• Published 13th Dec 2021
  • 3,558 Views, 152 Comments

A Dazzling World - Spyder27



Adagio tries to find a way to be happy in this new world and ends up falling in love with her old enemy, Sunset Shimmer.

  • ...
8
 152
 3,558

Show Your True Colors

Author's Note:

The final hour has come for Adagio, giving her one final chance to fix her reality, but in what way? Time ticks down, closing in on her own happiness. The final choice comes ever closer, forcing this former siren to decide whether it's better to live life as a monster or something more. Her future hangs in the balance, but the real question? Will she make the right choice? Adagio Dazzle, former leader of the sirens, finally confronts all her fears, throwing caution to the wind. Now it's time to see if this siren will ever have that happy ending...

DISCLAIMER: This story does contain mentions of alcohol, slight violence, the feelings that life isn't worth it and/or suicidal thoughts, fire, profanity, mentions of a gun, suicidal thoughts and attempts, mentions of a snake, and small mentions to drugs and poison. Overall, this is supposed to be a romance fiction, but if these things are not to your liking, I would urge you to click off this story.

Author's notes are at the end of the chapter~

Chapter XVI: Show Your True Colors

Feeling the cold sheets over me, I can’t help but sigh quietly to myself. It’s always the worst kind of mornings when even your bed is cold, despite the full night of sleep you spent in it. Slowly, I flip over on my other side and breathe heavily as I wrap my arm around her, smiling to myself. The warm glow of sunlight pours into our room, basking her beautiful skin in a glowing hue as I pull myself closer to her, resting my head on her shoulder. Despite the time of day, a part of me never wants to leave this position. I never want to let her go in general. I can’t help but love this summer mist of mine, giving me a new reason to live each and every day.

The white room’s cool temperature and bright walls can’t help but amplify my own feelings about this situation we’re in. A small chuckle escapes my lips as I feel her arm wrap around me, her lips lowering onto my forehead. Her hand slowly raises to my head, gently scratching it and providing me a great deal of comfort instantly. “Huh, you’re awake early~” her warm voice says in the same kind tone she always uses. Both of her arms wrap around me tightly, sighing happily in our embrace.

“Well, I was cold. Why else would I be awake?” I tease with a wink, causing Sunset to giggle to herself. Rubbing my head, Sunset looks outside the window for a moment, yawning and stretching slightly.

“Cold, huh? Well, maybe getting dressed would help that predicament~” Sunset teases me as she gets out of our bed, a humorous look dawning on her.

“Do we really have to get out of bed?” I ask in an exasperated yawn, pulling the covers over me once more.

“Yes, we do~ We can’t just spend the day inside. We promised we would help Applejack with her harvest today,” Sunset explains as she points at the clock.

“Yeah, but that’s in two hours…”

“And you woke me up, so we’re going early, alligator~” In a moment, Sunset pulls the blanket off of me, smiling as she pulls out a pair of jeans from the dresser. “Besides, the quicker you comply, the quicker we can get home and cuddle some more~” A defeated sigh escapes my lips, catching the pants Sunset tosses to me with ease. Rubbing my eyes a bit more, I giggle slightly, standing up from the bed and pulling the jeans on.

“It’s not fair. You know I love that nickname.” Sunset laughs quietly at my response ruffling my hair in the process of pulling her shirt on.

“You love it because of me~ If it wasn’t for me, then you would hate it,” she taunts me, handing me a pair of socks. Even though it was a joke, her statement is true. There’s no way I’d love that nickname without her influence. It seems a lot of things I love or do regularly now are directly inspired by her, even if I don’t mean for it to be. I suppose that’s normal for people who love each other, right? Love…

Shaking my head, I look over to Sunset, who is pulling on her boots while I am barely done getting changed. Sunset, tying the laces to her boots, catches my stare and smiles at me nodding slightly. “Is something on your mind, Adagio?”

With a slight nod, I fully turn to Sunset, trying my best to keep my eyes locked with hers. For a moment, my mouth hesitates to form any of the words I want to say, my own mind not sure of the appropriate response. “Sunset?” I ask, mostly to make sure she’s listening. “I… I love you. So much.” My mouth is barely able to say the words as Sunset giggles, standing up from her seated position. Gently, she hugs me with her warm embrace, a smile appearing on my lips.

===============================================

Opening my eyes, I can feel my heart beat quickly to the image that was just before me, a big smile slowly dissipating from my face. A slow sigh escapes my lips, sitting up on my couch and looking around my apartment’s living room, realizing what the lovely image actually was. Once again, a stupid dream invades my mind, promising me a far better life than I deserve… Of course my heart still desires the warm smile that makes me melt every time I see it. I still want to be there… to be a part of her life. But I know I can’t…

Standing up, I wipe my eyes instinctively, making sure there aren’t any tears forming again. It seems that I’m crying most of the time now, wishing to talk with her one more time… Slowly, I lean over to pick up my boots, walking over to the dryer with a deep breath. Despite my urge to talk to her, I know I can’t… I already promised myself I would try my best to disappear from her life so that she can go on and have better days.

It… breaks my heart every time she tries to contact me. Every time Rainbow or Apple Bloom try to text me on her behalf, it would make me cry, knowing I can’t answer back. At this point, I had to block their numbers too... Every time she tries to knock on my door, I just have to pretend that I’m not home. I’ve already used more than half of my vacation days just to avoid seeing her some days… Nonetheless, every time it happens, my heart shatters into even smaller pieces, every fiber of my being wanting to open that damn door.

Sunset even tried leaving notes for me to read… I don’t know why she’s trying so damn hard. I’m just a siren. A siren who secludes herself to darkness so that this girl can have a better life. If I didn’t introduce myself to her life in the first place, everything would be better… Wouldn’t it? Every one of her friends would be happier… She would be happier. I may have provided momentary happiness, but Sunset could have gained that from any other friend. Honestly, I belong in darkness. It’s where I came from and it’s where I return. I just hope Sunset can give up this meaningless quest to talk to me… Just give me up…

Pulling on my shirt, I look towards the door and the mail slot implemented in it, a white envelope hanging out of it gently. Bringing my hand to my head, I sigh to myself, knowing it’s probably the rent again. It’s ironic that I receive this letter right as I’m about to go to work… It’s… I wouldn’t have to deal with this if I just took that shot on the beach. Or a few months ago…

Shaking my head gently, I walk over to the door, picking up the letter and feeling subsequently surprised by the quality of the envelope. It didn’t feel like one of those rough materials that bills would be wrapped in, rather it feels like pretty expensive packaging. “What the hell is this…?” I ask myself slowly, turning over the envelope and inspecting it carefully. Instantly, my eyes widen as I see the envelope has no return address, only a couple words written on the front of it… The words that are neatly written into the paper grab my attention, making me bite my lip. Why wouldn’t I…?

“Read this if you still care…” is the only thing written on the front of the letter, the writing delicately placed onto it as if it was a signature. My eyes inspect the writing instantly, trying to detect who wrote it, even if I knew deep down who sent this letter… Why do I have to do everything wrong…? Even when I am trying to eliminate me from her life, I still hurt her. I’m the bad guy, no matter what intentions I have. I’m the monster… Slowly, I bite my lip and turn around, leaning against the door and sliding down into a sitting position on the floor. As I hold the envelope, a part of me wonders if I should even open it. If I don’t, then Sunset can finally forget me… Completely…

Read this if you still care… Those words scar my mind almost instantly though… Of course I still care about Sunset Shimmer. She’s my whole world… She means everything to a broken siren like me, but she doesn’t need me to have a good life. She… She doesn’t need anyone. She’s so strong and independent, inspiring me every single day. Her confidence pushes me forward to follow her influence. How could anyone hate her…? I did at one point in time, but now all I want is for her to have a good life. She deserves everything in this world and more. I… just wish I could be the one worthy enough to give that to her…

Hesitantly, my hands turn the envelope around, gripping the seal slightly. The morally right thing to do is to throw this away, to let her go fully. I’ve already blocked her number and thrown away other notes she’s given me… Why is this time any different? I don’t have to prove that I care to her, especially since I’m trying to cut myself from her life…

I suppose… I still care. I still love her so much and I can’t help but feel worried, reading that one statement. I should be getting ready for work right now, but this sentence seems to stop me in my tracks, making me morbidly curious about the contents of the letter. Slowly, I peel the letter open, seeing multiple papers stuffed inside, making me feel guilty and sorrowful at the same time. She shouldn’t have gone to this much effort…

Taking the three papers out carefully, I see that they’re all in varying degrees of quality, one of them seemingly being a torn out piece of notebook paper. The second of the three papers had quite a few childish doodles on the margins of it’s writing, but the third… was a soft white piece of paper, written on with vibrant orange ink and professional cursive writing. Despite the other two pages having more messy writing styles, I could tell instantly that this one was written by her. I can’t help but drop the others onto the floor, focusing on this singular page with a sorrowful expression. Despite my urge to leave her alone, my desire to read what she’s put to paper for me overcomes me easily. I just hope she’s alright…

===================================================

Dear Adagio,

I hope you’re doing well? I don’t know how life is going for you, given I can’t seem to catch you at work or your place. I’m not sure what to say, honestly. Should I just talk from the heart and take it out on the paper? No, I don’t want to do that, especially since you probably have a good reason for doing this. Honestly, Adagio? I really miss you… I don’t really know what to think. Why did you stop talking to me…? You told me you would show up to meet my friends and… I guess I feel like I did something wrong? What did I do, Adagio? As much as I want to scream and cry, I know that would be the wrong thing to do. I just… I just want to know what happened. Why did you block my number? What happened between us, Adagio?

Ever since that day, you’ve ignored my attempts to contact you… You even desperately ignored Rainbow Dash at work. Apparently, you went out of your way to get out of there early so that you wouldn’t have to talk to her. You even blocked her number, right? Is this something I did? I don’t want to be the cause of your friendship ending… I know you two loved talking with each other and if I did something, I would much rather you stop talking to me than distance yourself from her as well. If I did something to upset you, I’m… I’m so sorry. I loved being your friend and I would hate to stop that, but I would also understand it if you want to cut me from your life.

Just… don’t punish Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash for my mistakes, alright? You promised Apple Bloom you wouldn’t abandon your friendship with her, but you’re not here anymore… What sucks the most? Both Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash said that they think they know what this may be about, but you made them promise not to tell me. What did I do…?

This is honestly eating me from the inside out, especially since all I wanted to do was to help you. But… you helped me in more ways than I could have ever done for you. You always pushed me forward, supporting each endeavor I went for and telling me I am worth it, despite my past. It felt like you were one of the only people who could actually understand me and those sleepovers we had were the best nights of my life. The time I spent with you were some of the best times in my life, Adagio… When we went out for coffee, I couldn’t help but smile at every story you described, telling me about your life and letting me share a bit of my own with you. I don’t even know if you enjoyed it as well at this point…

Or what about our adventure at the bowling alley? You really seemed to enjoy that day, but maybe it was just because Rainbow was there. Even our little chats made every single day of mine better than it could have been. Even when I took care of you… I know that you hated relying on me, but I loved being there for you and spending that time with you. I don’t know what I did, but I’m sorry, Adagio… You’re one of my best friends and I don’t want to lose you.

I know you don’t want to see me. You don’t want to talk to me and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t bother to read this, but… I just want to know what I did. I just want to know that you’re alright, so, could you meet me at the beach at noon…? I would love to talk with you just one more time. I feel like there are things we both need to say, but if you don’t show up, I will assume you don’t want to ever see me again… I won’t try to contact you anymore and I’ll disappear from your life, I promise… It breaks my heart to think that, but I will respect your wishes if you decide to stay away. I loved having you in my life and I will miss seeing your smile. Please… Please consider it, okay?

With love and worry,

Sunset Shimmer

===================================================

Slowly, I lay the paper down on the floor next to me, resting my face on my knees as tears slowly fall from my eyes. Every part of me screams at me to leave this room and find her… My hands clench up, grabbing my jeans and I can’t help but let myself stain them with tears, my cries finally being let out. Why did she have to send this letter…? Why did I even open it…? Even when I try to do the best for her, I just end up worrying her, making her life worse…

Not only did I worry her, I worried Rainbow and Apple Bloom too… I broke my promise… It just goes to show how evil I am. This is the monster I’m trying to keep contained. To keep away from them. But… they worry about me, sending me letters to tell me to stay safe. Sunset thinks she’s the one who did something wrong.

Crying a little harder into my knees, I wrap my arms around my legs, getting in a ball position quietly. You didn’t do anything wrong, Sunset… You never did. She should never have to feel like she is the problem. She should be able to move on with her life peacefully, knowing she’s been the best person she can be…

Maybe… Maybe I should explain that to her. Maybe it would make everything better if I explained myself. Then she won’t feel like she’s at fault…

Quickly wiping my eyes, I crawl over to the coffee table, grabbing my phone and flipping it open. My eyes widen easily, seeing the time already at 11:30. I’ve already missed work, but now, I don’t really care… The more important task at hand is that noon is only thirty minutes away… I can… I can tell her that she’s not at fault. Nothing more. Just as long as she knows she didn’t do anything wrong…

Standing up, I quickly grab the papers and put them on the coffee table before grabbing my boots. I know I shouldn’t go. I know that I belong here, not deserving to see her face one more time, but… the guilt in my mind for making her think it was her fault is too much for me to bear. Quickly tying the laces, I stand up, grabbing my coat and scarf before unlocking the front door and running out with a heave of my chest. Despite the icy sidewalks, I run as fast as I can down them, going past the stupid gate once more, not caring to close it behind me. The only care in my mind is making sure that I get to Sunset before it’s too late.

Running down the sidewalk and past Halo Bakery, a serious expression appears across my face, focusing on the easiest and fastest way to the beach that I know of. Darting past multiple people, I’m given weird looks more than I would like, but none of it matters. The only thing that matters right now is Sunset… In a way, running past the people and even jumping over boxes on the sidewalk reminds me of when I did that damned gator maze. It was enjoyable because I won for her… She doesn’t deserve to live through life, thinking that she’s the cause of my absence. She deserves a happy life…

Gritting my teeth, I turn down an alleyway, jumping over the same icy patch that made me hit my head a week ago. The mud of the dirt path slows me down slightly, but I still focus on getting there as fast as possible. I need to get there. I need to tell her that she’s not doing anything wrong. If anything, she’s perfect… Anyone would be lucky to have her. She should have a better friend, someone who won’t take advantage of her or selfishly fall in love with her. I’m sorry, Sunset. You’re not the one in the wrong.

==============================================

Running as fast as I can onto the sandy beach, I look at my surroundings quickly, but unfortunately, I don’t see Sunset. Holding onto my scarf, I run further down the beach, my eyes darting every which direction to look for her. “Sunset?” I call out, looking for her as quickly as I can. “Sunset? Are you here?” Despite my calls and looking behind each rock and hiding place, my efforts aren’t rewarded, Sunset nowhere to be seen.

A heavy sigh exits my lips, falling to my knees as I look out to the ocean, the waves making a wonderful sound. A sharp pain runs through my chest, realizing that I’m too late to meet her one more time… Even if I didn’t tell her my feelings, it would be nice to see her face again… My greed is controlling my actions, making me repeat the same mistakes. All I want for Sunset is to have a good life… She needs to know she isn’t doing anything wrong here, it’s all me. I’m the problem. I caused all of this to happen, that last December… I’m sorry, Sunset…

“Adagio…?” a familiar voice catches my attention, freezing my thoughts and catching me off guard. Instantly, my gaze turns to meet hers, not caring that a few tears were in my eyes already. Despite the conditions of this meeting, my heart still beats faster every time I lay my eyes on her, trying my best to smile at her.

“S-Sunset,” I weakly let out, turning my body to hers, still sitting on my knees as I looked up at her. Her fiery hair blows in the wind once more, her ocean eyes sharing a couple of her own tears as she sees me. The sound of the ocean fills the air for a few moments, our eyes never leaving our locked gaze, Sunset looking down at my kneeling figure.

“How… are you?” she weakly states, more of to see if it was the right time to talk or if more of the deathly quiet should pass between us. Her eyes share the same pain that I’ve felt a million times before, breaking my heart even more. You shouldn’t feel this pain…

“I’m… I’m fine,” I say slowly, averting my gaze from hers and trying to cover up the tears that threaten to fall from my eyes.

“I take it that you read my letter?” Sunset says quietly, a dejected tone inhabits her voice. With a slow nod, I finally bring my eyes back to hers, feeling every fiber of my being telling me to explain everything to her… She deserves to know…

“I… I did. I just… I do care, Sunset,” I weakly say, feeling the urge to break down increase even more. Sunset, a frown appearing on her face, looks away from me instantly, sniffing slightly to try and avoid her own tears.

“How can you say that…? You blocked my number, you won’t even respond to any way I tried to contact you…” Sunset, wiping her own eyes, crosses her arms and looks back at me, both anger and sadness portrayed inside her eyes. “I walked to your apartment countless times, Adagio. I tried everything I could to talk to you again, only getting the chance after writing that damn letter.”

“It’s not your fault,” I try to say through my choked breaths, looking down at the sand.

“Then what is it, Adagio? What caused all of this to happen?” Sunset asks with tears streaming down her face, her lips quivering slightly. “Why did you just disappear from my life? You’re a wonderful friend to me and suddenly, you’re gone. Was I just not good enough?”

Sunset’s statement stops when she sees my face flood with tears, fully resting my head on the sand and crying quietly. “That’s why, Sunset… That one word.” Fully shaking my head, I finally look her in the eyes once more, locking our gaze. “You will always be good enough, Sunset… Always. This is all my fault. Ever since I knocked on your door all that time ago.” A confused expression is shown on Sunset’s face, trying to discern what I mean.

“W-what do you-”

“Ever since I knocked on your d-door… I took in so much of our friendship, Sunset… I enjoyed it so much that I never wanted it to end. Your smile always makes my day better and I never expected to find such happiness in friendship,” I say quietly, looking back down at my hands slowly.

Sunset, taking a step closer, quietly says, “Our friendship meant a lot to me as-”

“B-but it didn’t stop there,” I interject, holding my hands together and closing my eyes. “I took so much, taking every enjoyable moment and holding it close to myself… It killed me every time we had to say goodbye, realizing just how much I loved spending time with you, Sunset…” Grabbing my jeans slightly, I can’t help but bite my lip, trying to stifle the cries coming from my mouth. “All those movie nights, the walk on this beach, going to the amusement park… A-all of it meant so much to me. It gave way to a whole new feeling even I didn’t know a siren could have… But before I could tell you my n-new experience, I heard your friends’ opinions on me that day…” My cries fall harder than before, hiding my face with my hands.

Feeling Sunset’s hand rub my shoulder, her voice gently whispers to me, “Adagio, I’m so sorry. They were wrong. Please don’t listen-”

“It’s not about them anymore,” I interrupt her again, crying even harder as I think about our whole friendship. “To be honest, I think I’ve even felt this way ever since I gave you that gift, wrapped in red and yellow checkers…”

A small sound of surprise and confusion comes from Sunset as she leans down to my level. “Wait, you gave me that present…? All that time ago?”

Giving her a small nod, I can’t bring my eyes to hers, trying everything to keep myself from crying more than I have to. “It took me so long to realize, but… Sunset, I…” Taking a deep breath, I choke down a sob and close my eyes again. “I love you… I’ve loved you for so long and you’ve always been there for me… You mean the world to me, but that doesn’t mean much from a broken siren. I-I’m so sorry… I took too much of our friendship and I greedily let myself fall for you, even when I know you deserve someone better than me. T-that’s why I’ve been gone… You need to find someone better than me and-”

Grabbing me, Sunset’s arms wrap around my body instantly, holding me close to her as I cry, feeling her own cries as well. Her hand rubs my head gently and her breathing quickens as she tries to hold back her own sobs, holding me as close as possible. “Adagio, I… I love you too… I’ve loved you for a while now… E-ever since our sleepover when I took care of you, I realized how much y-you mean to me. You’ve supported my dreams and you’ve always been there for me. I never wanted to stop talking to you and… I know that you always understand me. You’re not a monster… You’re Adagio Dazzle and I love you with all my heart, no matter what anyone else says.”

My heart beats so fast… What did she say? D-did she… actually say all that? Looking up from our embrace, our eyes lock quickly, reaffirming what I just heard… My long dead heart beats much faster than before, feeling much happier than I’ve ever been in my life prior. Sunset just said she loves me too… She just did… “R-really…?” I ask in a whisper, grabbing onto her with tears still streaming from my eyes. A slight giggle escapes Sunset’s lips as she nods, trying to stop her own tears by hugging me.

“I love you so much, Adagio,” she slowly says again, making my smile even wider before she gently plants her lips across my own. The solemn moment lasts much longer than it actually is, slowly pushing back with my own eyes shut. Despite us both trying to hold them back, tears still flow from our cheeks, a smile on both of our lips in the moment.

“I love you so much too, Sunset~”

Epilogue

The shop bell rings after the door is opened, the first time I dared enter this bakery. The heavenly smell of pastries filling the air as I hold hands with my summer mist, Sunset looking around the establishment with a smile. Sounds of other patrons fill our ears, but we pay it no mind. Looking to Sunset, I give her the best smile I can, only to be surprised with another kiss from her.

“So, this is your apology for ghosting me for so long~?” she teases me, rubbing my cheek slightly.

“Well, I’ve always wanted to try this place and I… was even thinking about taking you here for Valentine’s Day,” I say nervously, scratching my head as I look around the place once more. Even if the place has a bunch of angel decorations, it still had an enjoyable atmosphere, a light yellow being the primary color choice for the interior of the bakery.

“Aw, was this where you were going to confess at first?” Sunset giggles slightly, kissing my cheek and bringing a bright blush to me. “I love it~ Really, I do~ Thank you for bringing me here.” Sunset, nodding to me, lets go of my hand, making me confused for a moment. “I’ll find us a table, okay?” she states in a caring tone, winking at me slightly.

“Wait, what do you want to eat?” I ask nervously, looking to her for an answer.

“Just get me what you think I will like, Alligator~” With that, Sunset turns around and walks towards one of the window booths, leaving me alone as I walk to the counter. Pulling out my wallet, I look to the gentleman running the register and smile as best as I can. The elderly gentleman smiles back at me pulling on some gloves, ready to take my order instantly.

“Hello, Miss~ How may I help you?” he asks as kindly as he can, giving him a small nod in return.

“Yeah, um… I’d like one chocolate mousse please,” I state slowly, looking at their selection of pastries. Happily, he obliges, getting my order from the display case with ease.

“Is there anything else you would like?” he asks, looking at me with a gesture at the rest of the delicacies around us.

Slowly, a smile comes to my lips, my mind knowing exactly what I want. Gently putting the dollar bills on the counter, I look at the man and nod. “Yeah. I’d love to have one slice of cherry cheesecake~”

The End

for now~

Author’s notes:

Hello, everyone! Spyder here and I am so glad you made it this far in the story! As you can see, the story has come to a close, this arc finally ending. It was one hell of a ride for both the readers and the author (myself)~ I do plan to go back and edit all chapters one by one in the future. So, please assume that if you see typos. I hope everyone enjoyed the story up to this point and I would love to hear what everyone has to say about it in the comments! I’m always open to criticism and I love seeing your lovely opinions on my story!

This story, as stressful as it was to write at times, was so much fun for me and I feel sort of sad that it’s already come to a close. Maybe you all feel like that too, huh? But wait, Spyder! There’s a part that says, “for now~”, isn’t there? I’m glad you saw that~ That part is indeed a teaser~ See, Adagio Dazzle’s story with Sunset Shimmer is not over yet, everyone~ They will return in another adventure in this story’s sequel!~ I hope everyone is looking forward to A Shimmering Heartbreak~ I am actually going to write a different story after this one, but I assure you that the sequel will be here sooner or later~

As with everything, thank you to everyone for the support that I’ve received when writing this story and I hope I continue to see reactions from readers~ I’m so glad that everyone has loved it this far and I hope you all have a good day~

Sincerely,

Spyder27