Escalating Conditions
Chapter XVI: Escalating Circumstances
What does someone normally think about in their day-to-day life? Is it possibly how fortunate they are to have someone who cares about them? Or do they count the days until they can do something better with their life? Or nothing at all… My mind always seems to be filled with more serious and concerning thoughts… I can’t help it if every part of me is worried about the future… Every time I am about to lull myself to sleep, that evil chuckle reminds me just what happened today. Sunset fell asleep a long time ago, but even the sound of her heart can’t calm me down right now.
Turning my head away from my sleeping love, the bright red light of the hotel clock shows me that it is three in the morning. Everyone is asleep right now. Everyone except for me… All I’m left with is thoughts. My imagination runs wild on nights like this, especially after what happened with Applejack… The dark shadows in our room play tricks on my mind. Swirls on the wall can almost look like eyes at the right angles…
Turning my gaze back towards Sunset, the red light of the clock just barely lands on her face, giving me a view of half of her face. Her eyes are peacefully closed, rhythmically breathing every few seconds. In a way, I can’t help but wonder what kind of dreams she is having right now.
The sound of a piano makes me open my eyes once more. I didn’t even realize I had closed my eyes… Regardless, that piano is surprising… I didn’t think someone would play that instrument, especially at this time in the night. It’s faint enough that I don’t have to worry about Sunset waking up. However, the sound is still loud enough that I know I won’t be able to sleep until it stops. It’s almost a haunting sound due to how faint it is… Closing my eyes, I try my best to ignore it, resting my head on Sunset’s shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, I try to let my thoughts drift away. Even though that evil chuckle no longer rings inside my mind, the sound of a piano still makes it considerably difficult to focus on nothing. Is this the hotel’s idea of music to help you sleep? Some classical tunes aren't exactly the best music to lull a person to their somber rest. Every few seconds, a high note is played to accompany the more somber keys. It isn’t a bad piece at all, except for the fact that it is being played at three in the morning. Normally, I would admire the craft of whoever is playing the instrument.
Another deep breath exits my lungs. No matter how hard I try to focus on anything else, my mind always goes back to the music. The heart and soul of it all… Music is hard to create. You have to put a piece of yourself into it. Your feelings, your mind, your personality. Different parts of you make up the melody. Even if you play a piece written by someone else, it almost feels different than the original. That’s something admirable… To hear someone make themselves so vulnerable in the dead of the night. If they didn’t play in the middle of a hotel, then it could be something that I would lose myself in.
Letting go of Sunset, I sigh to myself, quietly getting out of bed. It’s clear that I can’t sleep. There’s nothing better to do. The best idea in my mind is to possibly go listen to this musician and then… maybe ask them to stop for the night. Maybe this little adventure will make me tired enough to fall asleep. Stretching my back, I briefly push the hair out of my face and brush it to look acceptable. Pulling on some jeans, I slip on my boots and jacket before walking towards the room door. I make sure to grab the key to the room so that I won’t have to wake Sunny up to let me back in. Looking back at Sunset one more time, I blow her a kiss even though she’s asleep.
Closing the door behind me, the music is louder in the hall than it was in the room. I guess that’s not necessarily a surprise, but the lights overhead surely are… For some reason, the staff turned the lights to a somber red color. Does this hotel have a “lights out” sort of policy? In every other hotel I’ve seen on this mortal Earth, they kept the lights on for individuals who might be leaving in the middle of the night. Or perhaps I still have a lot to learn about humans as a whole…
Slowly, I walk down the hallway, trying to pinpoint where exactly the sound is coming from. There are a lot of rooms, but I doubt it is coming from inside any of them. It sounds like it is coming from the lobby. Walking past a corner, I quietly make my way down the stairs. The stairs feel like they go on forever. I don’t remember the stairs being this long when I climbed up them earlier tonight… Perhaps it is because I was fatigued. Worn out after everything that happened yesterday. I wasn’t in control of my body for hours… Regardless, the stairs spiral downward, leading me to the sound of the piano.
Were the stairs in a spiral shape when we checked in…? God, how tired was I? I guess I forgot more than I thought… The carpet on the stairs is a shaggy red. A red that gets more dirty and torn the farther I go down. I…
Something doesn’t sit well in my stomach. The haunting music of the piano doesn’t help this rather unsettling atmosphere. Why in the hell would the hotel be so lousy with their maintenance? That is… if this is a hotel…
Finally making it to the bottom of the stairs, the main door of the hotel greets me, making every part of me freeze in place. Things aren’t right here… Clearly this isn’t an issue with my memory. The hotel wasn’t organized like this, so what could be going on? Is this a dream…? If it is, then why does everything feel so… real? The temperature of the hotel is cold. The texture of my hand feels much more real than the common plastic feeling everything seems to have in a dream. Hell, even the way I am thinking right now is a lot different than how I would think in a dream. Consciousness is usually a blurry haze of events, but here? I can focus on a single detail for as long as I want. Such as the stains on the windows in the door in front of me.
Scratches adorn the glass among some fingerprints. Some of the door is chipped away as if someone had tried to force it down. There are even some red stains on the bottom of the glass, making me raise my eyebrow even more. All of these details were not on the hotel’s front door. Every little addition makes me even more wary and nervous. Despite how I feel, the piano just keeps playing, ominously beckoning for me to open this damaged door. On the other side of the glass, the hotel lobby is the same as before, except I can see red carpets, crimson pillars and a piano in the center with pipes similar to an organ spreading out upward. There is a lot more light in the lobby than I remember there being… From here, it’s impossible to see who or what is playing the piano.
Taking a deep breath, I reach out towards the door, gently turning the door knob. Almost every part of me tells me to go back, but there is only one way through dreams usually. Or… if this is some form of an afterlife, I doubt things work as easily as walking back from where I came…
Opening the door, the sound of the piano reaches me more clearly than before. The notes create a beautiful symphony, despite the ominous atmosphere it cultivates. Walking down a red carpet, I immediately notice something that I couldn't see from the other side of the door. Instead of going up to the second floor, there is no ceiling above the lobby… Instead, a red and purple sky greets my eyes with a white crack going from one end of the sky to the other. The pipes from the piano circle out upward, adding to the mess. The room looks almost as if the ceiling had been blasted away, some pieces of concrete simply floating in mid air. Almost like a corrupted memory… Some objects seem blurry, as if they are fading in and out of reality despite the fact that they are only a few feet away from me. Other objects are as clear as day, such as a broken coffee table. It looks like it had been smashed by some fit of jealous anger, intentionally broken rather than through decay. Shards of glass litter the ground almost like snow.
Trying my best to avoid the glass, I walk towards the piano at an angle, looking for who is playing this symphony. I… What?
Every muscle in my body tenses up… My breathing becomes ragged. I can’t help but feel my nerves fire up upon seeing the piano fully.
It’s… her. There’s not a single doubt in my mind. Instead of being seen as some shadow, she is now in full color, my own face looking down at the keys. The red gem around her neck further solidifies that it is her, but… why is she wearing my outfit from the Battle of the Bands? I lost that outfit a long time ago. It does look good, but it has some awful memories associated with it. Such as losing my magic… Why would she wear it? Just to catch me off guard?
Her eyes finally look up from the keys, jumping as if she is surprised. This is the first genuine time I have ever seen her shocked or confused by seeing me… Every other time, she was expecting me. Like she had orchestrated the whole dream.
“What are you doing here?” she asks with a slight stutter towards the beginning, quickly composing herself. “You’re supposed to be out there,” she tells me with a strict tone, halting her performance instantly. She stands up from her seated position and looks at me intensely as if to make sure I am real.
“‘Out there’ being what exactly?” I ask her with an annoyed tone, feeling a little tired of this game she loves to play. She likes to confuse me, give me vague hints, anger me, and then leave me to my own devices. This is probably step 1…
“Out there! The world. Do you seriously not understand me at all?” she asks me angrily, walking towards me quickly. However, she stops herself about two meters in front of me, looking up at the sky with wide eyes. A peculiar look adorns her face, almost making her seem… scared. Why would such a human emotion appear on this demon’s face? “You’re not supposed to be here,” she tells me after she composes herself once more, stepping back.
“Again, what is ‘here’? It would be nice to have a simple answer every now and again.” Every fiber of my being wants to hurt her for what she did earlier, but I can’t hurt her in simple ways. No mere attack will do anything against something in my mind.
“Your mind, Adagio! You’re not supposed to be here! God, how stupid can you be?” Her whole demeanor is off… It’s different from normal. Her sentences seem frantic, almost worried. Instead of endlessly taunting and chuckling in my ear, here she is, looking like every plan of hers backfired on her, making her a cornered animal. Why is she acting so off? Is this another one of her mind games? Also, my mind…?
“Do you really expect me to believe that? You’ve done nothing but lie to me over and over again.” Taking a step toward her, she widens her eyes and holds her hand out.
“Adagio, don’t. I wouldn’t advise walking forward any more than you already have.” For some reason, her tone is that of caution, trying to warn me instead of bullying me like she usually does. Her finger points upwards at the white crack in the sky, shaking her head. “Unless you want to feel the most burning pain in your life, I wouldn’t suggest crossing the invisible line coming down from that.”
“Why in the hell are you warning me about that? Wouldn’t you WANT me to get hurt? That seems to be your goal after all,” I taunt her while rolling my eyes. Regardless, I heed her warning for now…
“Look, I know. I know more than you that our goals are opposing each other right now, but my goal was NEVER to hurt you!” Her voice lets out a similar tone of anger I’ve heard from her all too many times. “I have only ever tried to HELP you! And yes. I have lied, but you do remember when I told you the truth, right? So please listen for once in your life instead of being so stubborn!”
I have to admit it… Her new demeanor is confusing to me, but… it makes me want to listen to her. She sounds urgent, confused and lost. This is the most human I have ever seen her… Even though she’s the farthest thing from a human.
“Look, Adagio. This is your mind… The landscape changes every now and then, depending on how we feel, but the same core features remain. Why you’re here is something completely out of my control. Technically, one of us should be out there at all times.” She brings her hand to her face, seemingly trying to think when she should be giving me more answers.
“It sounds like you know a lot about what is going on here. If this is my mind, then why is there a large crack in the ‘sky’?” I ask her, using air quotes to question what is really above us.
“That is something I don’t know… It has been there for years. It was something I hoped that the magic would fix,” she tells me with a disappointed tone, shaking her head.
“The magic. Again, you focus on magic as if it is the only thing of value. Is that seriously your only goal? To make me embrace the magic again? God damn you.” Turning away from her I can’t help but sigh, finding this whole situation ridiculous. Was I really ever this self-centered?
“Magic is the only way to fix you! You’re a siren, Adagio! I have done nothing but try to help you get back to that,” she yells at me, not being able to reach me due to whatever barrier is between us. Every word she says only fuels my anger even more.
“You’re wrong. You’re so damn wrong,” I chuckle, shaking my head at her nonsense. “Magic isn’t the only way in life. Love, friendship. They can make life worth living too. You’re just an echo of a past and I seriously don’t know why you’re still here.” At this time, I would usually expect some sort of remark to explain why I’m wrong, but instead, nothing comes.
Cautiously, my eyes look back towards her, seeing the siren simply just looking up at the sky, sitting down on a red sofa. Despite how comfortable the seat looks, she doesn’t seem to be enjoying a second of it. Instead, a look of annoyance and possibly anguish is written over her face. Never before have I seen her completely out of ideas.
“What’s with you? You usually insult me right about now and proclaim what is good for me.”
“So what? You don’t ever listen to me, so I am forced to take matters into my own hands,” she tells me with exhaustion, still looking up at the sky. “You’re so unbelievably stupid, even though you used to be the smartest siren alive. I hate you so much,” she whispers with a sigh, her red gem glowing brighter than before.
“Hate me? You’re the one who has been turning my life upside down. You taunt me endlessly, tell me I’m worthless. Why should I listen to you?” Who does she think she is, having the right to criticize me for choosing friendship?
“Because you had so much potential, Adagio! You were so close to greatness! Instead, you threw it all away after you lost your magic because you lost hope. I think I reserve the right to tell you those things when you wasted your life. All I’ve tried to do is get you back on track, but no.” Sighing heavily, she lets her arm fall down to her side, shaking her head. “It doesn’t help that the giant crack up there has been there since the Battle of the Bands. Before that, everything was alright. I don’t even remember much before that.” She points her hand up at the white crack in the sky, seemingly frustrated with it. Looking at the crack, I can’t help but focus on her statement. That has been here ever since the Battle of the Bands? If this is my mind, then she’s implying there was a time when my mind didn’t have a crack. Why would that be here…?
“You said that was here ever since I lost my magic?” I ask her quietly, using a quieter tone than before. My eyes are trained on the white light emanating from the crack. It unceremoniously divides the beautifully ominous sky, making me feel small in comparison.
“Why? Want to tell me the ‘magic of friendship’ again?” she asks me with air quotes, still being a pain in my ass.
“Will you kindly stop the attitude? I’m trying to get a better understanding of what is happening here,” I tell her with an annoyed tone to my voice, sitting down on the floor. “You said you don’t remember much of what happened before the Battle of the Bands. What do you mean exactly?”
Taking a deep breath, she simply sits up and looks down at me, obviously confused to see me sitting on the floor. “I mean that I don’t remember much of what I was doing before. I remember your life. But I don’t remember being so distinctly different from you before that point.” Again, she gives me an odd look before standing up from her seated position. “What are you doing? Is this another useless thing you were taught like the good dog you are?” she asks me with a scowl, clearly confused. As much as I want to fire back with another insult, I contain the fire in my heart.
“Being different from me…? What did you do before that happened?” I ask her as I point towards the white crack in the sky. If I really want this nightmare to stop, then it is imperative to know my enemy. Though, it would feel nice to give her at least one solid punch to the jaw…
“What is your motive, Adagio? Why are you asking so many questions? You clearly won’t ever see things from my point of view, so why-”
“Answer the goddamn question.” My words instantly make her stop her sentence, a surprised expression on her face. For a moment, nothing happens except for the two of us staring into each other’s eyes. Her eyes are as red as this room, but this time, it seems like she has no plan to counteract me.
“What did I do?” she asks me with a chuckle after composing herself. “I took over in dangerous situations, made dreams, etcetera. Most of it was autopilot though… I had to put in a lot of effort to actually do my job after that fateful night.” Looking towards the sky, she simply laughs to herself. “But you never listen to me, even though I have tried to fix you.”
“Fixing me. Is that your job?” I ask her quietly, watching her every movement.
“Obviously… You’re supposed to be a powerful siren, Adagio. Magic is the only way to bring that potential back. As I’ve said all along, I have only had your best interests at heart.” Sighing to herself, she walks away from me, leaning against one of the pillars with her hand.
Why is she so… stuck? Stuck on one point of view? No matter how I have tried to talk with her in the past, she never listens to me. Rich coming from her. She doesn’t listen to me, so I don’t listen to her. Why is she so focused on magic as being the only good thing for me? She’s stuck in place. Or… time…
“You know, I tried to help before. I tried to get your magic back when the Battle of the Bands ended, but for some reason, I was locked in here,” she tells me with a harsh tone, almost hissing at whatever memory she’s bringing up. “That door appeared after you lost your magic. The one with all the scratches. That’s one of the only things that remains constant in your mind. That door that locked me in here, unable to see what was going on. Took a long time for that door to finally open. I beat on it for so long. Funnily enough, when the door finally let me see out there, I saw you were in the hospital. With your dear sweetheart by your side…”
Slowly looking towards the door, a thought hits my mind. An idea… The mere thought that it could be true scares me, but… everything seems to point to one conclusion. It can’t be… I’ve never even thought that something like… Could that happen…? In my whole lifetime, I have never heard of something like this happening… There’s… one way I could test this…
Standing up from my seated position seems to catch her attention, turning back towards me. “Leaving already? I thought you had so many questions to ask me,” she taunts me, my back turned to her.
“You said you would jump in at dangerous situations and make dreams.” Slowly picking up a handful of the broken glass, I look back towards her, taking a deep breath. I have to do this… To test my idea… “Constantly, you told me you’re doing what is best for me, yet you’re stuck on a singular viewpoint. You believe magic will save my life. Conveniently, I used to believe that as well.” Looking at the glass in my hand, I can’t help but chuckle, a part of me wondering if I’m insane for even thinking this. If I’m right, then… I think I just found out her big weakness. And exactly what she is to begin with…
“What are you doing, Adagio?” she asks me with a confused tone, looking at the glass as well. “Are you going to cut yourself just to try and prove some meaningless point? Real smart, Adagio.”
“In a way, yes,” I tell her with a smirk. “I am going to prove a point. Just something different than what you’re expecting.”
Throwing the glass above my head, I carefully look at the mirror image of me, her eyes following the glass. Her expression turns to shock, twitching her fingers at the sight. Despite the fact that there should be no way for me to be hurt in my mind, I think I know exactly what she will do… Without a moment of hesitation, the siren in front of me raises her arms above her head, instantly making my arms follow her movement. The glass falls on me, my arms protecting my head from the pieces. She looks at me with a confused and erratic face, staring at me as if I am crazy.
“Huh… Heh,” I chuckle to myself, smiling at this ordeal. My chuckle turns to a loud laugh, seemingly echoing around me. Why does this feel so good? God, I finally get it. Everything. Every single piece of the puzzle is here. Why did it take me so long? I know what she is. I… God, it’s so ironic.
“Why in the hell are you laughing?! Are you truly stupid? Why would you do that?” she yells at me, unaware she just proved my point.
“You were right. About everything. Except one thing…” Bringing my arms back down to my sides, I can’t help but chuckle a little more, feeling euphoric at this turn of events. “You were right that I wasted my potential. That I gave up on magic. You were even right that you’re a part of me. The one thing you were wrong about is that magic is the only thing in my life.” Walking closer towards the invisible wall under the white crack, I stare at her, shaking my head. “I have friendship. Love. Family. All of those things fill my life with some sort of meaning, but I don’t necessarily blame you for not believing me.” Reaching my hand out, I can’t help but find some sort of relief, finally knowing everything. My finger points towards her, my lips conforming to the shape of a smirk. “You’re a part of me. You’re… my subconscious.”
Her eyes look at me in a confused manner, as if she genuinely can’t help but question my sanity. “I have told you that I’m a part of you this whole time! What are you going on about?” It’s funny… She truly believes that she is doing what is right for me by trying to get me to pursue power. She believes that friendship isn’t worth a damn. Exactly what I used to believe… She’s evil because I used to be.
“You’re a siren stuck in time. You’re lost at a singular point. God, that explains why you’re so stubborn and why you won’t listen to a thing I say.” Everything about this situation is hard to believe, but it all makes sense. My mind is… broken. That’s why there is a white crack in the sky. That’s why she’s such a vindictive siren. Nothing has ever been the same since the Battle of the Bands. To believe that losing my magic did all of this.
“Lost? I’m still trying to put you back on the right path, Adagio. I’m not lost at all,” she tells me with her evil stare. This time it doesn’t seem to have an effect on me. I… don’t care. Maybe it is because of the magic itself that I got to have this experience. That I got to learn about all of this… “I won’t stop until you have your magic back and see how wrong you are. I-”
“And I’m not asking you to.”
Her lips stop moving as soon as she hears me say those few words, making her monologue pointless.
“Wait. What…?”
“We’re going to get my magic back. It’s the only plausible way to fix my mind and make you see my point of view.” Looking up at the sky, I can’t help but feel a sense of determination course through me. “But… we’re going to do it MY way. No more hurting anyone. We’ll get back the magic in the right way.” I shouldn’t expect her to take my deal, but her whole goal was to get my magic back to begin with. I am giving her the best deal here. My help. One goal. If we both strive for it, then… maybe the magic will fix my mind. Maybe it will end this nightmare. Maybe it will stop her from being so evil and instead see things from my point of view.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she asks with a hesitant tone, sounding a bit… impressed. “You actually want to get the magic back? I knew that siren was still-”
“I want it to fix my mind. To fix us. Not for a power fantasy. Understand?” Staring into her eyes, I make sure to keep myself composed. If there’s even a moment of weakness, she will take advantage of it. I know I would…
“So, we’re going towards the same goal, but for different reasons.” She takes a few moments to think, bringing her hand to her chin. It’s almost agonizing to wait for an answer from her. No matter how I see it, this is a risky maneuver… “Alright. We have a deal. But you still can’t tell anyone about this. Wouldn’t want to risk our whole idea, would you?”
“You have to let me tell someone. We can’t do this alone.” It’s true… We can’t. If getting the magic back is the only way to fix this whole situation, I can’t do it without at least one person’s help. She seems to think about it for a moment before finally nodding to my request.
“Fine… One person. You have to make sure they can help and that they can keep their mouth SHUT,” she tells me through a harsh whisper. Despite how she acts, I can tell I have her trust now.
“One more thing.” I tell her before turning towards the door. “I’ll need to know EVERY detail of your plan. We’re doing this my way…”
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Opening my eyes, I can’t help but feel surprised at what I see. And what I feel for that matter… Shockingly, I’m sitting in a hot tub, soaking in the warm water near the hotel pool. No one else is here. There’s no windows from this room, so I really can’t tell what time of day it is. Does anyone else know that I’m here…?
So, you decided to go to a hot tub and then space out? Great idea, an annoyed groan circles around in my head, making me roll my eyes.
“This wasn’t my idea to begin with. The last thing I remember is trying to sleep in the hotel room.” Standing up, I grab a towel and start drying myself off. The last thing I want to do is be caught talking to myself here. Due to what I just learned, that can be taken in the most literal sense… “Also, I’m surprised I can hear you in the first place. Usually you just take control of my body to actually say something.”
That wouldn’t be preferred since we’re working together now. At least, we have the same goal for the time being, she tells me with a sigh. Also, don’t get used to it. It takes a lot of effort to stay conscious when you’re in control. That’s something you surely know when I’ve done things. Regardless, I will take control again if you fuck something up.
“Then I won’t make any mistakes. Just trust in me a little,” I whisper a response before opening the door to the hotel pool, looking out into the hall. No matter what, I still hate hearing her voice, but now that I know what she is, it makes it a little more… tolerable. She may not like the reason I’m trying to get the magic back, but hopefully she’ll see it soon enough. Maybe she will see friendship for what it is. Just like how Sunset taught me.
Walking out into the hall, I try to remember my way back to the hotel room. Clearly, I left without my bag or any other personal belongings, so the key must be with Sunset. It’s the middle of the night, so she should still be in our room. I don’t feel good about waking her up though… I don’t even remember going out here to the hot tub, but now I have to go wake her up to let me back into our hotel room. I just hope-
SLAM! My body falls back. A surge of pain flows through my body, especially my head. The back of my skull feels like it is on fire… Everything is… blurry. Hard to… concentrate. Why am I hurting? What… happened? Anything but the pain is hard to feel… I… Think. Just stay conscious. Every nerve ending is ablaze, going haywire. Does it normally feel this bad when I hit my head…? Did I hit my head…? That’s the only thing that could… Fuck. I can’t think straight. Everything hurts. My neck. My head… It’s like everything feels dense. Crowded in. Makes me want to… black out. No. No. Just… god. Open your eyes. Come on. Fight the pain. Open your eyes. You’ve… done this… before.
“Adagio?” a raspy voice calls out my name very faintly. Something I can attach myself to. Even opening my eyes hurts. All my body wants to do is let the pain subside. What did I even hit…? Slowly forcing my eyes open, the blurry tan walls come into view. As well as a blue girl with multi-colored hair. Blinking a couple times, I take a deep breath and try to collect myself. I… forgot how much it hurts when I hit my head… “Adagio? Are you alright?” she asks me, confirming her identity in my mind. Opening my eyes again, I can’t help but groan slightly, looking up at Rainbow Dash.
“What… happened?” I ask her slowly, trying to get up to my feet. I didn’t realize I had fallen all the way to the floor. God. I didn’t even realize what hit me. Rainbow Dash takes my hand and pulls me up, holding me steady while I try to regain my stability.
“You kinda ran into me. Sorry about that… Are you alright? You seem really buzzed,” she tells me with a cautious stare, giving me the most emotional display I’ve seen from her since the party at my music studio. I can’t help but enjoy seeing her be emotional again instead of the monotone face and voice she’s used for the entirety of the past day and a half.
“Yeah. I’m fine… Just hurts a little.” Moving my hand to the back of my head, I try to remember if it has hurt this bad any other time I hit my head. Yeah. Yeah, it has… “What are you doing up?” I ask her, taking my mind off the pain for a moment.
“Um… It’s eight in the morning. I thought I would get breakfast,” she tells me, returning to her monotone state. It was… nice to see some emotion at least. Also, it’s morning?
“Oh. Sorry. I thought it was um… still dark out.” Shaking my head slightly, I try my best to get rid of the headache. “Is anyone else going to breakfast now?” I don’t even have to wait for her answer as I see a couple people exit the elevator that is shortly down the hall. Applejack walks towards us with Rarity draped around her arm, still clearly worried about Applejack from the day before.
“Heya, Adagio! Um… Why are ya in a bathing suit?” Applejack asks me with a confused look on her face. Looking down at myself, I quickly pick up my towel and give her a nod.
“I was just… using the hot tub for a minute. I have to change now,” I quickly reply, walking past all three of them. I don’t even know why I feel embarrassed. They have seen me with my bathing suit on. Deep down, I know the real reason I feel anxious seeing them is because it wasn’t long ago that I woke up from a dream. A dream with my subconscious… I finally know what she is, but it still makes this upcoming day stressful…
Quickly getting into the elevator, I push the button for the second floor. As soon as the doors close, I collapse my back against the wall of the elevator, letting out a deep breath. I am really unsure how the rest of this day is going to turn out… God, what am I even going to do? Just… relax. It’ll be fine. You just need to figure out how to get your magic back without upsetting anyone or hurting anyone. No pressure…
Exiting the elevator, I walk towards the hotel room, trying to take a deep breath. At least I don’t feel so bad about waking Sunset up now. It’s eight in the morning, so she should enjoy some breakfast. Besides, she’s been sleeping for a good few hours. A lot more rest than I feel like I’ve gotten at this point… Looking at the hotel room door, I knock on it rhythmically, making a small beat with my knuckles against the hard wood. If it is even wood… The door feels heavy enough that it could be metal for all I know.
A moment goes by with no answer before I finally hear the lock’s gears move. The light from the room is the first thing I see, making it easy to look at the person opening the door. A scruffy-haired Sunset looks at me with an eyebrow raised, her toothbrush in her mouth. All she’s wearing is a single tee shirt, extending halfway down her thighs.
“Answering the door with only a shirt on? How risky,” I tease her with a smirk, making Sunset chuckle quietly while she moves the brush in her mouth.
“What? I’m not indecent,” she tells me with a shake of her head, slightly muffled by the brush. Walking away from the door, she lets me into our room. The door closes behind us automatically, but I still make sure to lock it.
“We both know you’re not wearing anything under there,” I remind her with a roll of my eyes. Honestly, her attitude makes me feel a bit better than before, despite the overwhelming stress on my mind. A mischievous thought comes to my mind, seeing Sunset walk back towards the bathroom. I shouldn’t… I really shouldn’t. But how can I resist?
Walking inside the bathroom with her, I look into the mirror and make eye contact with Sunset. With one quick movement, I land my hand on Sunset’s behind, making an audible sound. Despite the fact I am feeling the fabric of the shirt, I can tell that my suspicions were correct.
“Naughty siren,” she tells me with a shake of her head before giving me a kiss on my cheek, clearly enjoying it despite her actions. As she spits into the sink, I notice she left some toothpaste on my cheek, making me move my hand up and wipe it off. “Besides. No one can see under my shirt unless they crawl under me. So I’m still technically decent,” Sunset tells me with a smirk. Before I can say a thing, Sunset wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close to her. She leans forward, forcing me to look up at her before placing one of her hands on my chest. With a small squeeze, Sunset places her lips on my own, bringing a heavy blush to my cheeks. The fact that she’s doing this while I’m in my swimsuit makes it even more… exciting. “An eye for an eye, Alligator,” she whispers with a smug look on her face, kissing me once more before letting me go. “Also, where did you go? I was wondering where you went,” Sunset asks me innocently, brushing her hair as she looks into the mirror. She almost acts like what she just did to me didn’t actually happen, making me blush a little more.
“Um… I went to the hot tub. To think for a bit.” Walking out of the bathroom, I quickly find my luggage, opening it to get a change of clothes. Considering we’re going to be driving a lot, I guess it shouldn’t matter whether I dress myself up that much. Maybe I’ll leave my hairband and jacket in the luggage… Eh, on second thought, I would still like to look good if we stop anywhere.
“To think, huh? What were you thinking about?” Sunset asks me from the other room, sounding interested in what I have to say. Pulling out a pair of jean shorts, I decide to go with purple tights, matching with the purple shirt I packed. The shirt has a diamond-like pattern, making it look really nice. At least, in my opinion.
Holding up the shirt, I try to imagine what it would look like with my black jacket. Her old jacket… The leather jacket I brought along on the trip used to be hers after all. It’s still one of the best gifts that Sunset has ever given me.
“To think about the future…”
“That sounds ominous. Are you feeling nervous?” she asks in a louder voice from the bathroom. Honestly, I probably shouldn’t have said it like that… Of course it sounds ominous. Mainly because the future itself is unpredictable.
“In a way,” I respond slowly, placing the shirt back down on the bed. Standing up, I quickly slip off my damp bikini, using the towel to dry my hair off some more.
“Wow,” Sunset states in a quieter tone, making me look back at her. Sunset, now outside of the bathroom, has her eyes glued to my ass, chuckling to herself. “You know, I was going to say we should go get something to eat before we leave the hotel, but now I’m thinking that I might not have to leave this room to get a snack~” Sunset licks her lips teasingly, giving me a wink before walking over to her own suitcase. I can’t help but shake my head at her statement, avoiding the urge to blush.
“I’m not exactly sure I would offer you the best energy for the road.” Hooking my bra straps together, I quickly slip on my shirt, looking over at Sunset. The tee shirt she just had on is now thrown back into her bag, the light shining down on her bare skin. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little distracted. She really is beautiful… I’m so lucky.
“Well, then I might just sleep on your shoulder~ How about that?” Sunset teases me some more, pulling out a black tank top. “Also, what do you think? Should I wear this today?”
“Since it’s hot outside, then I would say yes,” I respond to her with a nod, pulling on my tights before grabbing my jean shorts. “Then again, it would be hard for the sun to be hotter than you, now wouldn’t it?”
Sunset’s eyes widen in response to my question, her cheeks flushing a bright red tint. Her mouth opens quietly, yet nothing comes out to respond. Sunset stammers for a moment before pulling the shirt over her head. Honestly, it’s cute to see her so flustered that she can’t seem to whisper any words.
“I… Thank you, Alligator,” Sunset smiles, her tone making it a little ambiguous as to how she feels about my compliment.
“Are you alright…?” Nothing comes from her for a few moments, making my heart beat a little faster. Did I say something wrong…? Walking around to the other side of the bed, I place my hand on her shoulder, trying to get her attention. “Is something wrong…?”
“You’ve been… really affectionate to me on this trip. It feels really nice, but… I can’t help but wonder if it is just because you’re nervous or such. It sounds stupid, I know. But our minds can be irrational,” she tells me before pulling on a pair of jeans. It does make sense though… To be nervous that maybe all this attention isn’t because of love, but because of fear. Fear for the future drives me to shower her with all of my attention. The worst part is that she’s not completely wrong about that…
“I love you more than the world,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her stomach. “I will admit that I am… very nervous. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but if there’s one thing I know, Shimmer?” Kissing her cheek slowly, I rock her back and forth, trying to calm my own thoughts. “I know that I love you.”
Nothing comes from Sunset… At least for a bit. Instead, we just stand here and move back and forth in the dim light of our hotel room. I’m supposed to be the confident and cocky person, but here? I can’t help but melt in her presence. I just… want to hold her. Sunset’s hand slowly touches my own, humming her own slight tune.
“Alright, I believe you. Just promise me that you won’t lose yourself to everything that’s happening on this trip, alright?” Sunset playfully asks me, pulling my arms away from her. She turns around and drapes her arms on my shoulders, looking up into my eyes despite the fact that we’re around the same height.
“I promise.” With that, Sunset’s eyes brim with affection, her hand cupping my cheek gently. Pressing her lips against mine, we share one kiss in the middle of this room. We’re still not ready to get breakfast, but a part of me believes we won’t necessarily mind if we miss out on it. The last things I need are my jacket and my boots.
“How about you go ahead and go down there? I’m sure everyone else is probably getting some food.” Sunset grabs a pair of socks, pulling them onto her feet. “I need to make a quick phone call anyway. But I will be right behind you~” For a few seconds, I can’t help but wait for her until she insists for me to go with a wave of her hand.
“Alright. I will grab a couple waffles for you,” I tell her quietly, leaning down and kissing her forehead. Walking around to the other side of the bed, I slip on my boots and grab my jacket, throwing it on easily. Looking back at Sunset, I see her blow me a kiss, still getting herself ready. Giving her the best smile I can, I turn around and open the door to the hotel room.
As much as I don’t want to leave her, I know that if she wants to be left alone, I should respect that. Besides… Pinkie Pie will probably eat everything before we get down there if I wait up on my lover. Breakfast will be a nice time to try and… get my thoughts in order. About how this day will go and what I am going to do.
Walking down the hallway, I quickly enter the stairwell at the end of the hall. A loud echo emanates from the door shutting behind me. Everything seems cold and metallic in this stairwell, but that’s how it usually is with these kinds of stairs. They’re not supposed to be the main attraction. Many people take the elevator to get to their rooms anyway. These stairs are usually used by hotel management or as a fire escape. Personally, it would be easier to ride the elevator, but I guess I’m just looking for an excuse to use my feet a little more.
Opening the door to the first floor, I walk out into another carpeted hall that looks virtually the same to the one upstairs. Walking down the hall, I try my best to be optimistic about the hotel food. I heard it’s not the best, but some other people say it’s pretty good. I guess it depends on personal taste… I know Pinkie Pie will probably love every second of it…
Walking into the lobby, I can already smell some food from here. The lobby is right next to the dining area where breakfast is served. From here, I can see practically everyone is seated at a few different tables except for Rainbow Dash. Getting herself a drink, Dash doesn’t seem to have a plate with her. She either already got herself something to eat or she hasn’t decided what she wants yet… Making my way past the tables, I walk up to the section where the food is set out, standing beside Dash for a second.
“Haven’t decided what you want to eat?” I ask her quietly, looking at the food for something I’d possibly be interested in.
“Nope,” Dash simply replies, taking a sip of her water with a slight shrug. Her monotone voice tells me she is rather disinterested in the food they have available. However, her eyes don’t look away all the same. “I wouldn’t try the biscuits. They went to the doctor recently and they all have the same condition.” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but look over at her, wondering what she means. Rainbow Dash, being the same stubborn person she’s always been, refuses to elaborate. Instead, she returns my stare curiously, almost looking for an answer.
“What condition do they have…?” I slowly ask her, unsure of how to feel about this exchange. What’s with this new light in her eyes…?
“They’re all crummy,” she tells me with a smile, clearly laughing on the inside. Did she just… make a joke?
A small laugh escapes my lips, unable to hold back. Seeing her make a joke after so long is… nice. After nearly two weeks, she finally shows some semblance of emotion. How could I not laugh?
“I wasn’t expecting that, Dash,” I tell her quietly, feeling the urge to make some remark. It’s so easy to tease people, especially her. Although, I can’t bring myself to do that right now.
“Seriously though. Don’t eat the biscuits. They’re too dry. I know a sea creature like you would hate it,” she jokes again, making fun of my past as a siren. She takes another sip of her water, seemingly returning to her old mood.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what has got you in a good mood?” I gently pry, looking at Rainbow Dash with a skeptical look.
“What? Am I not allowed to be happy?” Dash asks me with a raised eyebrow, before refilling her cup with water. She has a knowing look on her face… She knows something is different with the way she’s acting.
“You’ve been acting off for nearly half a month now. So, I expected you to be all doom and gloom again today,” I tease her, lightly nudging her shoulder. A part of me is worried that I may have gone too far with that statement, but my worry is relieved when I see Rainbow Dash chuckle slightly.
“Let’s just say that I got some good news after a long time.” With that, Dash drinks the rest of her glass before putting it down on a tray, carrying it with her to get some food. Grabbing my own tray and a couple of plates, I follow behind Rainbow Dash. I grab a couple pieces of bacon and scoop up some scrambled eggs. Dash gets some pancakes for herself, avoiding the cereal options they have. “Don’t get the cereal. It almost always tastes stale and old at hotels,” Dash tells me, trying to ward me away from that section.
“What kind of good news did you get?” I finally ask her, still following behind her slowly. Rainbow Dash stops moving, looking down at the basket of fruits in front of her. To anyone else, it might seem like she’s just inspecting the fruit, but to me? It’s clear she’s thinking about how she will answer that question.
“Well, my mom is looking better. That’s all,” Dash tells me quietly, picking up an apple and looking at it carefully. “She… had a heart attack. A while ago. Then due to complications, doctors believe she may have more. But she seems to be doing a lot better than before. It’s funny because she was the one who pushed for me to go on this trip with you girls, even though I didn’t want to leave her.” Her mom… So, that’s why Dash has been really down lately… I can’t help but hope this happiness she’s feeling isn’t just momentary. “So, on one side, I had a friend in need, wanting to apologize to people she used to know. On the other side, I had an ill mom. Pretty tough choice. But since my mom hates people worrying about her, you know what happened.” Dash shrugs slightly, taking a bite out of the apple before placing it on her plate, walking forward. I… I hope she’s not blaming me for being away from her mom.
“Dash. You know that I wouldn’t force you to choose me over your mom, right?” I may act like I’m more important than others, but that’s an act. An ego. I wouldn’t actually force her to do that.
“Relax, Dagi. I’m glad I’m here,” Rainbow Dash tells me with one of the first genuine smiles I’ve seen from her in the last couple of weeks. “Besides. We’ll be able to see some of the sights along the way. My mom has always wanted to visit Chicago, so I figure we can stop there along the way and get her something. I hear it’s like a maze to get through.” Rainbow Dash chuckles slightly, nudging me with her elbow. “However, you’re already a master of mazes, huh?” Dash chuckles a little more, her statement only making me shake my head. Without saying bye, Dash skips the dessert section and walks towards the tables, giving me a small wave without looking back at me. Even though she’s not back to her full self, I still find it enjoyable to see Dash finally joke again.
Taking my eyes off of Dash, I briefly look at the section of desserts they have available. Mostly everything they offer are small treats like ice cream. They’re the more vanilla treats out there, possibly because the hotel is trying to appeal to the largest demographic out there. There’s nothing with real taste. No dessert that has some sort of class to it. Instead, there are just a bunch of desserts children would like. Are adults really this tired on road trips that they would resort to…
Resort to…
Is that…? Are my eyes deceiving me…? I can’t help but feel my mouth salivate at the sight. Walking closer, I glue my eyes to the dessert to make sure it’s real. It sure seems real… Never did I think that… They’re not offered everywhere, so I didn’t think a hotel would have this out here, especially during breakfast. The red glaze on top of the creamy layer… Barely licking my lips, I grab the plate the dessert is on, taking a deep breath in. You could take away everything else and I would be happy just eating this. Maybe it’s just my bias, but this is… the best food in this mortal realm. In any realm. I mean, of course it depends on who makes it, but in general? It is truly what I believe heaven would taste like… Now I feel a little bad for thinking such mediocre things about this hotel. I jumped the gun and assumed they had no drive or motivation to offer a greater selection of finer tastes. Taking another deep breath, I can’t help but smile.
It’s been a while since I have had a slice of cherry cheesecake~
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Guessing that phone call will be important?
11606341
Possibly~
I myself have begun to admire music like that, but is something I'd not want to use to help myself fall asleep. Mainly because of how loud it can often be and since there is other music I listen to that does help me fall asleep.
Odd?
I still feel like she's lying.
A sign of how far she's come because of those 2 important things.
https://m.Lol.
Why would there be dessert when breakfast is being served?