Who is Adagio?
Chapter XIX: Who is Adagio?
“It’s her!” Holding up the newspaper, everyone looks at the picture with curious eyes. A look of recognition dawns on all of them except Twilight. I can’t care less about the other people in the store. The only thing that matters right now is the ad in the paper.
“You’re right! That is her! I recognize that face and those bangs from anywhere. Though, I always thought she would look better with a different hairdo,” Rarity mentions with a thoughtful look, clearly focusing on how she could help Sonata look better.
“Rares, I hardly think it is the appropriate time to talk about hair,” Applejack reminds her with an annoyed expression.
“Yes, yes. You’re right, Darling. At least we have a lead now.” Before Rarity can look closer at the ad, Pinkie Pie takes it from my hand.
“Ooh! It’s a Mexican food ad! I love tacos~” Pinkie Pie mentions, clearly distracted by the contents of the paper rather than the picture of Sonata. Rarity looks at Applejack with an amused face.
“And you thought I was getting off point,” she tells the cowgirl with a chuckle.
“Let me see that,” Dash tells Pinkie before grabbing the paper, looking down at the letters of the ad. Everyone gathers around Dash’s shoulders to look down at the paper.
“There’s a phone number at the bottom,” Sunset mentions happily, reaching over Dash’s shoulder to point at the number.
“Alright. AJ. Get your phone ready,” Dash tells her in a commanding tone of voice. Applejack rolls her eyes before pulling her phone out, turning it on. Dash lists off the numbers so quickly that it seems to confuse a few of the girls. Only Applejack, Twilight and I seem to understand every number she said. Applejack dials the number, putting the phone on speaker. The dial tone leaves me in suspense every time it rings, wishing for the phone to pick up.
“Thanks for calling Seashell Empire!” a robotic voice exclaims in the same bland customer service voice that is used everywhere. I had to use that voice for a while when I worked in the nightclub… Faulty positivity. “If you would like to make an order, press one. If you need to talk to a representative or get some support, press t-” before the robotic voice can finish, I quickly tap the number two on Applejack’s phone. Sunset pats my back gently to try and reassure me, but the gesture doesn’t work. I just need this to work…
“This is customer service, how can I help you today?” a bored woman answers the call, sounding as if she has better things to do.
“Hiya there. We were just calling to get some information about a girl in your promotional advertising,” Applejack answers in a professional tone, using some words I didn’t expect to hear her say. If anything, I thought she would just say ad instead of advertising.
“Ma’am, there are a lot of people used in our advertising. You will have to be more specific.” Again, the woman’s tone grinds on my gears, the hairs on my neck stand on end as I can feel my subconscious urging me onward. Applejack just holds her hand out to me, seemingly picking up my anger.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m specifically referring to a girl used in one of the recent newspapers. Her name is Sonata…” Applejack’s voice trails off, her eyes looking up to the ceiling.
“Dusk,” I quickly tell her, reminding her of the last name.
“That’s right. Her name is Sonata Dusk, ma’am. She is on the advertisement in this here paper and she is- well, was a friend of ours. By any chance, could we know if she is still an employee?” Applejack smiles as she asks the question. However, her smile begins to fade as the silence fills the air. The woman on the other end lets seconds pass by without answering the question. Even the farm girl seems a little annoyed now, raising her eyebrow. Before Applejack can say anything else, the woman on the other end clears her throat.
“Miss, Sonata Dusk is the owner of this chain.”
…
wait…
She… She’s the owner? Sonata owns a food chain? How? Ever since we began this trip, I’ve been worried that the two of them are not doing much better than I was before I accepted friendship. Yet here she is. Flourishing. I… I feel so proud of her. I’m so thankful she’s doing better, but at the same time, it makes me feel bad about all of this. What if she finally moved on from Aria and me? And I just reopen it by stepping into her clearly successful life, asking for forgiveness.
“Then could ya get us her number? We’ve been wanting to reconnect with her and all,” Applejack tells the woman. My knees feel shaky… I feel so doubtful about this. Is it really too late to back out? I…
“I could try to get you the number of a regional manager, but I can’t promise that will lead anywhere. It’s not exactly easy to get a message to the top,” she tells Applejack, barely being heard. I… I feel so dizzy. I can’t stop breathing quickly. Every breath I take in doesn’t do anything to actually refresh me. My legs are so shaky.
Taking a step away from the girls, I can only really hear the sound of my heartbeat. The thumping in my ear… Why? I… It’s too late. I’m going to hurt her again. She finally got her fucking life on track without me in it. Why did I even go on this trip? I’m just going to reopen the wound again… I… I’m so selfish. I. I. I… Why can’t I think? I… Why do the walls feel like they’re closing in? I can only hear my breathing and my heart. My throat feels tight… They’re clearly talking, b-but… I can’t hear. I can’t focus. I can’t breathe…
Taking a deep breath, I stand straight, opening my eyes. You really gave yourself a scare… You literally gave yourself a panic attack over the thought of hurting your friend again. Because of your damned hyperventilating, I can’t think straight. Great job, Adagio… Really.
“Adagio? Are you alright?” Sunset’s voice calls out to me. Her sickeningly sweet tone makes me feel sick. Of course, I should expect the lover of Adagio to notice something is wrong. It feels wrong for me to even call her Adagio. She focuses on the wrong things. I’m what Adagio should be. If anything, she’s ruining things for us…
“Yeah, I’m alright, Sunny,” I whisper without looking back at her. The nickname rolls off my tongue easily enough. In no way do I like it… Adagio asks me to trust her, yet she is still doing everything in her power to bury what Dazzle is supposed to be. For now? I have to play along with the game.
Turning back to the others, I see Applejack is typing in something on her phone. Everyone’s stare is eagerly glued to what Applejack is doing. Everyone except for Sunset. Her eyes look at me in favor as if she knows me. She likes to think she knows what Adagio is supposed to be. A sweetheart. A friend. It makes me feel sick that I have to return the same loving stare. I’m only doing this so we can get our magic back, alright? I have no idea if you’re even listening to me… I just know that once we get our magic back, you’ll be back to your old self. You’ll do what you need to.
Applejack’s phone rings. So, that’s what Adagio was meaning by an annoying tone that just… sends me up a wall. How Adagio has self control in instances like these, I will never understand. We’re so fucking close to her. Of course, your goal is to apologize to her, but the main reason we should see her again is because she’s one of the last sirens. Maybe that will give you the push you need.
An annoying voice answers the call, asking what we need. Of course, they try to be courteous and kind which is so… dreadfully boring. Applejack asks them for the number of Sonata. Predictably, they say they can’t do that. Why did we even think this would work? In this world of rules and restraints, it is hardly easy to find someone through phone calls. What we need is an actual fucking clue…
“Just hang up the phone already,” I tell the cowgirl, trying to not hiss at her. I agreed to work with you, but it doesn’t mean I have to enjoy your “friends”. Grabbing the newspaper from Rainbow’s hand, I take a deep breath before looking at the advertisement. Predictably, there is no more information than the number and the name of the chain. They have to have a base of operations somewhere.
“I realize that, but she’s a previous friend of ours and we’re just tryna get back in touch,” Applejack talks into the phone, ignoring my advice.
“I told you to hang up,” I tell her again, pulling out my own device. It’s so trivial that this world is so dependent on technology. All it takes is one good threat to the devices that run this world and your castle of cards will fall over. It is pathetic. Someone really should have thought of a backup plan.
Typing the name of the store into my phone, I look up where the food chain is located. Here I am doing all of the hard work. You really should thank me, “Adagio”. I’m just trying to get you back to your old personality.
“They have a general location for all company matters in Las Vegas. We can go there.” Looking back at the girls, I see Applejack is still on the phone. Everyone else has turned to look at me. Applejack is so… stubborn. Once a useless organism, always a useless organism…
“We’re going to Las Vegas?” Pinkie Pie asks with wide eyes. Her high pitched voice makes me grind my teeth together. I can already feel her coming back to her senses… Quickly looking in my bag, I grab the singular pen Adagio keeps on her. Writing down Las Vegas next to the ad, I can’t help but sigh. It won’t be long till she asks for control again.
“Yes. We are. Now let’s go. I’m tired of waiting.”
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The city is overwhelmingly full of people. There are so many sounds accompanying the lively sights of the city. Everywhere you look, there’s an ad for something. Rarity told us she had been here before, but I wasn’t expecting this. I can never understand how people live here. Even though some of the others want to go look at the sights, I have one main goal being here. When I regained consciousness, I saw the words “Las Vegas” on the ad next to Sonata’s face. Without explaining anymore, she successfully told me where I needed to go to find the next piece. The base of operations for Sonata’s food chain is located somewhere in this city. Going there as fast as we can is the most important thing right now.
“Alright, gals. Vegas is certainly an experience, but we need to remember that we’re here for Adagio first of all,” Rarity tells everyone with a big smile. “That means we have to put off everything else for now. We’ll probably see the sights afterward. So, um… Buck up, ladies,” Rarity tells us with a slightly flustered face, using a phrase that only Applejack would say on a regular basis.
“I’m sure some of you can go sightseeing. I won’t need everyone. Just a couple of people.” Reaching my hand over the table, I grab Sunset’s and look into her eyes. With a single smile, Sunset reassures me she isn’t going anywhere. For a moment, her eyes widen slightly with confusion, but that look fades away as soon as it appears. What would have made her confused exactly?
“Well, I’ll stick by you. I’m literally so fast that I can move circles around this city without anyone noticing. So, I can take pictures of the city pretty easily after we do this.” Dash flashes one of her cocky smiles, seemingly sure of herself and her abilities. Fluttershy simply shrugs her shoulders, used to Dash’s optimism.
“And I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem if I tag with you?” Rarity mentions with a careful tone, examining my reaction. It doesn’t take long for me to give her a small nod, confirming she can come with us.
“Ooh, then I can get something to eat while you girls are sorting that out!” Pinkie Pie exclaims as if she has been starving. “I’m so hungry!”
“How are you hungry exactly? You ate just two hours ago. By all means, you should be full,” Twilight states with a very confused face, looking at our pink friend in disbelief. I can almost swear I see Twilight’s eyebrow twitch from confusion, looking like she’s legitimately trying to understand the enigma that is our friend.
“That’s Pinkie Pie for you,” Fluttershy giggles while raising her soft yellow hand up to Pinkie as if she is demonstrating something. Pinkie Pie looks bewildered at all this attention, looking back and forth at Twilight and Fluttershy.
“Hey, what is that supposed to mean?” Pinkie asks with genuine curiosity. Fluttershy simply nudges her shoulder with another giggle, trying to reassure her.
“Nothing but good things, Pinkie~” Before Fluttershy can say anything else, the door separating the cabin and the front seats opens. Applejack is still driving the large vehicle, but she tilts her head to try and talk to us.
“Y’all, we’re almost there. I’m gonna have to drop you off before I find somewhere to park. Whoever is going inside, I’d suggest ya get ready,” she tells everyone without taking her eyes off the road. Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but try to mentally prepare myself for this.
This shouldn’t be too difficult. Just go in and get a phone number. Easy. I know that… But still. They will probably be hesitant to give anyone the phone number of the-
“Adagio?” Sunset asks me, making me turn my gaze to her. Her eyes are wide and her expression tells me she is legitimately worried about something. About what, I can’t figure out. “What was that…?” Sunset asks me quietly, her hand reaching up to her necklace.
Ah. Forgot she was using that again. Again, Sunset’s eyes widen upon that siren’s words. Can she hear her…? If I remember correctly, that necklace lets her see the memories of people as well as hear their thoughts.
“There it is again,” Sunset tells me with a worried tone in her voice, trying to not draw attention from everyone else. Using both of her hands to grab mine, she desperately looks into my eyes for some sort of answer. “Adagio, what is going on?”
“Can you hear it?” I ask her quietly, gauging her reaction carefully. Her eyes look more confused when I say that, telling me exactly what I needed to know. If she can’t hear it, then what is she sensing that is alerting her of my subconscious?
“Hear it…? What do you…? No, I just saw something.” Looking down at my hand briefly, Sunset sighs quietly to herself. “Whenever I touch you, I see happy memories between the two of us. I see your accomplishments and what you hold dear. But… twice now, those memories changed. They changed to memories of accomplishment from Equestria and when you used your power over others. They changed to… memories of hate. Specifically regarding me. What is going on in your head, Adagio?”
She sees memories…? I… Oh… Every time I’m in control, she sees my memories with her. But when my subconscious is in control, she sees the memories I had from before the Battle of the Bands. I guess I should have expected that. My mind is shattered from that, so obviously my subconscious holds different memories in high regard.
“Those two times you saw that… That was when she was talking in my head.” Bringing my hand up to point at my head, I try my best to avoid the attention of the girls, telling Sunset quietly.
Great. She can sense both of us. That is just… perfect. Sunset’s eyes widen again, seemingly hurt by some of the things she sees. Maybe it’s morbid, but a small part of me wonders what memories she is seeing.
“She talks to you this often?” Sunset asks me with concern, her hand not letting go of my own. If it is like this when my subconscious is only talking to me, I really hope she doesn’t touch me when my subconscious is in control.
“Not usually. She’s mainly complaining as usual.” Bringing my hand to Sunset’s shoulder, I give her a smile, trying my best to make light of the situation. “Don’t worry. Nothing she says is changing my mind about any of this. Especially how I feel about you.” Sunset brings her hand to my cheek, seemingly searching my eyes for any reason to doubt what I say. Her look of worry and sadness fades away slowly, making me feel a little happier. She cares about me so much that she makes sure there’s nothing she can help me with. I know that if I was even the least bit sad, Sunset would climb the tallest mountain to help me feel better.
“Alright. But we should talk about what she’s saying later. I don’t want it to take a toll on your mind.” Sunset gently leans in, kissing my cheek. Within seconds, her kiss reaches my brain, making me relax like nothing else could.
The RV begins to slow down, alerting us we’re at our destination. Rainbow Dash stands up and stretches before anyone else has a chance to move. Rarity is the last person to stand up from her seat, trying to be careful as the RV stops. Rarity quickly walks ahead of us to the driver’s seat, wrapping her arms around Applejack. I can hear some sort of talking, but it is barely audible from the back. Dash yawns before leading the way out of the vehicle, leaving Rarity to follow us.
Looking up at the building, I can’t help but feel immensely impressed. Sonata owns all of this… She made this company. All while I wasn’t in her life. If this is how well she can do without me to meddle with her success, maybe… maybe it isn’t a good idea to reintroduce myself. I know what Sunset would say to that thought. She would tell me that I’m overthinking it and she is sure Sonata would appreciate my apology. But can I help it if I look at this building and feel like Sonata is fine where she is? She’s certainly done more than I have, yet here I am, expecting to be let back in her life with no hesitation simply because I want to say sorry. As much as I try to think positively about it, I have to be honest with myself. Opening that wound again isn’t the best idea.
Yet… Sunset’s hand holds tightly onto mine. If I even tried to turn back now, everyone would end up talking me into it anyway. Rainbow Dash looks back at me with a smile, seemingly not worried at all about how this might turn out.
“So, Dagi? Are you ready to try and find your friend again?” Dash asks me with a confident smirk. Her hand gently rests on my shoulder while Sunset’s eyes focus on me, a kind and reassuring smile on her face. I can feel my heart start to beat faster again, the thought of being a burden on Sonata’s life overwhelming my mind. Even though I can’t run away, it’s impossible to force myself to step forward… I’d like to say I’m ready, but the truth is that I’m scared… Scared of what will happen to Sonata when she sees me again.
The light around me starts to dwindle again… No. I can’t do this again. I need to breathe and… Focus. Except… The lights aren’t returning, no matter how hard I try to calm myself. My legs aren’t shaking. I’m relatively still, but it’s almost as dark as night time. No… This isn’t like what happened at the gas station. This is different. Familiar…
A light chuckle echoes through my ear. Color begins to drain from reality as a dark figure walks out from behind Sunset. Once again, she appears like a shadow this time, the gem around her neck glowing as bright red as her eyes. Why is she appearing like this? I thought she was content just speaking in my mind this time around. Her eyes don’t look at me, only letting me see her from a side view. The chuckle gets louder, wrapping around my mind.
“Don’t worry, Adagio. I’m not here to take control or do something bad,” she reassures me, her tone making it hard to believe her. “I’m simply here to give you a little push in the right direction.” Walking behind Dash, her fingers grip my friend’s shoulders, laughing as if this is all comical to her. “Here your friends are, Adagio. They’re trying to support you, yet you still want to run away. Hide from the reality of your situation.” Her eye peeks out from behind Dash’s head, her dark hair briefly resting in front of her face. The crown on her head shines, despite the lack of color.
“Will you let go of her and tell me what you want?” I ask her in an annoyed tone, shaking my head. Her laugh grows louder before her shadow quickly disappears behind Rarity.
“Why are you letting your doubts get a hold on you again? Is it because… you’re afraid?” Her laugh changes tone to reflect the inability to take this situation seriously. It sounds like she’s disgusted with me. “You’re standing there, unable to move simply because you’re afraid you’ll hurt poor Sonata again.” Her words talk down to me as if I am lesser than her. They don’t have much of an effect on me anymore though… “For the love of… Will you shape up? Of course it is going to hurt her for a moment or two. That’s how life goes, Adagio.” Her hand wraps around Rarity’s throat, coming out from hiding to face her. The siren’s glowing red eyes look intensely at Rarity’s face, chuckling to herself. “‘Oh, darling! I’m sure she will be delighted to see you after all this time!’” she mimics my friend with a surprisingly accurate voice. “Who cares if she is angry or sad with you, Adagio? This was YOUR idea, wasn’t it? You wanted to apologize to ‘improve’, but now you want to take the coward’s way out? Run away to a life back in Canterlot City?”
“Will you stop messing with my friends and just go away?” Sighing to myself, I try my best to ignore her. Though, it’s a little hard to do that when she has full control when this vision begins and ends.
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll hurt them?” she laughs with a menacing tone, bringing her finger to Rarity’s lip. “Though, I have to admit it… This one isn’t half bad. I’m actually impressed with how much effort she puts into her appearance. Just the right amount of vanity to be a siren.” The siren looks at me out of the corner of her eye before gently biting Rarity’s bottom lip. For some reason, the chuckle doesn’t stop infecting my mind. “She is the best out of the trinity of friends you have here.”
“Stop it! Just stop already. God…” Shaking my head, I take a deep breath, wishing she would fuck off already.
“There we go. Your insecurity is gone. It is replaced with annoyance for me, but still.” Letting go of Rarity, she leans in towards me, giving me a smirk. “Now. Are you ready to stop being scared? Can you stop second guessing yourself for five minutes? Or are you still going to be a coward and wait? Sonata is waiting after all.”
“I’m ready, alright?” I tell her with a deep breath, opening my eyes. The light in the world returns to me within a second. Colors overwhelm me before I see my three friends looking at me as if I am wearing trash. Rainbow Dash shrugs and pats my shoulder, turning away from me.
“I was just asking, but alright,” Dash responds with confusion, walking a few steps ahead of me. Rarity follows behind Dash, but Sunset stays by my side. Her eyes look at me with a mix of terror and confusion, determined to look for some answer in my eyes. She never lets go of my hand, almost like she’s afraid to.
“Yeah. She appeared again,” I tell her quietly, walking forward without another word. Sunset walks beside me, making our way inside the building after our two friends. The interior of the building is very nice… To either side of the door, there’s small resting areas with comfortable chairs and red carpet. Shells adorn the walls along with other sea-related items. I guess it makes sense considering Sonata named her business the Seashell Empire. A name like that makes it sound like some sort of aquatic souvenirs shop, but it’s a food chain specializing in tacos. To anyone else, this should be really confusing, but to me? It fits perfectly…
The front desk has one lady available to help, her eyes looking down at the computer screen. Rarity and Rainbow Dash stop a few feet away from the counter, looking towards me. Taking a deep breath, I try to let go of Sunset’s hand, but she doesn’t reciprocate the action. Instead, Sunset walks with me to the counter, content with staying by my side.
“How may I help you today?” the woman asks me, finally looking up from the computer. Resting my free hand on the counter, I try my best to come up with the right words to say. What would be the right way to phrase this request?
“Hello. I was wondering if I could get some information please,” I state quietly, feeling my anxiety rise each moment. “Do you have the number for the owner or founder of this business? She’s a previous friend of mine.” Despite how friendly I try to ask for the information, the lady looks at me with a confused stare, shaking her head lightly. Pulling my hand away from Sunset, I try my best to focus on the attendant. A part of me can’t help but wonder why she would shake her head at such a simple request.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. We don’t have that and even if we did, we wouldn’t be allowed to give it away that easily. I could schedule you an appointment with a regional officer to see if they could help you?” Before I say anything, she begins to type away at the keyboard. In a way, it almost annoys me that she can’t have the common decency to wait for an answer. I suppose it’s just precaution to be a little faster, but still. In a way, it’s almost like…
Disrespect…
No… Well… Kind of. Yes. Why am I agreeing with you on this? I… yeah. It feels a little disrespectful.
And let’s be honest. You deserve more. Far more…
“Yeah. I’d like to schedule an appointment. How long will that take?” My question is a small attempt to avoid the voice in my mind, resisting the urge to respond. The lady doesn’t respond immediately, making the seconds that pass by a little nerve wracking.
“It will take about four days to see someone. Should I put down the reason for your appointment?”
Four days…?
Four days…? Did… Why? Why would it take that long for a fucking appointment? I expected one day at most, but four? Isn’t that a little ridiculous?
How busy do they have to be? They’re wasting our time by setting up some scheduled meeting. All it would take to answer our questions is five minutes at most, but no… They want to make you wait. Isn’t that lovely?
I know how it’s like to be busy, but… This is a little much, isn’t it? I didn’t expect us to spend so many nights in hotels. I only expected a few nights at each place. It’s not like Sunset and I have unlimited money. We budgeted a few nights, maybe a week and a half at most, but this…? God, will we have to ask for our friends to cover us?
And you don’t want that… That would require bruising your pride. Think about it. Fluttershy already paid you two a handsome sum to try and help you with your house. Then she also bought the RV and volunteered to pay for the fuel on this trip. You’ve already been relying on your friends for financial and emotional support this whole trip. Wouldn’t it feel nice to take some control?
I… No, it wouldn’t. As far as I’ve come to find clues to Sonata’s whereabouts, it’s not like they’re intentionally trying to screw me over. We both know that. It just makes my efforts feel…
Worthless?
No, I…
In vain?
In a way.
Not appreciated?
My efforts feel used. Unappreciated for the amount of time I’ve taken to be here. But there’s not much I can do to fix that. They’re only opening is in four days…
Or so they say… Think about it, Adagio. Think about how you could avoid being a burden on your friends. All if you demand an appointment at a sooner date. How nice it would feel to see this woman with fear in her-
“Ma’am?” the lady refers to me, making me realize just how long I’ve been standing still.
“That will be… fine,” I respond quietly, nodding my head. Even though it feels like my efforts are in vain, I can’t let myself think that. My efforts got me here. It’s not been useless. Not yet.
“What name should I put the appointment under?” she asks me with a curious tone, her fingers ready to type at a moment’s notice.
“Adagio Dazzle.”
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The darkness inside this hotel room doesn’t get any more bearable as time marches on. Sunset’s arm is wrapped around me, but this is one of the few times she fails to comfort me. She’s able to sleep peacefully, but me? I can’t help but count the minutes down… Each agonizing second that passes by.
“We’ll find another way~” Her words echo in my mind, trying to remind me to think positively. “We haven’t made it this far to give up now.” Sunset’s words are true, but honestly? I can’t help it. I don’t feel that hopeful. Ever since we met with that damn regional officer, I can’t have any hope. Sunset made it seem so easy, waiting a few days to talk to that officer, only to be told bad news.
Even then, she tried to take it well. She told me that it’d all be fine. Even though we have waited days for an answer, we were told that they couldn’t give away that information to us. All the while, Sunset smiled through it. Well, forgive me if I am a little less than happy… I scoured through every source I could while we waited. In those four days, I looked through the internet and the few phone books online. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a scrap of information. The only thing I could find is a small biography about Sonata on the food chain’s website, describing her as the owner and founder of the business. No contact information…
I tried to be hopeful when we went to that appointment… I really did. But then I was told they couldn’t give me the number due to some policy. All of my hope died on the spot. Did I really think it would be easy to do this? Even if I used my magic, I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint her location. It’s really easy to lose all of my motivation under circumstances like these…
To feel dehumanized…
Like all my efforts are worth nothing in the end.
Pulling away from Sunset’s embrace, I take a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the bed. I know she would want me to be optimistic. I know she would tell me to have some faith that we’ll get where we need to be. In most cases, I try to follow that advice. But this isn’t one of those situations. I’m out of options. I’ve gone across the country, trying to find Sonata and what do I get? Nothing. A bunch of dirt kicked in my face… It’s so frustrating.
No one could blame you for feeling angry.
Sighing to myself, I shake my head. Hearing that voice in my head again makes me feel so annoyed. At least she waited to talk until I was away from Sunset. I feel like she would have woken up to the images that the siren apparently brings up.
Seriously, Adagio. You did everything you could, yet the world still spits in your face. All because of stupid policies.
I can agree that they are stupid… I’ve done everything within my limit. If only it was a little simpler. But the world doesn’t work that way, does it?
It doesn’t have to work that way. Her words hiss in my mind, but for some reason, I don’t find it as disturbing as I usually do. The bitterness in my heart fuels my mind too much for me to be annoyed by her words. What right do they have to keep you from finding Sonata? You used to be her friend and now you want to apologize. In a way, it makes sense. In some cruel joke, the universe might be trying to protect her from me, holding back every clue that would bring me closer to her. And here you are, accepting that joke.
What else am I supposed to do? Go door to door, asking if anyone knows her in this goddamn city? I highly doubt that would work. With how bitter I feel, I could probably do it though…
Go back. Get that information.
Will you fuck off? It’s not like they’ll rethink what they said if I just ask nicely.
Who ever said anything about asking, Adagio? Would you let your nice act down for one second? You’re tired. Frustrated. The world is out to get you and you’re telling me you won’t do a thing about it? The time for asking has long since passed, Adagio. Maybe it would be convenient to listen for once and take control. Make them listen.
Taking a deep breath, I shake my head, trying to avoid those thoughts. As much as I hate the idea, a part of me feels so… intrigued. I would never act on it, but the idea of wiping that customer service grin off that regional officer’s face is so enticing… But that’s not what it means to be a good person. That’s not choosing happiness…
And? Everyone else hasn’t given a damn about your happiness. All you need is one phone number and you’ll be on your way. You’d save everyone’s time. Then we can leave. Imagine how it would feel to leave them under your spell, knowing they should have listened to you in the first place.
Funny thing is that… you’re right. I would enjoy that. I hate to admit that at all, but I would enjoy making them give me what I want. These past few days have been torture for me. Everyone else got to have fun taking pictures and buying souvenirs. I have to stress out about budgeting and how I will contact Sonata. All the girls get to have fun, but I’m stuck in place. The world seems content with keeping me as far away from Sonata as possible. Is that a sign?
It’s a sign that you need to assert yourself. Stop being a pushover and accepting everything that the world throws at you. Make the world listen to you.
I’m not looking for power. All I want to do is find Sonata and apologize to her. Power isn’t-
I’m not saying you should go after power. I’m just saying that with your magic, you could get that phone number EASILY. In and out. Simple. It would take five minutes at most, a few spells, and then we would be out of the building with a phone number and one step closer to Sonata.
What spells would be used? Why am I even entertaining this idea? I mean, yeah, we could influence their behavior and then wipe their memories after we’re done. No. I’m not doing that. It’s manipulative and takes advantage of others. Even if… it would be so easy…
That’s what I was saying all along, but if you don’t want to do it, then just rest. There’s no point in convincing you. I’m sure friendship will lead you to some alternative method.
Clenching my fist, I can’t help but sigh at the thought. It would be so easy. A few minutes. If I was still a siren, it would take a few minutes at most. Instead, I’ve been waiting for days, desperately trying to find some scrap of information. All of my attempts have come up empty handed. Days of anxious waiting are rewarded with nothing? Being told that they’re sorry they can’t help? It’s so tiring.
All it would take is a few minutes. That’s all. No one would be hurt. Everyone would forget as soon as it is done. It would be a net positive. If I wait here, then it will be days till we find another lead. Possibly weeks.
Just a few minutes. Then it’d be done. I’d be done…
Looking back at Sunset, I try to smile at my sleeping partner. If she was awake, I would ask her for advice on this situation, but I’m almost glad she isn’t able to give me it. She might convince me to go about this a different way. I’m just so angry, bitter and tired… In all ways, this would be the fastest way to get the information I need. Is it really so wrong…? No one would be hurt and I would have what I need…
“I’m sorry, Sunset,” I whisper before standing up from the bed. Quickly grabbing some clothes from my suitcase, I hear the siren’s chuckle in my mind. I’m not doing this for power. I’m simply doing this so that I can make things right with Sonata. My hand hesitates to grab my purple scarf, debating whether it would be safe to bring it along. It should be… Besides, it’s a piece of Sunset that I will be bringing with me.
Wrapping it around my neck, I blow Sunset a kiss before opening the door. Walking out into the hallway, I do my best to close the door as quietly as possible. I know this is technically a moral gray area… But everything will be fine. I’m not hurting anyone. In some ways, I would like to hurt them or cause them some inconvenience. All they have done to me for the better part of a week is kill my hope. All I’m doing is taking matters into my own hands.
Knocking on the door of the room next to ours, I try my best to wait patiently. I know that it’s late at night, but I would prefer to get this done within the next hour. I hear some slight shuffling behind the door, telling me that she heard my knock. After a minute, the door slowly opens, light from the hallway spilling in and coloring the woman’s skin. Twilight looks at me with a confused expression, seeming like she’s barely awake.
“Adagio? What time is it?” she asks me with a small yawn. Her purple hair is let down and messy, adding to her disheveled appearance.
“It’s late, but I need your help. Could you get dressed and come with me?” My friend raises her eyebrow at my question, a more wakeful appearance on her face than before.
“I guess? What is this about? What do you need-”
“Twilight, please. This is important. I will explain on the way.” My pleas seem to reach her. A small nod comes from my friend before closing her door to get ready. I’m barely given a moment to breathe before I feel a hand grab my shoulder, making me widen my eyes.
“Something important? And you weren’t gonna wake us up for it?” a southern accent fills my ears, making me turn back to look at the person behind me. Applejack’s eyes are filled with confusion. Rainbow Dash stands next to the cowgirl with a raised eyebrow, sucking on a popsicle while she waits for an answer as well.
“We really got to stop running into each other late at night, Dagi,” Dash tells me with a chuckle pointing her popsicle at me for a second. “And I feel like AJ and I have the same idea.” Looking at the cowgirl, Dash and Applejack share a small nod before returning their gaze to me. “Wherever you’re going, you better have room for two more.”
===========================================================
Looking at the building, I can’t help but measure my options one more time. It took a lot of convincing, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash eventually agreed to go along with my plan as long as no one is hurt. In truth, Applejack was also getting tired at how long it is taking to get closer to Sonata. Dash is simply here to keep an eye on me since magic is involved. While Twilight was hesitant, she agreed faster than the other two. For this to work, we need to be fast and I can’t be questioning myself…
“Alright. Twilight?” Pulling out the glass container holding the gem fragments, I give it to Twilight, keeping my eyes on the front entrance of the building. Twilight pours out the contents into her hand, counting the pieces quietly.
“I can almost swear there’s a piece missing, but I’m probably wrong. It still makes a full crystal.” Twilight’s necklace glows very slightly as she lifts the pieces into the air. Applejack carefully observes Twilight, holding her own necklace with a nervous stare. Rainbow Dash is pretty calm about all of this, simply resting her hands in her pockets with a carefree face.
Once all the pieces are connected, a wave of power surges through my spine. It’s almost as potent as Sunset’s embrace… Now all eyes are on me, clearly waiting for the next step.
“Don’t let go of that gem until I say so,” I warn Twilight quietly, taking a deep breath to keep myself steady. If the wrong spell is interrupted, it could mean bad things for us… A low whistle exits my lips, the magic surging through my fingertips. I have to get this right… Bringing my hand up towards the building, I focus on making my whistle set at a higher tone. “Zentren…”
The magic suddenly stops as soon as I finish my whistle. No one else can see it, but there is a large green circle on the ground, surrounding the building.
“What did you do? Nothing happened,” Dash remarks with an unenthusiastic tone, tilting her head.
“That spell makes it so that everyone inside the establishment will forget everything that happens within the next hour. Of course, this doesn’t affect new people who step into the bubble, so your memories will be fine, Dash.” Walking forward, I motion for the girls to follow me. We only have an hour. It should be more than enough time, but we should still hurry.
“As long as we don’t steal nothing. Or hurt anyone,” Applejack tells us with slight hesitation, following behind me. “We’re only here for the phone number. That’s it.” Her reminder isn’t necessary considering I have been reminding myself of that ever since I left my hotel room.
The lobby of the building is just the same as yesterday and four days before. Spacious. This time, there’s a distinct lack of light, leaving the lobby with some muted colors. The lady at the counter looks up much faster than the times before, clearly surprised to see visitors.
“Oh, we’re not open, ma’am. We’re about to close in-”
“No, you won’t,” I whisper with a hum. In an instant, green mist surrounds her and the receptionist simply nods with a smile, looking back at her computer screen. As we pass the counter and walk towards the hallway, I can’t help but feel Applejack’s eyes staring at me.
“What’s wrong, Applejack?” I ask her quietly, leading the way down the hall.
“Nothing. Just kind of… disturbing. Ya make it look so easy to control others. That kind of power is a little scary if I’m being honest.” Applejack walks closer to the three of us, composing herself. “But I know it’s impossible for ya to do that to me. Just don’t go power hungry, alright?”
“Applejack, I promise I have no intentions of doing that. All I want is Sonata’s phone number. There’s no way I would even try to use these spells on you. That goes for you two as well.” Looking at Twilight and Rainbow Dash, I give them a reassuring smile. I would never want to manipulate them with this magic. The only reason I’m using it now is because this is my only option to get to Sonata.
Opening the door to the regional officer’s room, the man at the desk looks up at us with much of the same surprise the receptionist gave us. Twilight makes sure to hide the crystal behind her before he can see it. Even if he saw it, he would forget about it after this.
“Miss Dazzle. What a… pleasant surprise. I was just about to go home for the evening. I don’t think we had another appointment, did we?” he asks with confusion laced in his voice. Every part of me feels angry to see him, telling me he has to go home. Earlier today, he didn’t seem so kind… Even when I begged him, he refused to give me the number I need. He accused me of lying that I used to know Sonata. This snarky, egotistical employee uses every word to try and make himself sound more important than others. “Dazzle, I really don’t enjoy this intrusion. Don’t you have something else to get back to? Our meeting was over hours ago,” he tells me with frustration, looking at me as if I’m just some annoying pest.
“No, actually. You have something that I want.” Dash closes the door behind me, making me chuckle. “Something I need.”
“And what could that be? A phone number I can’t give you? You really don’t learn,” he scoffs in a faux polite tone. “You need to go ho-” A quick whistle interrupts his words, forcing his lips shut. I have to admit that this prick is making it hard to avoid using some of my more dangerous spells…
“You can… And you will.” Chuckling to myself, I try to compose my mind. Applejack’s hand pats my shoulder, reminding me what we shouldn’t do. Looking back at her, I give her a wink. She just needs to trust me for a few moments… “What is the phone number? I really need it,” I tell him bluntly, resting my hand on my hip. The man doesn’t even move from his seat, shaking his head.
“You really need to leave. I will call security on you,” he threatens us, not realizing how little he can actually do in this situation.
“No, you won’t.” Despite how low I whisper my words, the magic makes them echo throughout the room. Vocalizing a low tune, I see my magic surround him, making him see exactly what I have seen for years… In my place, he should see me with a red dress, red liquid falling down my arms… All of it adorned with a crown and pitch black eyes. That should be a disturbing enough image.
A look of terror adorns his face as he pushes his chair back, staring at me as if he sees a ghost. He tries desperately to speak, only mashing up his sentences. His word vomit finally stops before he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
“Are you ready to listen?” I ask him in a quiet and threatening tone, the same one my subconscious used on me for years. With a flick of my finger, I pull his chair back towards the desk, gesturing for him to find the number. “Find it. If you lie to me, so help your bloodline…” The man looks at his screen, typing something into the device. However, a look of determination comes across his disrespectful face, opening his mouth to say something. Confident for worthless scum… You’ve done nothing but cause me misery. “Rodon…” My vocalization spawns an ember in my hand, growing with each passing moment until it’s a giant flame. “Let me make this very clear for you. If you don’t get me that number, then I will mark this place with the wrath of Hell. There is no way you would escape. Understand?”
“Dagi,” Dash speaks up with a concerned tone. “Don’t you think this-” she stops talking in an instant when I shoot her a glare. We’re finally getting somewhere. Don’t ruin this for me, Dash…
The officer quickly types away at his keyboard, frantically looking at the device for the piece of information I need. “A-alright. Alright. I have the number.” His tone makes it sound like he’s trying to pretend he isn’t scared, but the look in his eyes betrays him. As good as it feels to terrorize this person, I know that I can’t let myself get lost in it. All we need is the number.
The man quickly writes down the number on a piece of paper he rips from his document pile, handing it to me. Applejack gestures for us to leave, her eyes telling me we’ve done enough.
But have we? We’ve already come this far…
There’s nothing left to do. We have the phone number. We can go now.
But look at him? He’s almost groveling. Doesn’t that feel good after all the pain he caused? He deserves some sort of payback…
We already got our revenge.
Revenge that he won’t remember…
My feet stop in place. Twilight holds the door open for all three of us, but I can’t move forward anymore. Dash looks back at me with confusion. My appendages feel numb… I can’t move anything. What are you doing? We are doing this my way. L-let go…
My head turns back to the officer against my will, my mouth contorting into a smirk. No matter how hard I try, I can’t do anything. She’s… She’s in control. Let go! We got what we needed! Let’s go back.
“When we have come this far?” my mouth whispers with a snicker. “Not a chance. He needs to be a lesson for others…” No. No! He doesn’t. Let go. Give me control. We’ll go back to the hotel room. “All it takes is one word… The word that means death.” My body moves back towards the man’s desk, his eyes looking directly at mine. She tries to tell me this is needed. It felt nice to take control, but we don’t need this! Please stop! Just listen. You said you’d do things my way! “Zorehn-”
=============================================================
My head is ringing… Everything feels so… out of place? Is that right? It’s just hard to focus. It feels like I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall. Honestly, I can’t remember what I was doing. What even happened? How long have I been asleep…?
“What should we do?” Fluttershy’s kind tone asks in the distance. I try to focus on her voice, but it’s hard to do that. As much as my mind is trying to force me to give in, I need to try. What the hell is going on?
“I don’t care anymore,” Dash’s voice speaks up in anger, making me feel surprised. She doesn’t care about what exactly…? Is this some sort of dream?
“How long has she been dealing with this exactly?” Rarity asks someone, making me wonder what they’re talking about. Who is Rarity talking about?
“About three years,” Sunset reluctantly answers, a disappointed tone in her voice. “This is the worst I have seen it.”
“You’ve seen this before?!” Applejack asks in surprise, her accent only adding to her intonation.
“I’ve never seen that side of her take control,” Sunset responds with a small reassuring tone that does nothing to hide her disappointment. “But I have seen how it affects her…”
“Apparently, this is her subconscious?” Pinkie asks with a high-pitched and confused voice, hurting my head a little more.
“Yeah. From what Sunset said, Adagio’s mind has been broken since the Battle of the Bands. And I can’t help but believe that from what I’ve seen in the last couple of days.” Twilight is the only one who sounds like she isn’t upset. If anything, she sounds like she’s reporting statistics. Also, what the fuck does she mean by days?
Forcing my eyes open, a blinding white light overwhelms my senses. A groan escapes my lips… Was I run over by a train? My whole body aches. What the fuck happened? My hands are tied behind me. My ankles are bound to the legs of some wood chair I’m sitting on.
“She’s awake,” Pinkie Pie’s voice speaks up. It’s slightly easier than before to focus on their voices, but I still want to know what is going on. Squinting my eyes, I try my best to look around at my surroundings. All seven of my friends look at me with caution from the shadows of this hotel room. The only illumination in here is the bright light right above me.
“Ah. Ready to answer more questions, Umbra?” Twilight asks with a chipper tone, grabbing her notebook.
“Umbra?” I ask her quietly, shaking my head. “What are you talking about, Twilight? What’s going on?” Twilight’s eyes widen at my questions, surprised I haven’t answered how she expected.
“I swear if this is one of your mind games again, I will break every bone in your body!” Dash yells at me with tears of anger streaming down her face.
“Shy, can ya take her out of here? We’ll handle this,” Applejack tells Fluttershy with a commanding tone. Rainbow Dash opens her mouth to say something else, but Fluttershy quickly wraps her arms around the athlete, escorting her out of the room. “Sunset. Check will ya?” Applejack asks my girlfriend. To my surprise, Sunset actually walks into the light, touching my neck. Sunset avoids eye contact with me, seeming like she’s cut herself off from reality.
“It’s her,” Sunset mentions quietly, stepping out of the light once more.
“I’m sorry, but can someone explain what’s going on? The last thing I remember is trying to go to sleep. Is this some kind of dream?” My question goes unanswered for a few moments… My friends look at each other as if they are debating what to do. Pinkie Pie is the one that sighs, shaking her head as a response.
“Do you seriously not remember or are you trying to avoid responsibility?” she asks me in an uncharacteristically serious tone.
“I have no idea what is happening, alright? I just want to know what we’re doing here.” And why I’m tied up, but I figure that will be answered with everything else…
“Darling? How about we leave this to them for a few moments? Alright?” Rarity asks her girlfriend, clearly desperate for the chance to take a break. Applejack’s eyes stare down at me with profound disappointment and judgment. Despite how Rarity tugs on her arm, she continues to look at me before letting out a tired sigh. Nodding slowly, Applejack motions for Pinkie Pie to come with them.
“Listen. If you two need help, just call for us. We’ll be right outside,” the cowgirl reassures Sunset and Twilight. They avoid saying anything until our friends have left the room, letting the sound of the door closing echo in this small room.
“Okay… So, Adagio. It’s you this time, huh? Honestly, it’s about time,” Twilight tells me with an annoyed expression, shaking her head. “So, let me be quick with this. Do you remember going back to the Seashell Empire’s base of operations?” Wait… That rings a bell. I couldn’t sleep and I felt bitter. I got tired of waiting and…
“I went there to get Sonata’s phone number, right?” The rope strains against my wrists. I can’t say I’ve ever been tied down before. Not a fan. Funny how so many people online make it out like it’s a lot of fun. Though, I suppose the context has something to do with it. From how tight these knots are, I can tell this is Applejack’s work.
“Precisely. And your… alternate self. Well, she took over.” Twilight raises her hand to gesture, but I know exactly what she’s going to say next. No… I remember what happened.
“Please don’t tell me it actually happened… Don’t tell me he-”
“He’s alive,” Sunset says in a monotone voice. “Dash stopped your subconscious before anything happened. She hit you pretty hard on the back of your head.”
“And since then? Sunset told us all about what you told her. I even had a few chats with your subconscious since then,” Twilight tells me with an almost satisfied smile. “I’ve started calling her Umbra Adagio since she’s like your evil counterpart. A shadow of you. She was NOT happy at being tied up.” Twilight tries to hold back a laugh at the thought until Sunset stares at her with serious eyes. “Anyway, your subconscious was pretty talkative. She liked to insult us, but she ended up telling us everything. It’s been about two days since the whole incident and the last time you were in control. Welcome back.”
“Two days?” I haven’t blacked out like that in a long time… Was it maybe due to Dash hitting my head? Maybe that’s why my subconscious took over for so long…
“For now, we’re still deciding what to do with you and this whole situation. I personally think the plan to get your magic back is the best one we have so far, but don’t tell Applejack that.” Twilight completely ignores my question, standing up from her seat. “Since she’s back, I will leave you alone with her. If you’re okay, of course.” Sunset slowly nods to Twilight’s statement, her eyes still looking down at the floor. Twilight gives me a small wave before quickly walking towards the door, leaving the two of us alone.
Silence follows the sound of the door closing. Not a word is left in the air… Sunset sits on a chair right outside of the light, looking down at the floor as if she has no hope. Words escape me… I’m not sure what to say in this situation. What is she thinking? It would be so much easier to say something if I knew some of what she’s thinking.
“Sunset, I-”
“Don’t,” Sunset interrupts me in a stern tone. Her eyes finally look up at me with a combination of depression and anger behind them. “Don’t even try to explain, okay? I just… I can’t. I told you we would find a way to get through this. But you decided to be greedy and get closer now.” Sunset stands up from her seat, the tears on her cheek barely visible due to the light right above me. “We always find a way. It may not be the easy way, but we get through it. Instead, you go behind my back to get Sonata’s phone number through very questionable means…”
“I know. I’m…” Come on… Think of something to say. I was frustrated, but honestly? Sunset is right. I did all of this without even consulting her first…
“You told me you had her under control, Adagio. You said you were the one in control. Just three days ago. That’s what you told me. I guess that’s just another lie to add to the pile, right?” Sunset paces back and forth, her eyes avoiding mine. “Umbra also told me about all of the deals with Filthy Rich. All those times you made some shady deal behind my back. You know, you could have told me that. You could have told me that he was the reason you were able to get our belongings back when our apartment was robbed…”
Oh… I… All those deals with Rich… How could I forget about them? They’ve been such a big pain in the ass, yet I forgot I didn’t tell Sunset about them. “Sunset, I can ex-”
“Not to mention that he’s also the reason I apparently keep getting scholarships to pay for college. I thought it was because of my essays or my intelligence.” Sunset shakes her head, letting a depressed sigh exit her lips.
“Sunset, please. I can… I can explain.” What is there to say…? Yeah, she caught two more lies I didn’t even know I was hiding. How am I supposed to explain what my thought process was? Especially when it came to getting Sonata’s number?
“Oh? Can you?” Sunset asks me with a small scoff, leaning into the light. Her eyes stare straight into my own with disbelief, hurt beyond comparison. “Or can she? Because I’m not sure anymore. Who is Adagio? Is it the person sitting in front of me? Or is it the person who has been cussing me out for two days straight?” Sunset’s eyes look deep into my own, frustration filling her stare. “Our relationship was based on open and honest communication. At least I thought it was. Maybe it’s just based on lies.”
“No, it’s not. I really do want to tell you the truth, I-” my words stop forming in my mind within an instant. A horrible realization hits my mind right in the middle of my explanation. “Wait. ‘Was’? What do you mean it ‘was’ based on honest communication…?”
Sunset brings her hands up, showing me the ring on her finger. It shines in the light before Sunset slowly takes it off, holding it in front of my face. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Adagio…” Her hand slowly rests the ring on my lap, tears starting to flow from her eyes again. “I can’t do this. I can’t marry someone who isn’t honest with me. I… I can’t marry you, Adagio.” Sunset stands back up to her full height, looking down at me with tear stained eyes.
“N-no. Sunset, wait-”
“I’m sorry,” Sunset tells me quietly, shaking her head. “We’re done.”
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WHAT??? Oh my god, that was so unexpected. This chapter makes me want to cry, but I'm holding on for now. Still, despite the current set of circumstances, I think and believe that the ending will be happy)
I'm really worried about Sunset and Adagio's relationship
11658081
I definitely wanted this chapter to be something that would make people cry. Something really sad if you will~ 
I'm glad this chapter evoked such an emotional reaction~ It was supposed to
Also, given it's a story made by me, is it granted it will be a happy ending?
Holy crap, that escalated far beyond what I had expected. Quite the gut punch there at the end makes this certainly one of the standout chapters in this saga. Eager to see where you go from here!
11658264
This story yes. *Looks at another recently published story.* Always? No.
Agreed.
https://m.I got to visit Vegas myself back in the spring of 2016. Ngl, I didn't enjoy my trip that much and it'll be a very slim chance I might ever go back.
Your in trouble now.
Everything can't be fixed like that!
How long were they standing there!!
Wait, 4 days passed already!?!?
https://m.Yikes!
Ngl, I had a feeling this would happen.
11658282
It will probably be a bit before I go anywhere with this story~ I have uni I need to sort out in the first couple of weeks during a semester, but yeah. I definitely knew this chapter was going to be far more extreme than most of the chapters in this universe. It rivals that of chapter 2 of A Dazzling World and the end of A Spooky Scary Siren. Regardless, I am looking forward to what happens next as well~
11658283
You're awfully confident that I will end this series off on a good note
11658420
Yep~ Four days passed already since I honestly tried to include more scenes, but they felt way too much like filler. They added nothing to the story, so I decided to skip ahead a few days.
11658428
Got it thx.
11658283
When I mean “this series” I mean the overall sundagio universe not this arc of the story necessarily.
11658732
Just depends on if I want to and if I have the guts to. Probably not, tbh
If I wanted to, I could end off this universe on a bad note too~