Two ex-villains share some coffee and forge a friendship that might just be more than it seems. Meanwhile someone else is working on something that may just succeed where Adagio failed.
Sunset Shimmer just wanted a coffee. Honestly, that was it. Finding Adagio there? Not in the plans. Being invited to sit? Improbable. Becoming friends? You had to be kidding.
Getting asked to do it again?
Okay, now fate was just screwing with her.
[set post EG, RR, and the comic. All those happened junior year, and this is senior year.]
It was a cold, crisp morning in Canterlot. The opposite of a cliche setting for a horror story, though Sunset Shimmer seemed to have found herself in the middle of one. All she had wanted to do was stop by Sugar Cube Corner, get a coffee, and leave. That was it.
But, of course, that's not what happened, and she found herself face-to-face with the leader of the sirens, a group of exiled girls who had tried to overtake the school and, ultimately, the world. The similarity between her and Adagio was not unnoticed, but that didn't stop Sunset from fearing for her life (or at least her sanity.)
"What are you doing here?" She tried to keep her tone calm, though a bit of disgust seeped through. She wasn't trying to be stand-off-ish, but the sirens hadn't been seen in the week since the battle. She had no idea what this girl's intention were and--
Wait, weren't there three of them?
"Drinking coffee." The orange-haired girl said dryly, bringing her steaming cup to her lips and taking a sip.
"Oh. Right." Sunset blushed and shifted on her feet. Adagio gave her a strange look before motioning with her drink to the seat across from her.
"Care to join me?"
At first believing it to be an offer made only out of politeness, Sunset declined. Adagio's face, however, made it clear that it wasn't a choice. So she sat.
"How have you been?" Sunset winced at her own words.
"Oh, you know, besides living on the streets and being unable to keep a job, we've been peachy."
"Right... Where are the others?"
Adagio sighed, leaning back and taking another sip of her coffee. "Sonata got a job at Taco Hell--oh, I mean Bell... And I only see Aria in the early morning. I honestly don't know what she's up to."
Sunset wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she took a sip of her own drink. It was strange to see Adagio like this. She still seemed angry, but now she had an undertone of... Sadness. Like she was angry without someone to actually be angry at.
Or maybe she's angry at herself. Sunset suddenly felt empathetic. Of course, she knew exactly the situation Adagio was in. The failed plans, the lost feeling that came after the defeat, she even knew what it was like to be hit with the magic of friendship. She suddenly saw herself in Adagio's place--the place she had been in a month before.
Had it really only been a month? It felt like so much longer to her. She had changed so much in such a short period of time that many people claimed she was a different person altogether.
Sunset understood all of this, but she was unsure how to tell the siren. Tentatively, she tried to start a conversation.
"We looked for you guys. After the concert. We wanted to see if you were okay."
"We ran." Adagio set her cup on the table, looking up at Sunset, "We went back to the apartment we had, gathered our things, and left. We had only been staying there because we had the landlord, Filthy Rich, under out spell. Without our charms..." She passed a hand over her neck, which Sunset now noticed was bare. "Well, Filthy didn't want us there anymore."
She was quiet for a moment before she continued, "Dropping out of school was the dangerous part. Without a way to excuse ourselves, and with no magic... The law could come after us. The last thing we want is to be put in foster care--we're over a thousand years old--but if we're caught..."
The sigh that came from Adagio made Sunset's heart break. She herself was only going to school because CHS had a 'Homeless and Runaways' policy that made it possible for students to attend without having a registered home. This gave Sunset free breakfasts and lunches, and she didn't have to worry about renting an apartment to stay in school.
Her friends didn't know about this situation. She lied to them the first time they asked, said she had a crappy apartment but it was okay. They probably caught onto her lie fairly quickly, since an offer for a sleep over made her a bit too excited. Homeless shelters didn't like parent-less youth. Parent-less, teen aged, bossy, lesbian Sunset had practically no chance.
More things her friends didn't need to know about.
"Y'know, CHS has a policy for homeless kids. If you tell them upfront that you live in one of the shelters around here, they just give you some paperwork to do. You'd have to go to school again, but you won't get in trouble for truancy."
Adagio's eyes widened as she considered this. "I didn't know that. That's a pretty good idea, though."
Sunset smiled at the slight praise. The fact that Adagio was being peaceable was strange, but not unwelcome.
"I wouldn't recommend actually staying at the homes around here, though. Bunch of cranky people."
"Oh, I knew that." Adagio rolled her eyes, "We tried one of them once. But then Aria went and blabbed about the girl she was dating at the time, and we were kicked out like," --She snapped her fingers-- "That!"
Sunset winced, "Yeah, that's what I meant. They want to help, but only people whose lifestyles they approve of..."
"Hypocrites." Adagio snorted, and Sunset could imagine a siren sitting in the place of the girl in front of her. "Aria felt guilty after that one, but we assured her it was their fault."
Sunset shook her head. "Humans are so weird." She went to take another sip of her drink, only to find it empty. She sighed and looked up at the girl across from her, only to find Adagio staring back. They stared into each others eyes for a few seconds, and Sunset couldn't help but be captivated by Adagio's beautifully pink eyes. Little did she know, the siren was equally captivated by Sunset's blue eyes.
They both looked away at the same moment, heat rising to their cheeks. Wait, what? Both girls thought, I... I can't like her!
"So," Adagio cleared her throat, "Where are your friends?"
"Oh, uh," Sunset gulped, "They went to the mall today. I didn't feel like shopping."
Adagio nodded in understanding, "Yeah, Sonata tries to drag me and Aria around all the time, but we have... Different interests."
"You three all seem so different." Sunset commented, "How do you get along?"
"Years of being together." Adagio said simply. "We've learned to compromise. They may be idiots, but they're the only friends I have."
Sunset nodded, smiling a bit as Adagio sounded once again like the bossy girl that had tried to tear her and her friends down. It was strange, but Sunset liked that Adagio. Confident, in charge, bossy...
She frowned slightly. Sure, the plan was to rehabilitate the sirens, but... Falling in love with one?
"So your friends left you alone to deal with big bad me?" Adagio smirked.
"Well, to be fair, I don't think anyone expected you to be here." Sunset shrugged.
"Hmm, all the same, I think I like you better alone." Okay, Adagio had to be flirting--right?
"O-oh really?" Sunset raised a brow, "And why's that?"
Adagio shrugged, "I like talking to you one on one. You're kinda cute."
Error, can not compute. Sunset's face flushed as her brain tried to comprehend what was going on. Was Adagio really flirting with her? Why? Some kind of prank? Revenge? Ughhh...
"Wish I could say the same to you, but 'cute' is far from the first thing that comes to mind."
"Oh?" Adagio looked confused and offended, "And what does come to mind?"
"Gorgeous." Sunset almost slapped herself. Really? She gulped, Well, I suppose this game was meant for two...
Adagio leaned forward, leaning on the table. A smug smile crossed her face and her eyes lit up; Sunset had her attention. "Anything else?"
The way to her heart is through her ego. Sunset barely had time to process the fact that she had just switched into full-on flirting mode before she opened her mouth again. "Confident. Sexy. That wild hair is pretty cool." She kept her tone nonchalant, and she narrowed her eyes a bit.
"You're too cute."
"You already said cute."
"Fine then, you're adorable. Beautiful. If only a bit naive."
Sunset shrugged. Naive was not the worst thing she had been called, especially not by this particular girl. With a smile she said, "Are you an interior decorator? Because when I saw you, the entire room became beautiful."
Adagio threw her head back as a surprise laugh seized her. "You do not want to do this!"
"Oh, but I do."
"I was feeling a little off today, but you definitely turned me on."
Sunset blushed, "I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?"
"You look cold. Want to use me as a blanket?" Adagio's eyebrows wiggled to punctuate this line.
Sunset fluttered her eye lashes. "You're so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line."
"I'm not staring at your boobs. I'm staring at your heart." Sunset raised a hand to her chest self consciously while Adagio grinned.
"You shouldn't wear makeup. It's messing with perfection!" At this point Sunset glanced over and saw people staring at them from other tables. This was getting weird...
"If being sexy was a crime, you'd be guilty as charged." Adagio noticed the other people as well, but her main focus was the blushing girl in front of her.
"There isn't a word in the dictionary for how good you look."
"Do you work at Dick's? Cause you're sporting the goods."
Both of them looked at each other for a moment before laughing out loud. Adagio was bright red, unable to believe she said it. Sunset was bright red, unable to believe it was directed at her.
"This is insane." Sunset whispered, leaning her elbows on the table and resting her head in her hands. Adagio crossed her arms and set them on the table as well.
"This turned out better than expected."
"You meant for this to happen?"
"Well, hitting on you wasn't an accident."
"Good point." They made eye contact again, and they both blushed a bit as they shared a smile. Sunset thought, I could get used to this Adagio... She shook her head before glancing out the window. She paled as she recognized several people, looking in the window... Right at her and Adagio.
"Crap." She leaned back away from the siren, fiddling with her hair. Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack were not people she wanted to talk to about this... At least, not at the moment.
"Well, that's awkward." Sunset looked up with wide eyes as Adagio saw them, too. They seemed shocked, and Rainbow and Applejack began to argue about something while pointing at them.
"Well, I think we should cut this meeting short." Sunset sighed.
"Mh. Want to meet here at lunch tomorrow?"
Sunset considered this. "Like, what?"
"Like a date, duh." The siren rolled her eyes "I didn't waste all of my pickup lines in one day for nothing."
Sunset grinned. "Alright. It's a date." She glanced outside, "If I survive that long."
"Good luck."
They parted ways after that, Sunset heading towards her friends and Adagio getting more coffee. Sunset considered pretending she hadn't seen her friends, but that wouldn't work out in the long run.
Thank God the Fates have a sense of humor. What would my life be like without it?
As Sunset Shimmer walked out of Sugar Cube Corner she was greeted by the angry face of Rainbow Dash.
"And just what was that?" The tomboy demanded, pointing towards the shop, "Were you talking to Adagio?!"
"Looked to be more than talkin' goin' on." Applejack raised a brow and crossed her arms.
"Wh-what?" Sunset asked nervously, "The plan was to talk to the sirens, remember? After the battle, we were going to talk to them!"
"Yeah, but they bailed. I thought we agreed to just let them flee with their tails between their legs!" Rainbow narrowed her eyes, a smirk forming. "But I guess one of them wanted you between--"
Sunset reacted quickly to the jab, pushing Rainbow backwards and into a wall. Her hands formed a death grip on the collar of Rainbow's jacket, successfully pinning her to the wall. Her shoulders tense and her lips curled back in a growl, Sunset said "I dare you to finish that sentence."
"H-hey," Rainbow chuckled, "I was just kidding!" Her eyes flicked back to the other two girls for help. Rarity seemed unwilling to get involved, and Applejack was unsure who to yell at.
"Alright, both of y'all calm down." Applejack, with a strength Sunset didn't expect, placed a hand on Sunset's shoulder and pulled her away from Rainbow.
"Indeed. No need to make a scene." Rarity glanced around them. "Perhaps this conversation would be better at Carousel Boutique?"
Sunset scowled once more at Rainbow before relenting. She knew full well she wasn't getting out of this one easily, and she could hardly blame Rainbow for it. So they began walking towards Rarity's store. It was a small store that sold what Rarity called 'Upcycled fashion' or, older clothes that the fashionista modified.
Sunset crossed her arms as she walked, wondering how to convince her friends to try and help the sirens again. After they had fled, her friends had been irritated. They wanted to help, but it was obvious the sirens would have none of it. Rainbow had been the angriest about this, and had immediately turned her back on the sirens. The others had similar yet calmer reactions.
Sunset never gave up.
It was probably because she had been in the sirens' place, but she just couldn't give up on them. They could have outright told her they didn't want her friendship and yet she would have persisted. While she hadn't been vocal about her opinion, the others could tell she wasn't about to give up. Since the sirens seemed to have fled, though, they didn't see a point in trying to change her opinion.
Now, however, it was obvious she was going to... erm... help the sirens (or at the very least, Adagio) so her friends kind of had to be involved.
The bell above the boutique's door jingled as they walked in, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Why were you flirting with Adagio?" Rainbow, blunt as ever, demanded.
"I wasn't flirting." Sunset pouted, a blush on her face. It was a flimsy argument, however, and the other girls knew it. Rainbow and Applejack exchanged a glance while Rarity sent her an embarrassed look.
"Darling, there's nothing wrong with you liking a girl..."
"I wasn't!" Sunset groaned in annoyance, covering her burning face with her hands. "I didn't know she would be there! I just wanted coffee!"
"A likely story." Rainbow snickered. Sunset didn't have the heart to glare.
"What did y'all talk about?"
"Their living situation, and about them coming back to school." Sunset sighed, sitting down in a chair behind the front desk. Her friends gathered around her, all wearing varying looks of support (with Applejack being sympathetic, Rarity feeling a bit uncomfortable but wanting to support her friend, and Rainbow... Well, Sunset wasn't going to live this one down.)
"Are they coming back?" Rarity asked curiously.
"They might be. They're afraid of getting caught by the truancy officers, and since they don't have magic they'd just be treated like runaways."
"That's dreadful."
"Sounds plum awful."
"It's their own fault."
The three all glared at Rainbow's rude remark. "What? It is!"
"How did that lead to flirtin', anyways?" Applejack raised a brow.
"I don't know... I think she called me cute or something and I got carried away..."
"I'd say."
Rainbow got a pen thrown at her.
"Y'all seem ta be from similar situations, too. Betcha got a lot in common."
"We do... That doesn't mean I like her!" Sunset cried indignantly, more to herself than the others. She barely knew the girl! She couldn't be falling for her, could she?
"Whatever you say..." Applejack didn't believe her, that was for sure.
"Is there anyway we can help them?" Rarity cut in, "I mean, you needed our help. Do they need it?"
"They probably will. It's just a matter of getting them to accept the help." Sunset rubbed her temples as she started to get a headache. This whole conversation was so uncomfortable, especially with Rarity giving her weird looks. Admittedly this was similar to her actual plan to come out; get a girlfriend and casually admit to being gay, but... The time, place, and person all seemed poor.
"Well, if they are coming back, we'd better help them. We all know how CHS is to students who try and brainwash the school." Rainbow joked, now a bit calmer.
"Agreed." Rarity smiled, glad they were on the same page again.
"Eeyup."
"Mh-hm."
"Just remember," Rainbow crossed the floor and stood at the door, "Sunset has dibs on Adagio!" She was out the door before Sunset could throw another pen.
"You can't call dibs on a person." Sunset grumbled, crossing her arms. Applejack laughed, but Rarity nodded.
"It's quite un-ladylike to call 'dibs' on a person. It is rude and demeaning."
"Does a siren count in that?" Applejack asked curiously.
"I don't like her!" Sunset pulled at her hair as her friends giggled, "I just wanted coffee!"
Later that night, Adagio met up with Aria at their apartment. She had fewer problems than Sunset did.
"So, is that diva on our side yet?" Aria asked, her tone and face smug.
"She's getting there." Adagio chuckled, "I'm meeting her again tomorrow. If I can have another good conversation with her, she'll be putty in our hands." She leaned back on the dusty old couch she was sitting on. The abandoned apartment they were staying in had a few pieces of broken furniture, but it was better than nothing.
"Good." Aria closed her eyes, also leaning back. "Those Rainbooms are the worst. Hopefully we can turn Sunset Shimmer on them quickly, and get them out of the way. Then only that princess will be left."
"I have to admit," Adagio smiled at the purple girl, "Letting you finally be in charge has worked out, so far."
"Just wait." Aria stood, stretching and yawning, "This is only part of my plan. Once Sunset is with us... Things will change." Her eyes hardened, something Adagio almost commented on, but thought better of.
"I have dibs on her, though." Adagio smirked. Her heart sped up a bit, worried of her friend's response.
Aria gave her a strange look, but then shrugged. "Sure. Actually, that might help her stay with us. Good thinking."
"Hey, I always have a back-up plan." She didn't feel as confident as she sounded, but Aria grinned.
"Good night."
"Night."
Things already have changed. Adagio frowned as her heart thudded at the thought of betraying Sunset. And I don't think they're for the better...
She wondered if she could convince Aria to forget the plan. Maybe if she made friends with the Rainbooms, things would work out?
No, that was silly. Adagio shook her head. Aria wouldn't give up--not now that she was in charge.
But can I really turn Sunset against her friends?
She realized she had changed a lot since the battle. Being blasted with the power of friendship had a profound affect on a person. She suspected that it was more the depression of actually failing, though. Her life, as well as that of her friends, had gotten a lot more difficult. She had even, in the heat of the moment, given leadership to Aria. She had been so aggravated at her failure that she decided to let her friend try.
And Aria was a pretty good leader. Part of her was actually proud of the girl for how well she had been leading them thus far. That didn't mean that... Well, Adagio already had doubts about her plan. She wasn't in love with Sunset, but she had seen movies with similar plots. This spelled disaster for everyone involved.
Maybe for now I should ignore these emotions... She's only one person. I can manipulate her, turn her against her friends, and toss her into the trash. She'd done it before. Sunset was no different.
Something in her heart went crazy at that, but she ignored it. Sunset was no different. Sunset was trash.
The next morning Sunset woke up the the feeling of her phone vibrating under her pillow. It took her a moment to remember that she had gone to the Helping Hands shelter the night before, and that was why she had a pillow.
"Mmph. Hello?"
"Goodness, Darling! Are you not up yet? It's almost ten and you have a date at noon!"
"It's not a date." Sunset grumped as she sat up. The room she was in was empty, proof that it was in fact later in the morning.
"Yes, well, a 'get together,' then." Rarity corrected herself, "Anyways, Applejack says that you should try and talk the Dazzlings into coming to school again. We agree that it will be easier to keep an eye on them than way."
"Makes sense." Sunset, now more awake, was digging in her backpack for her tooth brush. She had to get in the shower before eleven at the latest, make sure she had money, try not to talk to anyone who might kick her out or steal her stuff...
"What are you going to wear?"
Oh. Right. Clothes... She groaned, My clothes are on the other side of town! There's no way I could get them in time! She hadn't brought all of her stuff with her to the shelter for a few reasons, the main one being her stuff tended to go 'missing.' She kept a few jackets and her valuables in her locker at school, and the rest of her clothes in a duffel bag at an abandoned fort in the woods near the school.
At the moment, she only had the clothes she had worn yesterday.
"Oh, don't worry about it, Dear!" Rarity heard her tone and assumed she just hadn't thought of it yet, "I can find an outfit for you! I'll throw one together right now."
"Are you sure?" Sunset hesitated. Was this the same Rarity as the day before? The one that made a face at the mention of Sunset liking a girl? What's going on?
"Certainly! I can come pick you up, if you want--"
"No, that's okay," Thinking quickly Sunset attempted to get off the phone before Rarity could ask about her address, or any other personal questions. "I'll meet you at the boutique in a bit, okay?"
"Suit yourself. Ttfn!"
Sunset rolled her eyes and proceeded to walk towards the showers, stuffing her phone in her pocket. After making sure no one was around, she began to get ready for the day.
"Come on in, Sunset, I found the perfect outfit." Sunset let Rarity drag her inside the boutique, wondering if somehow a changeling had snuck into the human world and replaced Rarity. The duo walked towards the back of the store, and Rarity opened what looked like a section of the wall, but was actually a door to another room.
Is she some kind of spy? Sunset wondered. She realized there were figures in the dimly-lit room. With a dramatic flair Rarity flipped a switch on the wall next to Sunset.
"Ta-da!" Sunset blinked as she came face-to-face with... herself? She gave Rarity a pointed look.
"Is that a manikin of me?"
"I have manikins of all of my friends, that way I can make outfits for them in my spare time."
Definitely a spy. "...When did you get my measurements?"
"That's unimportant. Your hair was the tricky part; to be honest I just don't understand the shape of it. Thankfully I was able to get it pretty close."
This is too creepy. Sunset cringed. Finally, however, she decided to look at the outfit on the manikin. The shirt was a short-sleeve, light blue one, close to her eye color. The pants were black with a white, vine-like line going up the left side. It was simple and not too fancy, exactly as she wanted.
"It's awesome." She grinned and looked at her friend.
"Oh, so glad you like it!" Rarity gushed. "One problem with it; I couldn't find anything close to your sun design, so the pants have this instead." She turned the manikin around and revealed that the back of the pants had a blue diamond on the back-left pocket.
"It's fine," Sunset waved her off, "I like that it's more like my eyes. Thank you." She said this sincerely, touched by her friend's dedication to the outfit.
"You're most welcome! Now hurry and change!" Rarity pushed the girl into a nearby changing room, the outfit following soon after. Sunset chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm and figured she had better hurry if she didn't want to be late for her date.
Like a date, duh.
Sunset had her own reasons for telling her friends it wasn't a date. Between their reactions to her talking to Adagio and Rarity's... Whatever, Sunset just didn't feel comfortable telling them. She felt bad, and she knew she should tell them, but something about it just... Didn't feel right.
"Rarity..." Sunset took a deep breath, "Why are you helping me so much? You didn't seem too enthusiastic yesterday."
There was a shuffling on the other side of the door, and Sunset imagined Rarity fiddling with her hair. "Oh, Darling, I just..." Rarity sighed, "I suppose my reaction yesterday was a bit off-putting, hm?"
Sunset didn't respond. Rarity began again, "And I apologize for that. I was... Caught off-guard. At the idea of you and Adagio. And, well, you and a girl. But I meant what I said, when I said there was nothing wrong with you liking a girl." She sounded sincere, and Sunset blushed. "I'm more worried that she might try something to hurt you."
"I guess I just took it... Kind of personally. Back in Equestria, ponies don't care about those kinds of things. Well, I'm sure some do, but it's not like here. Where people hate each other for being gay." Sunset adjusted her jacket and opened the door. Rarity stood on the other side, a frown on her face.
"That must have been horrible. Moving to a society with such extremely different views."
"It's terrifying." Sunset looked away, not making eye contact, "It's one of the reasons I dated Flash. To hide the fact that I'm... Different."
"But being different isn't a bad thing." Rarity put a hand on her shoulder and frowned when Sunset wouldn't look at her. "Sunset, we're your friends. We don't care who you like, so long as you're happy."
"I know." Sunset whispered, "But it's been me versus this world for so long. I learned three years ago that differences are weaknesses. This world is cruel, and there aren't any monsters, or demons, or Gods of chaos to blame it on."
Rarity was shocked into silence for a moment. After realizing she had no response, she wrapped her arms around Sunset's shoulders. "I'm sorry."
Sunset leaned into the embrace. "It's not your fault."
"It doesn't have to be my fault for me to feel sorry that it happened."
"Thank you, Rarity."
"Of course. And please be careful with Adagio. We have no way of knowing if her intentions are truly good, and I don't want to see you get hurt. Whether it's a date or not."
Sunset blushed again. She realized she couldn't keep it from Rarity anymore. She had told her so much already."... Actually, the thing with Adagio is supposed to be a date. But I don't know how I feel about it yet, so I don't want the others to know."
"My lips are sealed."
"Your lipstick is messed up." Aria snickered at the panicked look on Adagio's face at the comment. The purple siren had never seen Adagio so nervous about something before, and she sure as hell wasn't about to let the opportunity to mess with her go by.
"What? No it's not! Stop messing with me!" Adagio scowled at her fellow siren, "Next time you have a date, I'll be sure and hide all of your things."
"At least I don't panic." Aria smirked. She was sprawled on the couch, as dusty and dirty as it was, and she was enjoying the sense of power she had over Adagio. "You act like you've never gone on a date before."
"I haven't in about twenty years!" Adagio pointed out with a growl, "It's practically a different event altogether now!"
"Well, it's not my fault." Aria countered dryly, "I was wondering why you never seemed interested in your past... Endeavors. Poor Dagi has been in the closet all this time."
"Don't you even start!" Adagio scowled, taking a menacing step closed to Aria. "I found the chest binder under the bed. I'm not the only one hiding things."
Aria sputtered and sat up swiftly, "What?! Th-that's-" Her face paled as she attempted to explain herself, before giving up and sneering, "That's irrelevant. Just don't forget the real purpose of your date. Don't let her go converting you to the light side."
"I know what I'm doing." Adagio said in a low voice, "It's just another seduction. I can do it."
"I don't doubt that you can." Aria paused, "Now that I think about it, I thought you liked that blue girl with the white hair."
"Miss Talkes-In-Third-Person? No, thanks."
Aria snickered. There was a moment of silence between them. Aria thought she had got away with changing the subject, but Adagio hadn't given up yet.
"...so..." Adagio smirked, "What's with the binder?"
"I told you, it's nothing." Adagio didn't miss the way Aria's face went red, or the way the other girl gripped her left sleeve in her right hand, like she often did when she was nervous or upset.
"Mh-hm. So I guess, if it's nothing, we could just throw it out?"
"No!" Aria realized she had fallen into a trap, and stood up swiftly. "It's none of your business what it is, so just drop it!"
Only when Aria left the room did Adagio wonder if she had upset her friend.
She deserved it, for giving me a hard time. Adagio figured as she sat on the couch.
Thoughts of Aria aside, her mind turned to Sunset Shimmer. Or, more importantly, the date. Adagio knew the purpose of the date was to convince Sunset that she was good, and then from there convince her that they were better off being bad. Aria had come up with it, figuring that since Sunset was a reformed villain herself, all they had to do was get back in touch with her more devious side.
But getting her to be a bad girl again and getting her to help them were two different things. Sunset had said she wanted to help, but what about getting their magic back? What will it take to get her to help us? She wondered, Saying please? More dates? Sex? All were reasonable forms of bribery for the situation at hand, but Adagio wondered if they were enough.
Glancing at her watch, a hideous pink thing with a fairy on the face, Adagio decided she would have to think on her feet.
Adagio got to Sugar Cube Corner first. She sat in the seat she had the day before and kept a look out for her date. Doubts about Aria's plan once again filled her mind as she wondered if getting their powers back was really for the best.
We abused our magic, she thought to herself, And even with it, the Rainbooms wouldn't let us take over the world. She didn't want to give up years of hard work, but at the same time she knew she was fighting a losing battle. This world had no magic of its own, and thusly no magic for them to take advantage of. If they had been in Equestria it would have been different...
But at that point, Adagio was done. Not only had her plans failed, but Aria was in charge. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the reason I don't want to take over the world is because now Aria is the leader and she wants to. This made her pause for a second before she frowned, Am I really this difficult, or is this a natural response to having someone who is basically a younger sibling to you be in charge?
"Upset already? And I thought we'd at least get through lunch." Sunset Shimmer's voice made her snap her head up. She smiled at the other girl as Sunset sat across from her.
"No, I was just thinking. It's... Good, to see you again, Sunset." Adagio's heart sped up as Sunset smiled at her, and if she weren't so lost in Sunset's baby blue eyes she might have remembered this was a plot, not a date.
As any good leader knew, she knew that if one plan didn't work, there should always be a back up. She had a back up plan for the Rainbooms winning, but not for them destroying the gems. Now, she needed a back-up plan for Sunset not falling for her, or believing her.
"It's nice to see you, too." Adagio noted the other girl's blush with a satisfied smirk. Maybe she didn't need that back-up plan...
"So did you talk to the others about going back to school?"
"I did. They aren't thrilled, but if it keeps us out of sight for a while I think they'll go for it."
Sunset nodded, understanding the situation, which made Adagio smile. The two sat in a some what awkward silence for a a few minutes before Sunset cleared her throat. "Don't suppose mindlessly flirting again would work, hm?"
"Flattery will get you anywhere." Adagio quipped, smiling in a seductive way. It had the affect she wanted; Sunset blushed and looked down momentarily.
"How can I know you're serious about this?" Adagio was caught off-guard at the raw emotion in Sunset's voice. She sounded hurt, and guarded, while at the same time being confident. It reminded Adagio of herself, and her heart thudded in her chest.
It was beautiful.
"About what?" Adagio asked nervously.
"About... Well, about any of this. How can I trust that you're really trying to be good? If I can't even trust you to be good, I can't... It just wouldn't make sense for me to trust you."
"The point of this isn't to hurt you." That much was very true. Adagio had no intentions of hurting the other girl. Sure, she would be stuck in the middle for a while, but surely once she was on their side she would see it was for the best, right? Just like Aria said.
"Then what is the point?"
If you lie, you better be able to keep up with it. But if you tell the truth, you better be able to deal with it.
"I really want to at least try to be a better person," Adagio started. She gazed down at the table and ran her finger along its surface. "You have to understand, though: I don't... Well, if I had a chance to do it again, I wouldn't change anything we did. We fed off negative energy; we needed it. It wasn't like we were doing it just because." She glanced up at Sunset, who had a neutral face. She wasn't buying it.
"Sunset... What happens to a changeling when it doesn't get love?"
"It dies." Sunset frowned, "But you're part human now. When I first got here I was afraid that my magic would go haywire because I couldn't dispel it; but it turns out my human body can't do so, so it's not a problem."
"Because you didn't have any kind of magical conductor." Adagio pointed out, "We did. We didn't have the excuse that we just didn't need it any more. We still had to feed, but then it was as both humans and sirens."
"But trying to take over the world? That's bad." Sunset winced at her own words.
"To an outsider's point of view, yes." Adagio huffed, losing patience, "But all we were doing was trying to survive. Sure, there were some perks that came with mind-control, I won't deny that, but what I was doing was feeding myself and my sisters. Making sure we survive. You've been homeless since you got here, right? You know how skimpy food can be. You've probably done--or considered doing--a lot of things you wouldn't normally do, just for food, right? That's not counting shelter, acceptance, or anything else."
Sunset was quiet. Adagio was completely right, and that killed her and gave her hope at the same time.
"So... Now that you don't have the pendants?"
"Now we're the same as you, more or less. Our needs are purely human. Should we ever go back to Equestria, it might be different. But for now..."
There was another awkward silence, and this time Adagio was the one to stop it. "But, y'know, hypothetically..." She trailed off and gave Sunset an unsure look. This could either go really well, or destroy her chances altogether. "What would be the best way to take over the world?" She raised a brow, smiled, and kept her tone light. She was only trying to make small talk, after all.
"Human video games always say you need to find some mythical beast and befriend it. That makes sense, in a way. If the beast is capable of, say, expanding land or drowning the world, then that sounds like a good reason for people to listen to you."
"The funny thing is, those creatures don't even exist in the human world. They just imagine them. So practically speaking, it's better to somehow convince people that you're doing the right thing. And if you do stuff for them while you're doing that, they'll follow you." Sunset added in her own opinion.
"That's a good idea, too." Adagio nodded, smiling. "There's always just plain terrifying people, too. If they even think you have power, they'll usually submit."
"But then you have to keep up the illusion of power." Sunset pointed out.
"Hm. Good point. So what's the best way, then?" Both girls thought deeply about this for a few moments. Each considered the other's opinions and ideas carefully.
"Hey," Adagio said slowly, "What about mind-control?" She leaned forward on her elbows.
Sunset's eyes widened and she mimicked Adagio's position without meaning to. "That's brilliant! No one talking back, loyalty, everyone does as you say..."
"But I've already tried that." They both said this at the same time, which made them laugh. They realized they were once again leaning towards each other, but this time they didn't move.
"I don't know much about you." Sunset murmured, her eyebrows furrowing.
"Ask away." Adagio whispered with an easy grin.
"...Are they really your sisters?"
Adagio didn't respond right away. While the three weren't related by blood, they were the only creatures of their kind. And they had been together for so long, it was hard for Adagio not to view them as some kind of kin.
"Not by blood, and Aria probably wouldn't be caught dead calling us so. But I think so."
"Now you can ask me a question."
"Why did you show up today?"
"I wanted to give you a chance." She didn't elaborate on what kind of chance, friendship or otherwise, and Adagio figured it didn't matter. "My friends want to give you guys a second chance, but they're scared. Not that I blame them, and I'm sure you don't either."
"Not at all."
"My turn again... Let's go with something simpler. What's your favorite color?"
Adagio looked Sunset in the eye and responded without hesitation, "Blue."
That was the right thing to say, if the blush on Sunset's face was any indication. Adagio thought she finally had an idea on how to get Sunset to go along with her plan, and if things kept going this well...
Aria admired himself in the mirror. His hair was tied back and hidden under a beanie, and his chest was perfectly flat. He looked amazing, or at least that's what he thought to himself. His interaction with Adagio earlier had caught him off guard, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Adagio got to go off and have a little girlfriend, and he got to screw around with gender.
Win-win.
He slipped out of the house and began casually strolling down the street. He smirked confidently as he walked.
Things are coming along nicely. He thought to himself, Adagio is preoccupied with Sunset, Sonata is working and out of our hair, and things are finally going my way. His smirk grew a little. It had been so easy to get Adagio out of the way. All he had to do was convince her she had an important part. And it wasn't technically a lie; she was responsible for keeping Sunset and the others busy. She just didn't know that was her job.
Sonata was clueless as ever, which worked just fine. She brought home money and was gone most of the day. Aria thought it was amazing.
He slowed as he reached his destination and sauntered inside. Getting their magic back was going to be easier than the other two thought... But he didn't have to tell them that. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure he was going to give them magic. It was obvious he was a better leader, so shouldn't he get all the magic? He could be powerful, and finally get revenge on the Rainbooms all by himself.
The shop was dimly lit and smelled oddly like... Pine and cinnamon? Man, these people try too hard. Aria grimaced at the overwhelming smells coming from the back of the shop. Lunar Moons, however, was the best-stocked magic shop in the area, and he found that most of their stuff actually worked. It was odd that a human store had working magic, and it was certainly something he would look into at a later time, but for the moment he just needed a few things.
His hands brushed the backs of dusty books and junk and he headed slowly further and further into the shop. Name after name passed in front of his eyes, but he couldn't find the one he needed. He huffed irritably. There was no system in this store, no way for him to look in a logical way.
"Need any help?" A bored voice behind him nearly made him jump. A pale blue girl with even paler hair and a bored expression stared at him. "Well? What are you looking for?"
"...Discordian Era texts." The shock of seeing someone from school made Aria stare back, but the other girl didn't seem to notice.
"They'd be in the back, with the Star Swirl things." She eyed Aria closer and said, "Wait, doesn't Trixie know you from somewhere?"
"No." Aria said simply as he turned and headed towards the back of the store. He wondered if he was allergic to incense, or if the smell was just that strong. Maybe if he was lucky the smell would suffocate him before Trixie realized who he was.
"Trixie is sure she's seen you around." The magician insisted as she followed him, "Do you go to Canterlot?"
"I did for a bit." He shrugged. The pile of books in the back of the room, simply labeled "Discordian" made him face-palm. Did these people even care?
"...What are you looking for? Perhaps Trixie could help you look." The look on her face told Aria that she still hadn't given up trying to think of who he was, but it would take him forever to search alone. With a reluctant sigh he told her the name of the book.
"That's... some serious magic." Trixie commented as she began to pick through the texts.
Aria didn't respond, but instead searched the other side of the pile. He needed one certain spell within the book, one of Star Swirl's own. Why it was supposed to be in Discordian things he didn't know, but he hoped that would make it easier to find.
"So... Trixie didn't catch your name." He grimaced as his mind raced. If he said Aria it would give away too much, and she might recognize him. But what else could he say?
"Blaze." Yeah, sure, that would work.
"Blaze..." Trixie said slowly. She still wondered where she had heard his name from, but Aria hoped she wouldn't connect the dots. At least not until he bought the--
"Found it!" He cheered. His voice broke a bit but he held the book in his hands and grinned. "Perfect! How much is it?"
Trixie shrugged, "Dunno, Mom never thought that one would sell. Twenty good, maybe?"
They made their way back to the front and Aria paid for the book. His heart raced in his chest as he stared at the book in his hands. His knuckles had gone white due to his grip on said book, and Trixie noticed.
"What exactly do you need that book for? It's some serious stuff, assuming you can pull it off."
Aria scoffed. "Of course I can do it. And it's none of your business."
"Ooh, mysterious huh? You must be a true magician."
"Pfft, sure, if you want to call it that. I prefer real magic, though."
"You'd be surprised." Something about Trixie's smile made him feel uneasy, but he shrugged it off.
"Yeah, yeah, you have a trick up your sleeve. Whatever." He sneered, and she returned the look.
"You're just a ray of sunshine. Trixie may have a few tricks up her sleeve, but it's better than having a stick up her--"
They both gagged and looked to the back of the room, where the stench of incense had become sour and thick. Trixie paused for a second before she rushed away, cursing, and Aria scoffed. He gagged a bit at the odor and quickly made his way to the door. At least he didn't have to excuse himself, and hopefully he wouldn't have to see the blue girl again.
Still, as he walked out, he had the oddest feeling that he had missed something. Like he had been tricked. But he couldn't imagine what had happened. Trixie had seemed honest, and he got his book...
He shrugged and walked away from the shop. It was just a human shop; he knew the human world had no real magic, and only the book he had had any connection to Equestria. Perhaps it was just the pull of the magic shop, real or not. He longed to have his magic back, perhaps that longing had projected onto the feel of the shop?
Yeah, that had to be it, he figured. And that Lulamoon girl creeped him out. Nothing out of the ordinary.
He glanced back once more at the shop as he turned the corner, and the feeling had gone. He smirked to himself again, and held the book closer to his chest. Adagio was right, there was nothing special about Trixie Lulamoon.
Adagio knocked loudly on her sister's bedroom door. The harsh banging revealed just how irritated the oldest siren had become in the short time since she woke up.
"Aria Blaze!" She nearly screeched, "Get your ass out of bed! School starts in twenty minutes and you are not staying home today!"
It had been only a week since there first date, and already Sunset had talked Adagio into going back to school, if only so they could see each other more often. While Adagio had completed high school several times in the past few years, she couldn't deny that 1) she wanted to see Sunset more and 2) it was better than staying at 'home' all day.
She had also spoken to Celestia about it, and the woman had promised that so long as they did not cause trouble, they could be enrolled at Canterlot High. Adagio knew Celestia thought she was doing the community some kind of service, keeping them confined, but she had lost the enlargement against it in the end.
One of the conditions, however, was that all of the sirens had to attend. Sonata had no problem (besides having to put in a week notice for a schedule change at work), but it was Aria that gave Adagio the real problem.
"'M not going! Go'way!"
"Nuh-uh! You said you would go, and frankly I don't care! I'm not about to let you shirk of and risk getting us in trouble. Again." Adagio crossed her arms and scowled at the door. When she heard sounds on the other side she smirked.
"Hey, you had several thousand years to screw up. Let me have this, at least." Aria sneered at Adagio as she opened the door. Surprisingly, she was already dressed.
"...Did you sleep in that? You know what, I don't care. We need to go." Adagio grabbed Aria's vest and pulled her down the hall. Aria protested and tried to push her away, but it was not use. She eventually gave up, and followed like an angry puppy.
Sonata stood by the door with a grin on her face. At least one of them was actually happy to go to school.
"The sooner we go, the sooner we get this over with." Adagio caught her jacket as Sonata threw it at her and finally released Aria. "Now come on."
"School is the worst." Aria grumbled, but she didn't outright try and stop from going. She knew that they had to be in school to keep the police from questioning them, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Or show up most of the time.
"You say that about everything, Ria!"
Aria only growled in response, and Adagio rolled her eyes as they walked out the door.
Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer sat in front of the statue outside of the school. She tried to look calm and nonchalant, but inside she was excited to see Adagio again. Their relationship hadn't grown much during the week since they met again, but they had grown a lot closer. Sunset still had her doubt, as did her friends, but she was growing more and more confident in her actions.
Her friends still worried about her, though. It was one thing to try and reform them as friends, and thankfully the others had agreed to try and help. But they were convinced that, eventually, Adagio would hurt Sunset in one way or another. And while Sunset appreciated the concern, it started to get on her nerves.
Sunset shifted her weight of her legs as they began to fall asleep. The last thing she needed was for her legs to give out when she stood. She glanced at her phone and saw there was only ten minutes until the bell rang, and something tugged at her gut.
What if Adagio was lying? She frowned at the thought. What if... What if this is just some kind of plan to stand me up? I didn't even let the others wait on me... Fear and embarrassment passed through Sunset as she considered the possibility.
"Seems like you're having a good morning, too." A familiar and snarky voice made her jump, and she looked up to see a rather frazzled Adagio Dazzle beside her.
"Adagio! I thought-" She stopped herself and stood quickly. "You're almost late to school."
"And you're gonna be late, too, if you don't hurry to class, young lady." Adagio winked. Sunset realized she had a point, and rolled her eyes.
"Come on, we better head inside. Where are the others?"
"I could ask the same about your group." Adagio countered, a brow raised. "Ashamed of me? You know I'm practically a goddess."
Sunset rolled her eyes and grinned as they began to walk towards the school. The few students left around them sent Adagio glares and fearful stares as they passed. There was some truth to Adagio's point. While her friends had began to tolerate the sirens, Sunset knew it would be awkward to re-introduce them to Adagio still.
"I told my friends to head on without me, just in case you were late." And so if you didn't show up it wouldn't be as embarrassing. Actually that last part hadn't been intended, but was still a good point.
They reached Sunset's locker, and Adagio leaned on the wall behind her as Sunset grabbed her things. She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "Aria and Sonata run faster than I do. 'S why I was late."
Sunset guffawed at that response, which earned her a slap on the shoulder. Adagio glared playfully and sneered, "You love me."
"You can't prove anything."
They shared a grin as other students watched on in amazement. Confusion and panic had already spread through the student body as they all realized even more ex-villains had started going to school at Canterlot. While they had grown to like Sunset (mostly) the sirens just seemed to be a bit much. When the warning bell rang everyone scrambled to get to class and carefully avoided Adagio and Sunset.
When the halls were almost clear, Adagio put an arm around Sunset.
"I've gotta go to the office. I'll see you later." Before Sunset could respond, Adagio placed a quick kiss on her cheek. She turned and walked away, and left a blushing and confused Sunset behind her.
Sunset jumped as someone cleared their voice behind her, and came face-to-face with with her friend Applejack.
"We need ta talk. Hope yer first class isn't too important."
Shock and confusion swept through Sunset as she watched Applejack motion for her to follow her. Applejack wasn't one to skip class, which meant something serious must have bothered her. With a feeling of dread in her gut, Sunset followed slowly behind Applejack as possible excuses for whatever she had done filled her mind. She figured it must have been something about Adagio, which made her angry and nervous.
She only glanced back at where Adagio had gone once.
She slouched in her seat as those around her stared at her. Her scowl made many look away, but not all of them.
It wasn't the staring that bothered her, though. It was the fact that she had to go to school As Aria, not Blaze. Ever since the incident with Trixie she had rather enjoyed the name she had given her masculine self, even if it was cheesy.
The main problem, however, was that Trixie attended that school. And it wouldn't be long before she realized who exactly Aria and Blaze were. Aria didn't think it would raise a fuss or anything, and she certainly could control Trixie. But the fact that she knew, while even Adagio and Sonata didn't, made her on edge.
Why am I even in school, anyways? She huffed, I've almost got that spell perfected, and then no one will bother me again. She allowed herself a small smile. She had confidence that things would go her way once she harnessed the limited magic in the human world.
But, for the time being, she was still stuck in high school with a diva who knew her secret.
Aria scowled at her desk and ignored everyone around her as she worked on a possible plan. She had her beanie with her, at least, so if she needed she could tuck her hair in. She didn't have her binder, but her vest hid her chest fairly well at least.
And Adagio kind of knew what was going on. She knew parts, at least. So if Aria had to disguise herself at least Adagio would only tease her, at worse. Sonata probably wouldn't react at all, which was a comforting thought.
She sighed to herself. Part of her was glad, in a way, that Trixie knew who Blaze was. She had never introduced herself as a boy to anyone, and it was a terrifying experience. But it had gone well with Trixie, something she never would have expected.
But there was still meeting her again. And if Trixie wanted an explanation...
The bell rang, and the class filed out into the halls. Aria pulled on her beanie and stuffed most of her hair in it before she joined the crowd of students.
Make it up as I go, I guess. She mused to herself. She had made up more important things on the spot, and she highly doubted anything Trixie could throw at her would really affect her in any way. Though she figured she was better safe than sorry.
Might be a good idea to get Adagio on my side for this one, though. She cringed slightly. At best, maybe Adagio could keep Trixie off her back should something go wrong. Of course, that meant telling Adagio more than she had originally planned about herself, and she wasn't sure if that was a good idea.
Though she hated to admit it, Adagio was very much like a big sister to the other two sirens. While Aria normally resented this, she just hoped that, this time at least, she could use it to her benefit.
Or it could all blow up in her face. Who knew.
Sunset was more than a bit surprised when Applejack led her to the music room. When they walked in she saw Rainbow, Rarity, and Fluttershy also in the room. She furrowed her brow and tilted her head.
"Okay, what's going on?"
"It's... about Adagio." Applejack sighed and sat on a chair. Rainbow sat on the ground and Rarity grabbed the chair next to Applejack's. Fluttershy and Sunset stayed standing.
"Really? Again?" Sunset visibly deflated. "This is like the fourth talk about this. What could you possibly say about her this time?" Her irritation spiked and she crossed her arms angrily.
Ever since their first date (Sunset reluctantly called it so; she didn't know what else she could call it) her friends had been supportive but doubtful. Any conversation about the Dazzlings led to talks about Adagio, and if Sunset was sure and safe and not being mind controlled.
They had good points. That was what made Sunset mad.
"We're just trying to look out for you." Rainbow said defensively.
Rarity nodded. "Indeed, Darling. We just don't want to see you hurt."
"We've had our... concerns about Adagio." Applejack said slowly. She looked deep in thought, and her brows furrowed together. "Concerns for you. But that doesn't mean we don't want to support you."
"The first time could be supportive. Maybe the second. But all you guys ever seem to talk to me about is how bad she is, and how awful a decision this is, and any other bad thing you can think of." Sunset practically snarled, which had surprised them. "You've never once asked if I was happy. It's always been about your concerns, how you can't trust her."
The others didn't respond, different levels of shock on their faces. Sunset took a deep, calming breath.
"I don't trust her completely, we've been over that. But I don't trust any of you completely, either." At their indignant protests she held up a hand.
"No, listen. I don't trust any of you completely, and I think you know why. I think it's why you're so quick to blame Adagio. You think she'll leave me like you did."
The silence that followed was thick, and none of her friends could look at her. The mere reference to Anon-A-Miss was enough to punish them, she knew full well, but she knew that would explain their motives. They didn't want to see her hurt again, and she respected that. Appreciated it. But there was a line, and they had crossed it.
"We saw how you reacted to being alone." Fluttershy whispered. She had already begun crying, of course, and Sunset cringed. "We saw how awful you felt, and we didn't want anyone else to do that."
"And Adagio..." Rarity looked up, apologetic, "Even without her magic she's a threat, certainly. But as your girlfriend, and someone that could hurt you... We didn't want to see it happen."
"She is a real threat, to some degree." Applejack said firmly.
Rainbow nodded. "But... You know how to handle yourself, I suppose..."
It was as close to an apology as Sunset would get, and she was okay with that. They would continue to snoop and protest, of course, but to a degree she couldn't blame them. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she was scared of Adagio, too. Their jump into a relationship made her on edge and uncertain, there was no denying.
But she also knew how Adagio felt. The crash from the high that is having power. The feeling of the Elements stripping you bare. The pure loneliness and self-hatred that came with a failed plan. Sunset ached as she thought about it, and thought about how Adagio felt. Sure, Adagio had her sisters, but she had been the leader. Her and Sunset understood each other on a deeper level than any of the others.
Maybe a relationship was too much. Sunset had already thought of that. But at the same time, it was the only thing she felt she could do. She knew what it was like to project feelings onto those that save you, no matter how that may be.
And at the beginning of the week, she never would have thought they would last. But as the week went on she had found she actually liked Adagio and she hoped that the feeling was returned.
"I just... Don't want to talk about this any more. I'm tired. If I need help, I can ask for it. Most of the time." She smiled, and the others offered weak smiles as well. "As of right now, nothing's wrong. That may change, of course, but you guys really don't need to tell me all of this over and over again. I got it."
Rainbow nodded. "We'll back off."
"But you must tell us the moment something goes wrong." Rarity looked at Sunset with large, concerned eyes.
"Of course." Sunset promised. "Now... We should all get to class. Who knows how much trouble we'll be in."
They all agreed, and Sunset stayed happily in place as her friends hugged her. She grinned and waved as she walked out of the room and down the hall before she finally disappeared from sight.