A Dazzling Trio

by Spyder27

Sunny Days

Author's Note:

For some context, "Natra ven tru, ardo tru nao" means "I love you, but you don't love me".

A big special thanks to NellJoestar for beta reading this chapter! I mainly asked for some input on story decisions and I got some great feedback! Consider checking out the DeviantArt by the same name!

Chapter XXV: Sunny Days

The RV finally starts to move. It took a while for everyone to get settled, but we’re finally leaving this city. Although, this is the city Sonata has called home for a while now. I assume it is a bit more difficult for her to leave. The one bed in this vehicle was unanimously given to Fluttershy since she seems the least rested out of everyone. Everyone else inside the vehicle is scattered around the main area. Sonata sits next to me, closer to the door. Her legs are close together with her palms pressing down on her thighs. Clearly, she is still trying to get comfortable here, but she doesn’t know what we deem as acceptable here. It’s understandable in some aspects. I had to go through the same learning process.

Sonata twists and turns in her seat as everyone else either tries to sleep or they look at their phones. I only use my phone to take calls, text others, or take pictures though… I never really understood why people spend so much time scrolling their phones. From the way Sonata moves her head, I can tell she is thinking about something to say. I can’t exactly help her here. I have no idea what to say either.

“So, um… Pinkie Pie?” Sonata asks for her attention, making my usually optimistic friend look over at us with a vacant expression.

“Yes?” she plainly answers, her flat hair covering one of her eyes.

“What do you do? For a living?” Sonata asks quietly, trying to start up a conversation. “I run a restaurant chain and you already know that, but I was wondering what you do.” Pinkie Pie straightens herself in her seat, an interested look on her face.

“I have two jobs. I’m a baker and a party planner,” Pinkie responds with a monotone voice, but a part of her reaction shows that she isn’t completely bored. Notably, her eyes don’t look so plain anymore. She probably finds some of this fun in a way. I know she liked talking about her work with me in the past. Maybe that’s what is happening here…

“Oh? That must be pretty stressful. Two jobs can’t be easy,” Sonata responds with empathy, but Pinkie shakes her head.

“No, actually. It’s not too difficult. I really love my jobs and I put all of myself into them. It’d give me more free time if I only had one job, but I kinda don’t want to give up either one.” Even though Pinkie’s tone is quiet and bland, I can almost swear I see her hair curl a little. Maybe I’m just imagining things…

Giving Sonata’s shoulder a little rub, I try to reassure her before standing up carefully. With how the vehicle is moving, it’s a little hard to stay upright, but I manage to walk to the door separating us from the compartment where Applejack is driving. It would probably be better for me to let Sonata talk to them alone rather than me constantly watching. Besides… I have to talk to Applejack…

Opening the door, I walk in slowly just as the vehicle makes it onto the highway. Applejack looks back for a very brief moment before motioning for me to close the door.

“Is this seat taken?” I ask her quietly, sitting in the passenger side. A small shake of her head comes from her, even though I am already seated. Nothing about her seems off. I guess I expected her to be a little awkward given the conversation that is coming.

“Nah, I don’t mind the company,” Applejack states, nodding to me. “What’s up?” I’m glad that she’s open to talking with me. I really need to properly apologize to her instead of my attempt that was half hearted last night.

“I wanted to talk with you… To say that I’m sorry again.” I don’t really pay attention to the road outside at this point. We’re going to be traveling for a long time as it is. Until we get to Texas at least… Before I can say anything else, Applejack pulls out her phone.

“Do ya mind if I call someone before we continue this conversation? It’s a bit important.” Shaking my head, Applejack presses something on her phone before placing it by her side, keeping her eyes on the road. Within a second, the ringing of the phone is played by the RV’s speakers inside this little compartment. I honestly didn’t know this vehicle had the ability to take calls… In a way, it makes me feel upset that she decided to make a call at this very moment, but if she says it is important, I believe her.

The ringing stops to the sound of the call getting answered. I can hear what sounds like people talking in the background for a few seconds before the sound of a door cuts them off. Now, the background is filled with wind and rain, making me wonder who Applejack called.

“Hiya, big sis! Whatcha calling for?” A young and familiar voice answers the call. Ah. It’s Apple Bloom. I’m guessing she answered the call but went outside for a little privacy.

“Hey, Apple Bloom. How’s your party going?” Applejack asks her with a cheerful voice, only giving me more questions than answers.

“I told you that you didn’t have to call. We’re doing just fine over here~ I promise Granny is alright,” Apple Bloom reassures our driver. I feel a little guilty taking everyone away from their families for this little trip, but they all said it would be alright.

“I’m just calling to wish you a happy birthday, that’s all,” Applejack chuckles, teasing her sister.

“Uh huh. Totally not keeping an eye on me from halfway across the country.” Apple Bloom’s snarky response makes both of them laugh just as Applejack changes lanes. “Still though. Thanks for the thought. I love the gifts, but I hope your trip is going alright. Did y’all find Sonata and Aria yet?” From Apple Bloom’s tone, it doesn’t sound jaded or full of anger. I guess Applejack didn’t tell her about how exactly I got Sonata’s phone number. I’m glad…

“Adagio’s actually sitting next to me. How about you ask her how it’s going?” Applejack’s eyes turn to me for a brief second, giving me a smile.

“Oh? Hi, Adagio! It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. Then again, I’ve been pretty busy.” A small laugh comes from the teen on the other side of the phone. She’s not exactly wrong. I could have called her sometime during this trip. For the last week, I’ve just been… stressed. “How are things going? Are you all going to be home soon?” Apple Bloom asks me happily, but still clearly hoping for us to come back sooner rather than later.

“Well, we found Sonata. She’s actually in the RV with us. She wanted to be my friend again if you can believe it.” Should I tell her about… everything else? The fighting? Umbra? My relationship with Sunset? No… She has her own problems right now. It’s her birthday and maybe I can fix most of it by the time we get back. Maybe. “Dash is actually happier than she was when she first came on the trip, but I will have to tell you about that later.” That’s if I’m allowed to. Dash’s family problems are her private matters.

“I can believe it. I mean, I wanted to be your friend after all. Now all ya have to do is find Aria. You’re close!” Apple Bloom’s attempts to reassure me bring a smile to my face. I have to admit that despite her endless optimism, she’s pretty funny.

“I know that, Apple Bloom. Of course I can fix things with Aria. Do you think I would be insecure about that?” The funniest part is that she’s right to think that. Although, I’m also right to believe I can fix things. I proved it with Sonata. Maybe I can befriend Aria again as well.

The biggest question is if I can fix things with Sunset…

“How’s Diamond Tiara?” I ask after a moment. “Surely an altruistic apple scout like yourself has checked up on her recently, right?” My question goes unanswered for a few moments. It goes so long that even Applejack moves her head to look at the phone in confusion. The sound of rain is still clear, so I know the call hasn’t died. She’s choosing not to answer.

“Um. She’s good. She and I had a small fight, but it’s nothing to worry about. I’ll tell you both about it later.” Apple Bloom’s tone sounds guarded and tired. I doubt I can get anything out of her, even if I tried. I just hope this isn’t ruining her birthday. I know she’ll be able to fix it. She’s resourceful. She shouldn’t wait too long though. “Hey, I need to get back inside. Big Mac’s telling me the cake is ready. Talk to y’all later?” Applejack chuckles while shaking her head, amused by what her sister said for whatever reason.

“Alright, Apple Bloom. Tell everyone I said hi. Take care, okay?” Applejack brings her hand to the phone, but before she hangs up, I gesture for her to wait.

“Have a happy birthday, Apple Bloom,” I tell her with a smile, glad I can give her pleasant wishes. The phone call ends without Apple Bloom saying anything. I know she’s not upset at us. She’s not the kind of person to hang up without saying something if she feels bad. She would try like hell to talk it out.

“Sorry about that. I meant to call her before we got ready to leave the hotel, but Rarity had a nightmare. I kinda got busy,” Applejack explains, shrugging her shoulders a little. Honestly, I can’t help but feel a little jealous. She still sleeps in the same bed as the person she loves. Meanwhile, I’m stuck at arm’s length away from Sunset if not more. “What were you wanting to talk about again?” she asks me quietly, an appreciative smile showing that she’s glad I waited. Honestly, I’m surprised she forgot. I literally told her five minutes ago. Tis another power of the almighty Apple Bloom apparently...

“I… I kind of wanted to talk about last night some more.” Directing my gaze to the landscape outside, I honestly can’t think of the words to say. Everything sounds… wrong. At least on some level. Too flippant. Too quick. Too insincere. I’m not really sure how I am supposed to word this without sounding like I am only saying it out of obligation. “Listen, Applejack. I was a bit quick with my words last night. I don’t want you to think that I gave you an empty apology though. If anything, I want to be a siren of my word. So, I’m-”

“Adagio, you don’t need to apologize again,” she interrupts me with a small hand wave, shaking her head as she drives. “I know you mean it. Rarity talked with me about it some more after you went to bed last night. While you did a lot of things in the last week that have hurt, I think it would be better to let it go rather than let that anger build up.”

Huh… Rarity talked with her. That’s really surprising. She said she’d only forgive me if I gave a genuine apology to Applejack, yet she’s helping me here. Maybe she was just teasing me. I wouldn’t be surprised when it comes to Rarity.

“Adagio, our friendship means a lot to me too. Your friendship with Apple Bloom is just as important to me. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what you did with Umbra and I think it’d be for the best if I don’t hold it against you.” Patting my shoulder, Applejack gives me one of her signature grins of sincerity, proving she’s telling the truth. “I forgive you. And so does Rares. I won’t tell my little sister about all of this as long as you do your best to change that other side of ya.” My other side. Yeah. Her. Changing her is easier said than done, but there has been some progress.

“I’ve actually done that. A little.” Applejack’s eyes look at me with a sense of confusion. I don’t blame her for not understanding what I mean. It’s a lot more complicated than I would hope… “Umbra has been showing signs of… change. At first, it was just some increased interest in Aria and Sonata, but she's been a lot more encouraging recently.” Not to mention that she’s trying to get me back together with Sunset, which has me feeling all kinds of weird. I never expected Umbra to help with that.

“I’m glad to hear that, Sugarcube,” Applejack sighs with a peaceful tone, patting my shoulder again. I’m glad she accepted my apology. It brings me one step closer to making everything alright.

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

Power is special. It’s the whole point of life to begin with. Although, I ended up chasing the wrong kind of power. Love and happiness is what everyone should search for. While sitting on a throne can be all kinds of fun in its own right, the best feeling in the world is holding someone you care about. Even thinking about something that intimate is embarrassing, but it is true.

Rubbing my hand down her back, my breathing is slow and steady. Her head rests on my chest. The sunlight spilling into our room gently kisses her face. She looks so peaceful… No matter how many times I’ve seen this sight, it never becomes boring for me. If anything, I wish these sort of serene mornings would last longer. These moments never last as long as I would like.

Pressing my lips against her forehead, I gently exhale, a smile painted across my face. Looking at her like this, it’s hard to not smile… Her breathing is calm, despite how tight she holds onto me. Basking in the glow of the morning, I can’t help but wish it could be this peaceful all the time. No one here to bother us. Just the two of us resting together.

Pulling back, my eyes trace every feature of her face, making me smile even more. It doesn’t last though… Sunset stirs a little, pressing her face into me and clenching her eyes shut. A low groan escapes her lips, showing just how much she wants to go back to sleep. If I could, I would sleep as well. Unfortunately, our minds have some sort of clock that prevents us from sleeping too much. As much as it sucks, maybe it’s there to help us enjoy the life we have… After all, it would be a disaster if we never made memories together.

Still. Sleep is nice.

“Thank you for riding Adagio 1608 Sleep Airlines. You may now enter the world of living again. Don’t forget to fill out our survey. We’d love to hear from you,” I whisper in her ear, kissing her cheek. My teasing isn’t exactly inaccurate. She’s been laying her head on me all night, so I guess it could qualify as riding. Regardless, it seems my joke has made its impact. A smile is now present on Sunset’s sleepy face. She doesn’t bother opening her eyes, but I can tell she’s awake.

“I love you too,” Sunset whispers back, resting her head in the crook of my neck. “Why do you make it so enjoyable to wake up?” Sunset’s question makes me chuckle quietly, running my fingers through her hair.

“I could ask you the same thing, Sunny.” The one person who was able to catch this siren’s heart is also the person who makes each day feel worth it. If anything, I should be the one asking that kind of question. Sunset pushes herself up on top of me, giggling to herself before kissing my nose. Despite how red my cheeks are, it feels nice…

“You know how happy I am to wake up here with you every day?” she asks me quietly, drawing circles on my cheek with her finger. “We come from completely different backgrounds, yet… You get me on a fundamental level.” Her dreamy smile makes my heart flutter. I could spend an eternity looking at the picture in front of me.

“If anything, I’d say you understand me more,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her. “I mean, you’re the one who turned a power-hungry siren into someone willing to lay around the house all day. So…” Sunset raises her eyebrow, looking down at me with a humorous expression written across her face.

“Well, the only reason I could do that is because I went through what you did… Despite how different we are, you’re a lot like me.” Sunset’s smile gets a little bigger as she lays her hand on my cheek, seemingly sentimental. “I love you so much,” she whispers, almost as if she’s afraid the universe will hear her. In a way, I can understand her hesitancy.

The small rumbling stops. Has this room been shaking this whole time? Sunset kisses my cheek, but I can’t feel her embrace. Instead, some cool air brushes against my face. Sunset’s hand feels… distorted. What is going on?

Time to wake up, beauty queen.

What? Wake up? Oh…

“Time to rise and shine,” Applejack’s voice states in a cheerful tone, shaking my shoulder. Opening my eyes carefully, the light of the sun shines in through the RV’s windshield. The last I remember, we were driving in the middle of the night. Applejack said she’d stop at some hotel… I remember checking up on Sonata and the others before I fell asleep. That dream I had was… a real memory. She and I woke up like that a couple of times before. Of course I’d have a dream like that… I thought we would be at a hotel by now. Did… Did Applejack really drive all night?

Standing up from my seat, I look at my phone’s clock. It has been a full twenty-one hours since we left Las Vegas… Applejack seriously shouldn’t have stayed up this long. I guess I should be happy we aren’t dead. I know I have a history of overestimating my own abilities, but still. I didn’t expect Applejack to stay up the whole night just to get us to Houston, Texas.

“Why would you-” before I can finish my question, Applejack opens the door to the rest of the RV. Inside the main area, everyone is asleep in odd positions on their chair of choice except for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The former scrolls on her phone and the latter is in the back of the vehicle, resting in the bedroom of the RV. It’s pretty dark inside… I’m guessing that they closed the blinds when they went to sleep. Rainbow Dash looks up at us with a smirk.

“We’re finally here?” Dash asks us with a teasing tone.

“Just help us wake up the others, will ya?” Applejack’s request makes Rainbow Dash chuckle to herself, standing up from her seat. “We can even get some sightseeing out of the way after we get settled in the hotel.” At the thought of seeing some more landmarks, Dash’s expression seems to brighten. Considering how she’s been taking a lot of pictures for her mom, I don’t blame her.

“You won’t be sightseeing today,” I tell Applejack with a stern tone, making the cowgirl raise her eyebrow. “You drove for twenty-one hours. You need to sleep. We will have more time tomorrow.” From the way she looks at me, I can tell she’s not used to being told what to do. However, she turns her gaze to Rarity, gently brushing the hair out of her face. Kissing her forehead, Applejack quietly hums before rubbing her shoulder.

“It’s time to get up, Sugarcube,” Applejack whispers in the most caring tone I have ever heard from her. Considering how family-centric she is, that’s quite a feat. It’s kind of… cute. In a weird way. Seeing someone else’s love life is usually annoying, but it’s nice to see just how much they care for each other.

“Mmm… I don’t want to, Darling,” Rarity responds in a groan, pouting as if it will convince Applejack to leave her alone.

“Come on. You’ve had enough beauty sleep,” Applejack responds by shaking her a bit more. When Rarity doesn’t respond, she leans down and kisses her forehead again, making the fashionista smile. “You’re always beautiful to me regardless.”

Rarity opens her eyes to Applejack’s compliment, a bright pink blush appearing on her normally white cheeks. This is probably the most flustered I have ever seen her. The fact that she loves to make Applejack flustered makes this so ironic.

“I… Wha… I-I mean. You didn’t have to-” before Rarity can stutter on even more, Applejack gently kisses her hand, gesturing towards the door.

“Come on. Step out of the vehicle, my lady.” Applejack’s southern accent is the heaviest on the last two words of her statement, but it doesn’t take away from the impact. Rarity’s cheeks go from pink to red as Applejack escorts her out of the vehicle personally. Turning my gaze to Rainbow Dash, both of us laugh a little at what just unfolded before our eyes.

“That was corny as hell. I guess we should wake up the others while they’re gone,” Dash tells me with a small shake of her head, clearly finding this humorous. “I’ll handle Fluttershy first.” Dash stands up from her seat and, after a quick stretch, retreats into the back of the vehicle. It’s mostly quiet here except for the occasional snore from Pinkie Pie. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that Pinkie Pie’s hair is back to being curly. I know that she talked with Sonata a lot, but I didn’t think it would make her hair go back to normal. Then again, why does her hair change with her emotions?

Looking over at Sonata, I can’t help but smile a little. I’m glad she got comfortable enough to sleep around my friends. It’s nice to see her warming up to them. Her head leans against the wall. How exactly could she sleep with all the rumbling of the RV hitting her head?

I guess it doesn’t really matter. She needs to wake up now.

Reaching down into Pinkie Pie’s bag, I pull out a bag of crackers. It’s one of the many snacks that Pinkie Pie keeps on hand at all times. She’s quite literally a human vending machine at this point. Opening the bag, I pull out a single cracker, snapping it in half.

“Huh?” Sonata’s eyes open almost instantly, blinking a couple of times. Looking at me, Sonata seems confused for a second before noticing the cracker. “Oh, hi, Adagio! Can I have some of those?” she asks me politely, not disturbed at all that I woke her up. I knew that would work. Sonata’s always had an uncanny ability to wake up to the sound of crackers. She can sleep through the sound of the ocean or a busy city, but as soon as she hears a cracker or a snack similar to it, she wakes up. Maybe it is because they’re like the shell of a taco.

“Only if you help wake up the others,” I tell her with a smirk, holding the bag in a teasing way. Sonata happily stands up and takes the bag from my hand, eating one before walking over to Pinkie Pie.

“Hey, Pinkie. Want a snack?” Sonata asks in a cheerful tone. For whatever reason, the curl in front of Pinkie’s forehead bounces a little. Pinkie Pie opens her eyes a little, yawning loudly enough to make Twilight groan. Twilight looks over at us with a tired stare. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, seems as awake as ever as soon as her yawn is over.

“Ooh, yummy!” Pinkie exclaims before taking one of the crackers. I guess she hasn’t noticed that they’re the same ones from her bag. I doubt she would mind either way. She has twenty other snacks in there.

“Time to get up?” Twilight asks me in a tired voice, pulling out her glasses from the protective case in her bag. I give her a small nod, offering my hand to help her up. Taking my hand, Twilight stands up from her seat, grabbing her purse. “I assume we’re at a hotel by now? Although, why is it daytime?” she asks me while staring at the blinds, confused by the time.

“I’m just as confused as you are. We’re going to be bringing our luggage to our hotel rooms before we go sightseeing. Go ahead and help out Rarity and Applejack, Twi,” I respond with a small nod, gesturing for the door. Twilight walks past us with blurry eyes. Sonata and Pinkie Pie follow after her. I find it impressive how Pinkie can seem so awake after just being asleep a minute ago…

“I promise we’ll be able to get a bagel, Shy,” Dash’s voice states as the door to the back opens. Rainbow Dash walks out with an arm wrapped around Fluttershy, the latter’s pink hair going in every which direction. There’s no way she slept for the full twenty-one hours of our ride. Right? Surely not. “Hey, Dagi. You’re almost done, huh?” Dash looks to her side, noticing Sunset still asleep close to the wall. Her face is towards the wall, away from everyone’s point of view. She isn’t the most comfortable sleeping around strangers… I’m guessing that she fell asleep like that because of Sonata. Hopefully she can get used to her soon. “Go ahead and wake her up. I’ll see you out there.” Dash gives me a smirk before walking towards the door. Fluttershy waves at me a little bit, still clearly trying to wake up. Of course they’d leave me to wake up Sunset…

I doubt that I’m the person she would want to be there in her waking moments. Taking a deep breath, I sigh heavily to myself, wondering what kind of reaction I will get. Will she get angry at me? I have no idea… Sitting next to her, I can hear her calm breathing. In times like these, I honestly wish I knew if she is dreaming or not.

“Sunset?” Placing my hand on her shoulder, I try to shake her as carefully as I can. “It’s time to wake up.” Sunset doesn’t move at all besides her breathing. It’s hard to disturb her… All I want to do is let her sleep as long as she wants.

Not to mention how she might react to me waking her… Shaking her shoulder again, she doesn’t wake up. Instead, her head turns to face the ceiling. Seeing her sleeping face is… painful. She’s so peaceful. Serene. Beautiful…

“I’m sorry.” The words come out of my mouth as a whisper before I can stop them. “I miss you so… so much. Out of everything in this world, I never thought I’d need you. But…” Looking towards the ceiling, I try to hold back. Nothing I’m saying makes sense… “But I know you want me to be out of your life… I promise I will respect that once we get done with this trip.” I can feel that same urge again. The urge to cry. Or to scream. Just because my life is spiraling out of control doesn’t mean I have to make hers anymore confusing… Gazing at her face, I try to smile the best I can. “Naytra ven tru, ardo tru nao…”

Taking a deep breath, I look away from her, trying to muster up the strength to wake her up. Before I can say anything, something presses against my shoulder. Looking over, I see Sunset’s head leaning against me, still fast asleep. I… This embrace is nice…

“Come on, Sunset. It’s time to wake up.”

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

“Alright, everyone! Listen up,” Rarity addresses us louder than she probably needs to. Everyone in the hotel lobby looks at her, making her blush for a second. “I apologize. Anyway, I trust that everyone is rested and looking forward to the rest of our day. We have a lot of sightseeing to do after all.” Even though Applejack would typically be the person who tells everyone what to do, Rarity is the one taking over that role today. I’m glad Applejack took my advice to go to sleep. She needs it. “Due to some suggestions from Rainbow Dash, I think we should go in groups of two. We all want to see different things here, but we need to decide who will stick with each other.”

“Groups of two? That’ll be a lot slower,” Dash mentions with a slightly annoyed tone. “Eh, fine. Yo, Shy? Wanna be my teammate?” Dash asks her with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy looks up, surprised.

“Sure. As long as we can go see the Bayou Bend. I would love to see the garden and art~” Fluttershy almost looks like she’s imagining the sights as she says those words. I can’t exactly say I’ve heard of the place before, but if it makes Fluttershy excited, I’m sure it is worth it.

“Of course. I want to take pictures of all kinds of stuff after all,” Dash reassures her with a thumbs up.

“Ooh! I pick Sonata!” Pinkie exclaims with a smile, but her look of joy turns to conflict when she looks over at me. “Unless you or Sonata want to go with each other?” Sonata’s expression looks pretty happy that somebody picked her, but she keeps to herself in case I want to go with her. This is probably a good opportunity for her to get to know Pinkie more… Even though they talked for the majority of the trip here.

“No, you two can go together. I don’t mind,” I respond with a small wave of my hand, trying to reassure Pinkie. Sonata and Pinkie share a smile with each other before whispering something. Why do I feel like I already know the kinds of places they will explore?

“I wouldn’t mind going with you, Rarity,” Twilight says with a confident tone. “I’m actually pretty excited since I thought you and I could go to the Galleria.”

“That sounds like a splendid idea~ Although, I suppose that leaves Sunset and Adagio together…” Rarity turns to look at me, her gaze switching between the two of us. Sunset puts her phone away before looking up at Rarity, smiling.

“It’s alright, Rarity. We’ll be fine.” Sunset holds up her hand to try and gesture for Rarity to not worry about it. Honestly, I’m surprised Sunset is alright with this. I figured she would want to explore with anyone else, considering what she said to me last night.

Can’t really trust me, after all…

“Are you quite sure?” Rarity asks, seemingly conflicted with this arrangement. She’s not the only one…

“We’ll be okay. Don’t worry,” Sunset quickly responds, giving a nod with her answer. “I’m sure everyone is eager to go. We can all meet back here by the afternoon.”

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

Sam Houston Park. It’s not exactly that different from other parks other than its sheer size. Canterlot City has a park that is almost this big, but not the exact same size. Sunset seems to enjoy the fresh air. We’ve already seen the historical buildings in the park, but now we’re just walking around. I guess I can understand why Sunset likes it. In a way, it’s peaceful. The wind blows through her hair as we walk. If only my eyes could take a snapshot of this moment…

“Sonata seems like she’s enjoying her time with us,” Sunset mentions with a small smile. The sounds of people are sparse in the park, giving us a sense of pseudo privacy. “She talked with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash a lot last night.”

“About what?” I ask her quietly. I would be lying if I said I’m not curious. I spent most of my time in the front of the RV with Applejack, so it interests me to know what they talked about.

“Eh, random things. Their jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes. Sonata seemed pretty interested in Pinkie Pie’s party service. Of course, Rainbow Dash gloated about her ‘vast’ achievements in sports.” Sunset uses air quotes to emphasize her jab at Dash, making both of us laugh. It’s nice to hear her laugh and see her smile again… “Sonata also got pretty confused when Pinkie explained how her magic works.”

“How does it work?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow. Honestly, I remember how everyone else’s magic is used. Sunset can read memories and thoughts. Rarity can create diamonds. Applejack gets super strong and Rainbow Dash is super fast. Twilight can levitate objects and Fluttershy can talk to animals. The only one I don’t know at this point is Pinkie Pie.

“She explains it in a vague way, but basically Pinkie can blow anything up. Either in a big explosion or down to the molecular level. Testing that was a bitch, but Twilight finally figured it out. She can also essentially create anything from the pieces. That’s how she often pulls stuff out of her hair. She breaks down one strand and creates whatever she wants.” Sunset looks towards me and, from her nervous smile, seems to understand my confusion. “Believe me, it’s a weird ability.”

“Weird doesn’t even define it,” I state in a low whisper, looking towards the ground. “That’s… godly power. Being able to create and destroy anything? Why the hell did the universe decide to give it to Pinkie?” That kind of power is… I can’t even imagine why it exists in this world. Creating something with magic is hard, but creating anything she wants? She could create keys to any door. Any kind of weapon. Instead, she uses it to be the most effective baker and party planner in the world.

Maybe the people in this world should count themselves lucky…

“I have no idea, but Pinkie Pie uses it for good, thankfully.” Sunset laughs at the cruel fate the universe assigned to Pinkie, giving her the ability to pass righteous judgment on any mortal she deems unfit for this world.

It is pretty comical in a way.

Sunset stops in the middle of the sidewalk, looking at a hill of grass. Skyscrapers overlook the park, making this sight simply divine. Only the sound of the wind and trees accompanies the landscape in front of us. Sunset’s expression tells me she enjoys this even more than I do.

“It’s nice to try and relax after the drama in Las Vegas,” Sunset whispers, keeping her gaze glued in front of us. I can’t agree more…

“You want a picture?” I ask her, pulling my phone out. Sunset steps away from me as if she’s trying to give me full access to the scenery. “That’s… not what I meant. I wanted to know if you wanted your picture taken.” Sunset raises her eyebrow at my request, hesitant to answer or move. I guess she doesn’t even trust me when it comes to my motives for a picture. “You deserve some good memories of this trip, Sunset. Not only the memories surrounding me…”

Sunset opens her mouth as if she wants to object, but nothing comes out. Probably because she understands that I’m right here. She won’t be able to take trips like this every day. She should enjoy some of her time here instead of thinking about my drama all the time.

“That’s really kind of you, Adagio,” Sunset responds with a conflicted tone. Regardless, she walks forward, standing in front of the beautiful landscape. The sun bounces off her skin, making her hair shine as well. She gives me one of her best smiles just as the wind blows her hair to the right.

The shutter effect takes over my screen, but before long, the photo appears. It’s almost as beautiful as the real sight in front of me. Of course, my phone can never hope to be as accurate as the naked eye. Motioning to her, Sunset walks forward, looking down at my phone’s screen.

“That’s great~ Thanks for the suggestion,” Sunset sighs happily at the picture, taking my phone into her hand. “Go on. It’s your turn.”

My turn…?

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

“Okay, so now that you know of how draining this can be, are you ready, Pinkie?” Twilight’s warnings of this process don’t go unnoticed. Even though both Sunset and Twilight have told her to be careful and not to stand up during this, Pinkie doesn’t seem the least bit worried. I’m honestly glad. Draining her magic wasn’t something I was looking forward to, but it has to be done. Might as well do it today, right?

“I was born ready!” Pinkie exclaims with the biggest smile before putting a lollipop into her mouth. She is sitting on the bed to try and limit the amount of dangers. We don’t want her falling on the ground after all. Sunset sits next to me on the opposite side of Pinkie’s hotel room, facing the pink party machine. Twilight, on the other hand, sits in-between us with the few red gem fragments laid out in front of her. Only three small pieces remain disconnected from the larger whole. Funny… Three is the exact number of people I have left to drain magic from. The universe sure loves irony.

“Tell us if you need to stop, okay?” Sunset tries to explain to Pinkie. “I promise this doesn’t hurt, but you need to tell us if you feel like you’re going to pass out.”

“I won’t pass out, silly! I stay conscious when I’m shot from a party canon. I can handle a little drowsiness,” Pinkie tells us with a smile before nodding to Twilight. “Hit it, Twi Twi!” I can’t say I’ve heard that one before… Twi Twi. That’s one unique nickname. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since it came from Pinkie of all people.

Twilight takes a deep breath before a purple aura envelopes the pieces of my gem. One by one, she presses them together until a sharp shock reverberates through my body. The magic almost feels like electricity, overcharging my cells. I hate to admit it, but I love the feeling. Magic isn’t the key to satisfaction in life…

But it does feel good.

“Alright, Pinkie. This will feel a little… off,” I whisper, taking a deep breath. A low hum reverberates in my throat, making a green cloud of magic surround me. Almost like some trepidatious animal, my magic moves forward slowly, finally grabbing at Pinkie’s necklace.

“Ooh, that tickles!” Pinkie giggles at the feeling, enjoying this as if it is some sort of amusement park ride. As fun as that sounds, this is far more serious. I wish I could be riding some Ferris wheel instead of draining her magic. It’s not exactly fun to watch each one of them almost collapse from this. The only fun part about this is how the magic feels in my veins.

Ow! What the…

That was way more juice than I expected… Usually, when a powerful surge goes through my body, it’s as if I drank twenty energy drinks at once, but this one was slightly different. This surge was almost like an electric shock hitting every nerve.

Fuck! Why the hell? There it was again…

“Hold on, Twilight. Wait,” I tell her with a hesitant breath, bringing my hand up. Something here isn’t right… It feels wrong.

“I thought Pinkie was the one we were worried about,” Twilight responds with an almost teasing tone until she turns to look at me. Her expression changes to one of concern.

My upper lip feels warm. And wet… I can’t help but feel dizzy. I try my best to feel my nose. On my fingers, all I see is a deep red…

“G-give me a minute.” Grabbing onto the chair, I try to stand up. I can barely tell left from right. My breathing is out of control. What the fuck is happening.

I can’t feel my legs under me.

Why is it so hard to think?

I…

Opening my eyes, I can barely concentrate. When my vision finally focuses again, I see Sunset above me. She’s… She’s holding me above the ground, a worried look in her eyes. She caught me. Did I just faint?

“Don’t do that,” Sunset whispers with bated breath, clearly wanting to say more, but unsure of what.

“Don’t do what?” I can barely ask. My head is still spinning a hundred miles per hour. However, I can still see the concern in her eyes. Sunset’s worried about me…? Why does that make me feel happy? Sunset opens her mouth, but nothing follows. Instead, she stares into my eyes for a few seconds, thinking of the words.

“Don’t scare me…”

Comments

[Nell Joestar]

It's always a pleasure to help

[Eddy13]

Hmm, perhaps getting Sunset back isn't as hopeless as Adagio believes.

Also, do I see some shiptease between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?

[Spyder27]

11794518

[Daybreaker218]

Never fail to impress, do you?

[Spyder27]

11794643
You like the chapter that much? Thank you so much for the compliment~ It warms my heart

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Huh… Rarity talked with her. That’s really surprising. She said she’d only forgive me if I gave a genuine apology to Applejack, yet she’s helping me here. Maybe she was just teasing me. I wouldn’t be surprised when it comes to Rarity.

Maybe.

Standing up from my seat, I look at my phone’s clock. It has been a full twenty-one hours since we left Las Vegas… Applejack seriously shouldn’t have stayed up this long. I guess I should be happy we aren’t dead. I know I have a history of overestimating my own abilities, but still. I didn’t expect Applejack to stay up the whole night just to get us to Houston, Texas.

At least they have not much driving to deal with.

“That was corny as hell. I guess we should wake up the others while they’re gone,” Dash tells me with a small shake of her head, clearly finding this humorous. “I’ll handle Fluttershy first.” Dash stands up from her seat and, after a quick stretch, retreats into the back of the vehicle. It’s mostly quiet here except for the occasional snore from Pinkie Pie. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that Pinkie Pie’s hair is back to being curly. I know that she talked with Sonata a lot, but I didn’t think it would make her hair go back to normal. Then again, why does her hair change with her emotions?

Some things are best left unanswered.

“It’s alright, Rarity. We’ll be fine.” Sunset holds up her hand to try and gesture for Rarity to not worry about it. Honestly, I’m surprised Sunset is alright with this. I figured she would want to explore with anyone else, considering what she said to me last night.

Something tells me a talk about the future will be brought up. Since they're going to be out together.

“She explains it in a vague way, but basically Pinkie can blow anything up. Either in a big explosion or down to the molecular level. Testing that was a bitch, but Twilight finally figured it out. She can also essentially create anything from the pieces. That’s how she often pulls stuff out of her hair. She breaks down one strand and creates whatever she wants.” Sunset looks towards me and, from her nervous smile, seems to understand my confusion. “Believe me, it’s a weird ability.”

Uh huh...

“Weird doesn’t even define it,” I state in a low whisper, looking towards the ground. “That’s… godly power. Being able to create and destroy anything? Why the hell did the universe decide to give it to Pinkie?” That kind of power is… I can’t even imagine why it exists in this world. Creating something with magic is hard, but creating anything she wants? She could create keys to any door. Any kind of weapon. Instead, she uses it to be the most effective baker and party planner in the world.

Who knows.

[Blood Rarity]