio’s chest like a spear as memories flooded her mind, and she felt her arms trembling. “Yes…” she answered. “Well, more or less… I know my sisters and I were kidnapped and trapped somewhere, but… That’s all I know…”

“So you don’t know who kidnapped you?”

“Not really, no…” Adagio remembered the dark place she had been in just the day before, where she could hardly see her own body. “Well I… I just know there was a woman, she was responsible of this,” she said as she raised her hand to touch her hair which had been cut almost from the base, the same had happened to her sisters. “But I didn’t see her.” She then turned to her sisters for a moment. “Well… Sonata swears our captors looked exactly like us… But I don’t know what to think.”

Twilight sighed, making Adagio look at her again. “In that case, this is going to be a little difficult to explain…” She hummed for a moment. “Well, if you come with me, I can actually show you, unless you want to wake up your sisters…”

Adagio looked at her sisters again. They looked so peaceful and lost in slumber, she decided to let them rest a bit more. “I don’t want to leave them alone…”

“Oh, that can be arranged,” Twilight said as she stood up and walked to the door. “Hey, Rarity!” She said out loud upon opening the door, but not too loud. After but a minute, another girl walked inside, and Adagio recognized her too. Was she at Everton as well?

“Good morning, darling,” Rarity greeted Adagio as soon as she saw her. “Did you sleep well?”

“I… guess?”

Twilight snorted softly. “Rarity, can you keep an eye on the girls? I’ll show Adagio around to explain everything to her.”

“Of course, dear,” Rarity said and walked up to the empty bed. “I’ll send them to you as soon as they wake up.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said before she turned to Adagio. “Follow me, please.”

Twilight and Adagio got to the hallway and quickly found themselves in the living room.

“Adagio, I’d like to introduce you to my friends,” Twilight said as she prepared herself. She named Pinkie, who appeared from what looked like a kitchen just to go back after a second. Then Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, sitting at the dining table, and finally to Applejack, who was standing in front of what looked like a window.

Adagio couldn’t quite see what was at the other side of the window from the place she was standing, but she decided not ask for now.

“Now, Adagio, I’m about to tell you something that might seem ludicrous, but I swear it’s the truth,” Twilight said, giving Adagio the most serious gaze she could. “Tell me, what would you say if I told you there’s another world full of magic that is parallel to this one, and wherein we all have a counterpart?”

“I’d say you’re nuts,” Adagio replied calmly. “But I’m going to assume you’re being serious, to which I’m going to refrain myself from giving my opinion of you.”

Twilight giggled. “Yeah, I reacted more or less the same way.” Her expression then returned back to serious as she took a deep breath. “But I can prove to you that what I said is the very truth.”

Adagio looked around, the girls were looking at her with looks that varied from understanding to odd resignation. “And how would you do that?” Adagio asked.

“If you look through that glass,” Twilight said as she pointed to where Applejack was looking. “You’ll see what I mean. Just keep in mind that what you’ll see is someone from that other world.”

Adagio frowned unconvinced, but decided to play along. She walked up to the window-like glass and looked, and immediately felt every hair in her body stand up as her skin seemed to freeze. Inside the room, her sister, Sonata, dressed in jeans and a white tank top, was kneeling down in front of a chair and using it as a table, writing what looked like gibberish with a pink crayon.

“Wha-” Adagio pressed her hand on the glass. “Sonata?!” She then noticed that Sonata’s hair was still long, just enough to reach right above her knees if she were standing up. Adagio turned to Twilight, wearing a heavy frown and feeling a boiling anger building up in her stomach. “What the hell is going on?!”

Twilight resisted the urge to step back. “That Sonata isn’t your sister,” she explained as calm as she could. “She comes from another world. See the necklace she’s wearing?” Adagio turned back to the girl inside that weird room, and quickly spotted what Twilight mentioned. “That gemstone is the source of her magic. With it, she can hypnotize anyone through her voice, and she and her partners did exactly that to you and your sisters.”

Adagio didn’t reply. She just stood there, observing the scribblings scattered through the floor.

“But, Sunset convinced her that we’re kind of immune to her magic, so she hasn’t tried to break free,” Twilight explained.

“Wait,” Adagio said, slowly turning to Twilight. “Sunset? Sunset Shimmer?”

Twilight forced out a laugh. “Ah, I’m talking about the Sunset from the other world…” Adagio frowned. “But, the Sunset from this world is with us, too.”

“Sunset’s in prison,” Adagio said a little too loud.

“Not anymore,” Twilight replied. “She got out, and she’s been helping us…” she said, then she looked away for a moment. “Apparently, prison changed her, and…” she took a deep breath and looked at Adagio again. “She helped rescuing you.”

Adagio’s frown deepened.

But, through the corner of her eye, Adagio saw Applejack raising her hand. “That’s true, sugarcube. She carried ya outta that place. Me and Rainbow over there carried your sisters.”

Applejack looked trustworthy, maybe too much. Adagio didn’t even know what to think. On one hand, she and her sisters were no longer in that dark, rotten place, hopeless and miserable. But, on the other hand, these girls were spouting nonsense, and they had her sister’s doppelganger locked up like some overrated villain.

They were then interrupted by the sound of a car parking right outside.

Twilight beamed. “Well, they’re here. If you don’t trust us, which is understandable, then you may trust them.”

Adagio wanted to ask, but decided it’d be best to save her questions to the people that had just arrived. She crossed her arms and looked towards the front door, and in just a few seconds, it opened.

Sunset Shimmer entered the house, and Adagio quickly noticed a million differences in her from the last time she had seen her. Like the badly covered bags under her eyes, or the lack of that natural shine in her skin so characteristically of her, or the fact that she didn’t look like she was about to start beating everyone up.

“... just wish they-” Shimmer was saying, but cut off herself when she saw Adagio, standing next to Twilight and looking at her.

Adagio remembered the last time she had spoken to her, right before the jury had declared her guilty. She remembered everything they both had said, things that had been too hurtful to even remember. But, for some reason, instead of feeling the heated headache of anger, she felt the oppressive clench of guilt in her stomach, followed by a flutter of relief.

Before she could think, she found herself literally tackling Shimmer into an embrace.

“Sunset!” Adagio cried out. Tears running down her cheeks.

Shimmer managed to remain balanced, but otherwise didn’t move much. Her widened eyes and tense mouth the only indicators of her surprise at such welcome.

“Well this is… awkward…” Another voice came from the door, a very familiar one, and Adagio looked up to see another Sunset Shimmer looking back at her.

Adagio broke the hug and stepped back. “What the…”

“Just to avoid confusion,” the new Sunset said quickly. “We decided that I’m Sunset, and she’s Shimmer. Easiest way to differentiate us when talking and all that.”

Adagio eyed both Sunsets carefully, and sooner she noticed the physical differences between them. The new Sunset looked much more lively, her hair shone brighter and her eyes were kinder, whilst Shimmer looked like a decolored version of herself, sad and dull.

Then, her train of thought was interrupted when a third girl got inside. She was short, blue skinned and with silver hair. Adagio immediately recognized her as the memory of her, fainted and pale and bleeding, played in her mind like a movie. The girl introduced herself as Trixie just as a fourth person entered the house.

This one was a taller woman of pinkish white skin and a flowy rainbow hair that reached her hips.

“You must be Adagio,” the woman said with a voice full of kindness with just the right amount of authority. “My name is Celestia,” she continued as she offered Adagio a hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Adagio said slowly as she shook hands with the taller woman. Then, her stomach groaned so hard, everyone in the room heard. She couldn’t mutter a coherent word as embarrassment took over, and she felt her cheeks get hot.

“Come sit down,” Shimmer told her, taking a chair from the dining table, and turned to Fluttershy. “Where’s the pink one?”

“In here!” Pinkie yelled from the kitchen. “I’m making pancakes for everyone!”

Shimmer smiled a little as Adagio sat down. “Even I must admit that girl makes the best food when it comes to sweet things,” she said before she turned to the living room, where Sunset, Twilight, and Celestia were talking while looking at the siren. She tried to go to them, but Adagio quickly grabbed her by the hand; the good one, fortunately.

“Wait,” Adagio said quietly. “Don’t go.”

Shimmer looked at her, then at Fluttershy and Rainbow, who had conveniently left the table to join the group in the living room. Shimmer sighed and pulled another chair to sit up next to Adagio.

“How did you get out of prison?” Adagio asked suddenly.

Shimmer looked away and leaned back. “I was offered a deal. See a psychiatrist and good behavior…” She sighed heavily. “Apparently, I have a mental illness… My family used that in my favor, and here I am…”

“A mental... “ Adagio began. “Is that why you did those things?” Shimmer only nodded. “Then…” She saw Shimmer raise her arm and place it on the table, and she noticed the bandages and the slight bloodstain by the palm. “What happened to you?!”

“Oh,” Shimmer said as she looked at her hand. “This… I had an accident while cooking...”

Adagio reached out, brushing her fingers with Shimmer’s with care, trying her best not to hurt her. She remained silent as she observed the hand and the bandages, the rolled up sleeve and up to Shimmer’s face.

Her eyes were not like Adagio remembered. Where normally there would be conviction and pride, was now doubt and guilt. Adagio used her thumb to caress the tips of Shimmer’s fingers, and shot her a small smile when she looked her way.

“I was told it was you who rescued me,” Adagio said, and could see the tiniest smile tugging from the corners of Shimmer’s mouth. “Carried me like a caped hero.”

Shimmer snorted. “Capes are for fags.”

Adagio barked a laugh and shot her free hand to her mouth in a vain attempt to keep quiet. She realized then that she hadn’t truly laughed so carefreely since she was a kid. And she enjoyed her little moment of letting go of everything. There was nothing to worry about anymore; she was safe, her sisters were safe, and Shimmer was with her.

She was relaxed and calm, like she hadn’t been in over a year, and Shimmer, too, seemed to be enjoying it, since she had come so close to her.

Blinking, Adagio noticed it was the other way around. She had gotten closer to Shimmer, mere centimeters away. She could feel the gentle breeze of Shimmer’s breathing stroke her lips, all while her eyes, glimmering, stared down at her, making her feel a billion butterflies swarming in her stomach, and it was a feeling she had grown to love and crave.

She didn’t hesitate in shortening the distance, gently pressing her lips against Shimmer’s. Sparks jolted through Adagio, traveling down her skin with the fiercing speed of a thunder. She wanted more, she needed it. So she pressed on, but instead of meeting a reciprocal reaction, Adagio felt Shimmer lean away from the kiss, away from her.

“Sunset?” Adagio asked, confused. She looked up at Shimmer’s eyes and found them looking away, refusing to meet her.

Shimmer opened and closed her mouth several times as she searched for words. “Being in prison…” She began with a calm voice, and yet, Adagio could hear a tremble that was so uncharacteristic of Shimmer she thought she had imagined it. “It made me realize some things about myself… That’s why I accepted going to therapy… But…” Shimmer looked at her wounded hand and tried to make a fist, but only managed to clumsily move the tips of her fingers. “But… Getting this close to dying… It made me reconsider all my life choices…”

“I almost killed two people,” she continued. Her voice quivered, but Adagio noticed a titanic effort to hide it. “And… the things I said to you at the courthouse…”

“But you changed, didn’t you?” Adagio said as she gently placed her free hand on Shimmer’s cheek. “I know you didn’t mean those things… Did you?”

“No! Of course not!” Shimmer replied. “But I…” She looked back down and gritted her teeth. “Adagio, please, don’t do this…”

Adagio felt her stomach fall. “Do what?” She asked cautiously after a pause.

“This!” Shimmer insisted. She looked at Adagio again, and her eyes screamed a plead Adagio did not quite understand. “You don’t know me, you don’t want to know me! All the things I said to you, all the things I did to you…”

“But that’s all in the past,” Adagio said hastily. “The Sunset I know would’ve never gone out of her way to help anyone, and yet you rescued me and my sisters. You’re a new person, and I want to know that person.” She used her hand to avoid Shimmer looking away again. “Please, Sunset…”

But Shimmer leaned away from Adagio’s reach. “I’m sorry…” was all she said before she stood up and walked away.

Adagio saw Shimmer disappear into the hallway. She wasn’t sure what to think of what had just happened, she only knew Shimmer had never fled a conversation before.

She then looked towards the people at the living room. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed what happened, and that fact helped Adagio feel at ease. And just a few minutes later, Pinkie Pie appeared from the kitchen with a plate full of pancakes, reminding Adagio just how famished she was.

In the end, Adagio decided to play along and help herself some food. She still had to take care of her sisters and get some more answers, and that wasn’t even considering going back home and getting their lives back.

She could worry about Sunset Shimmer later.

~~~~~~~~

“Just look at her,” Sunset insisted.

Principal Celestia had taken a lot of convincing just to get her to come all the way to Manhattan. Shimmer being with her and sporting a still-recent wound had helped a great deal, but Celestia’s reluctance to get involved in anything had forced Sunset to explain every single thing that had happened in the last month or so, and only then had she agreed to accompany the girls.

But, as it seemed, even though both Sunsets and Trixie had still been explaining things on their way to the house, and even though Celestia was looking at living proof of their claims, she was still refusing to just believe.

And it was making Sunset’s head throb out of anger.

“She’s been captive for days,” Sunset continued, trying to keep her cool. “Do you think a normal person would be happily writing a diary with a crayon while humming a happy tune if they were in her place?”

Celestia had her arms crossed as she stared at the siren with a heavy frown. “I’m just saying, Sunset, that you have to understand the position you put me in,” she said without looking away from the hostage. “I need proof that this girl is the threat you tell me she is, because as far as I’m concerned, you just admitted to have kidnapped a person.”

“Seriously?” Trixie asked after a huff. “Wasn’t looking at Shimmer’s wound proof enough?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her, and Trixie answered with another raised eyebrow and a pout.

“Ah know it’s mighty hard to believe, Principal,” Applejack said. “But you gotta agree some girls here wouldn’t ever do something like this without good reason.”

That much was true, Celestia had to agree. Twilight had won Everton’s Science Fair last year and was still the best student at CHS. Rarity owned and managed her own boutique while keeping really good grades. Applejack had earned the title of “most honest” in the yearbook thrice in a row. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie would never hurt a fly for all the money in the world.

Celestia considered the rest of the girls, being both Sunsets the only ones who had caused major trouble in the past, but even then, she thought they wouldn’t be able to drag this many people into such actions without good reason.

“You could always ask Adagio,” Twilight offered, pointing towards the dining room. “I barely told her the general idea, but she was a hostage victim not too long ago.”

Celestia turned to look at Adagio. Pinkie had just brought her a stack of pancakes with lots of butter and maple syrup, and just after the first bite, Adagio’s expression quickly morphed into one of pure bliss, and was now wolfing it down.

“I think I will,” Celestia said as she approached the dining table and sat down. She noticed Adagio’s total lack of interest in good manners as she shoved a bit too much pancake into her mouth. “Hello again,” she said. Adagio grunted an acknowledgement. “Is it ok for you if I ask a few questions?”

Adagio took her sweet, sweet time chewing her mouthful as she glared at Celestia. Once she swallowed, she started cutting more manageable slices. “Are you the police?” She asked. “Because if you are, then I’m afraid I don’t know who kidnapped me, nor where I was.” She then had another bite. “Heck, I don’t even know where I am right now,” she added, trying not to disgust the woman too much.

“What do you know, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Aside from that ridiculous story about parallel dimensions and whatnot?” Adagio asked humorlessly. She then sighed and leaned back. “The last thing I remember is changing in the locker room after my cheerleader practice,” she said. “The very next moment I’m in a dark, cold room along with my sisters.” She eyed her half finished pancakes with a sad look. “What’s going to happen now?”

Celestia rested her chin on her hands thoughtfully. “We’re yet to figure that out,” she replied slowly, looking back at the girls in the living room. “But first, I think both you and me need the complete version.”

Adagio forced a half smile and returned to her food.

~~~~~~~~

Some time later, Sonata and Aria woke up and joined Adagio in a long embrace, then in breakfast. Sunset couldn’t help but notice how thin the three of them were. Their cheekbones were sharp and pronounced, their eyes were sunken, and their fingers were long and bony.

At least, the three of them hadn’t lost their appetite, and ate the impressive banquet Pinkie prepared for them: Pancakes with butter and maple syrup, fruit salad, french toast, scrambled eggs with ham, and carrot juice. Pinkie, too, looked a lot livelier after they finished eating.

Once breakfast was over, Sunset and the rest of the girls sat Principal Celestia, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata on the couch and explained everything they knew. They talked about Equestria and magic, about the sirens and how their magic worked -as far as they knew-, and about everything that had transpired the past weeks up to last afternoon, when Shimmer, AJ, and Rainbow had gone and rescued the sisters.

Silence befell the room the moment the last word was spoken. Not that Sunset could blame anyone, she was aware of how everything sounded, and she hoped they’d at least believe them.

Finally, Sonata, who was a stark contrast of her currently captive counterpart, sporting a thoughtful look in her eyes, spoke up.

“Can I talk to evil-me?”

Sunset blinked a few times. “You what?”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Adagio yelled, grabbing Sonata by the shoulders. “If what they said is true, she’s the one who did this to us!”

But Sonata just frowned back at her sister. “And she’s also me,” she replied simply. “I just want to talk.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Twilight said. “I mean, Sunset’s been talking to her, and so far nothing’s happened. But we don’t know how she’ll react when she sees you. What if she starts singing?”

Aria raised an eyebrow at that. “That sounds pretty stupid,” she muttered.

“Please,” Sonata said, turning to Sunset. “I just… I just want to talk to her.”

Sunset looked down and sighed.

“You’re not actually considering it, are you?” Adagio asked with an incredulous expression. “No matter,” she said before turning to Sonata again. “You’re not putting yourself in danger again!”

“I’m not! If magic-Sunset can talk to evil-me without problems, so can I!”

“She raises a good point,” Twilight said.

“No!” Adagio yelled as she tightened her grip on Sonata’s shoulders. “I’m still wrapping my head around all this siren business, but if there’s something I’m certain is that you will not put yourself in danger for no good reason!” Sonata opened her mouth to reply, but Adagio beat her to it. “And that’s final!”

Sonata looked away as Adagio turned her gaze towards Aria, who was trying her best to look like she wasn’t paying attention.

Sunset broke the awkward silence by clearing her throat. “Well, I suggest we get to the second topic, and the one I believe is more important right now.”

Adagio dropped Sonata, and felt her fingers a little stiff. Maybe she had used a little too much strength. She straightened up, rolling her shoulders, and looked at Sunset. The uncanny way this girl mirrored Shimmer still unnerved her quite a bit.

“We already explained what’s going on,” Sunset said, looking from the sisters to Celestia. “And I already told you this, so…” she turned to the girls again. “Girls, there’s no other way to say this, but as long as the other two sirens are roaming free, you three aren’t safe. We don’t know yet why they kidnapped you, or why they kept you alive, as morbid as that sounds…” she paused for a breath when the sisters’ eyes darkened. “I know it’s been really hard for you, and I know you just want to return to your old lives… But as much as I loathe to, I’ll have to ask you to bear with it for a while longer…”

While Sonata and Aria kept looking at empty space, Adagio looked up at her, and her gaze alone was enough to make Sunset’s heart feel like it was being pistoned against her chest.

“We’re doing what we can to bring the sirens down,” Sunset continued after a quick, shivery breath. “And until we do, you’ll be safer if you stay with Principal Celestia.”

Aria quickly joined Adagio to stare at Sunset with deep frowns and widened eyes. “What?” Adagio asked dumbfounded.

“We already talked to Celestia about this, but it is entirely your decision,” Sunset hurried to say. “She’s the only responsible person we trust to keep you safe while this is going on. Of course, you can decide to go back home, and we’ll respect your choice and give you advice… But we won’t be able to protect you…”

“Wait, hold the phone,” Aria said as she massaged the side of her forehead. “I appreciate not being kidnapped, really. But are you seriously saying we can’t move on just yet? No, not only that, but that we should go live with a woman we don’t even know?”

Sunset held her hands in front of her. “Listen, I know how it sounds, but-”

“You clearly don’t!” Aria interrupted her, raising her voice a bit more with each word. “You have no idea of what we just went through! We just want to go home, and you’re telling us not to?!”

“Of course not!” Sunset replied. She desperately looked at Celestia in hopes to find some kind of support, but the fidgety movements of the principal’s eyes told Sunset she still wasn’t convinced about the whole idea yet.

Fortunately, any further yelling was stopped when Shimmer casually walked up to Sunset’s side and looked at Aria.

“I get that you don’t trust these people,” she began. “I get even more that you don’t trust me. Heck, I’ve thought exactly the same thing you’re thinking right now. But you have to understand that this situation is very real, and very serious.” She briefly looked down at her hand. “But, once again, you’re the ones who decide. You can go take shelter in a stranger’s house that knows what’s going on and will be in constant communication with us, or...” she paused just enough to direct her eyes straight to Adagio’s. “Or, you can go home and wait for the sirens to come back for you again.”

Shimmer’s little speech helped cool off Aria, who slowly leaned back on her couch. Adagio, on the other hand, just stared at her with a deep frown, as if she expected her to continue. But Shimmer didn’t say another word, and instead just walked back to the dining room.

Right then, Sunset let out a long sigh. “Ok, how about this?” She asked the sisters while also looking at Celestia. “Stay here overnight, sleep on it. If tomorrow you still want to go home, no one will even try to convince you.”

Adagio made a face as she turned to her sisters. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other for a while, and for a moment, Sunset thought they were just stalling. “Are we safe here, though?” Aria finally asked. “That thing’s still in the other room.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty safe,” Sunset replied with a smile. “The room’s walls are completely soundproof, even the one-way mirror, and the door has a heavy security lock; it can’t be opened without a key, no matter how skilled one can be at lockpicking.”

Once more, the sisters looked at each other silently.

“Fine,” Adagio said after a few seconds. She eyed Shimmer for just a moment before looking back at Sunset. “We’ll stay today.”

Author's Note:

Sorry it took this long!

Please tell me your honest opinion so I can get better!

Comments

[JMP]

Pretty interesting how different the EqG counterparts to the sirens are. I was really surprised to see Celestia show up. She must trust those girls an insane amount to even consider going along with this.

[Seether00]

The best course of action is to murder the sirens