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Reforming the sirens, part 1

By dontvoreme1
Created: 2025-01-16 22:55:53
Updated: 2025-01-17 01:33:07
Expiry: Never
slavedazzles

  1. >It's been an everyday thing
  2. >And so far it seems to have worked
  3. >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  4. >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  5. >Sonata is bent over your lap
  6. >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  7. >Half of her rear end is exposed
  8. >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  9. "You're squirming again."
  10. >"Huh?"
  11. >She stiffens up
  12. >"I wasn't..."
  13. "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  14. >"...I'm sorry."
  15. >You press your hand against her
  16. >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  17. >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  18. >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  19. >THWACK
  20. >"AHH! Anon!"
  21. >THWACK
  22. >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  23. >THWACK
  24. >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  25. >THWACK
  26. >"Anooooooooon!"
  27. >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  28. "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  29. >She gasps
  30. >Looks at you with a pout
  31. "Well?"
  32. >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  33. >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  34. >"I'm yo...I'm your Equestrian sla-ave and I'll never try to c-control humans with m-magic ever again."
  35. >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  36. "That's a good Sonata."
  37. >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  38. "You promise with all of your heart?"
  39. >Sniff
  40. >"I p-promise. But..."
  41. "But what?"
  42. >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  43. >You pat her head
  44. "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  45. >Sniff
  46. >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  47. "Sonata."
  48. >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  49. "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  50. >"Really?"
  51. "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  52. >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  53. "It's okay. Just trust me. Be a good Equestrian slave and I'll make your voice even prettier than that magic did."
  54. >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  55. >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  56. ___
  57. >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  58. >One week since Sonata gave in
  59. >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  60. >They scowl all through out
  61. >"He's sooo nice to me. I get to eat Mexican food, and watch TV, and play video games. And if I keep being a good slave, I get to move from the couch to his big, comfy bed!"
  62. >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  63. >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  64. >"Shut. Up."
  65. >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  66. >Sonata frowns
  67. >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  68. >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  69. >"He told me to tell you that your punishment starts tomorrow. But if you agree to be good like I did he won't d-"
  70. >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  71. >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  72. >"He, he does..."
  73. >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  74. >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  75. >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  76. >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  77. >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  78. >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  79. >"But... but! Adagio!"
  80. >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  81. >"Yes, traitor?"
  82. >Sonata's heart sinks
  83. >She backs away
  84. >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  85. >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  86. >Sonata runs out of the room
  87. >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  88. ___
  89. >You're downstairs, watching TV
  90. >Some dull documentary
  91. >"...Anonnnnn..."
  92. >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  93. "How'd it go?"
  94. >"Annnoooon!"
  95. >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  96. "Bad?"
  97. >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  98. >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  99. "What about Aria?"
  100. >"She spit in my eye."
  101. "What?"
  102. >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  103. >Some specks of spit are still there
  104. >How dare Aria?
  105. >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  106. "There."
  107. >"You got it?"
  108. "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  109. >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  110. >"Anon?"
  111. "Yeah?"
  112. >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  113. "What makes you ask that?"
  114. >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  115. >You wonder
  116. >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  117. >Waiting it out isn't such a crazy idea when you can have her wear them down with all the fun she's having
  118. >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  119. >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  120. "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  121. >"Oh....."
  122. "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  123. >"What?"
  124. "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  125. >You poke her nose
  126. "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  127. >She nods
  128. >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  129. ___
  130. >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  131. >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  132. >The former doesn't look at you
  133. >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  134. "Hello, Aria."
  135. >She sticks her tongue out at you
  136. >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  137. >This one's just asking for it
  138. "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  139. >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  140. >You smirk
  141. "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  142. >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  143. "Whoa!"
  144. >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  145. >You take a moment to admire her body
  146. >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  147. >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  148. >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  149. "I'm really impressed."
  150. >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  151. "Calm down."
  152. >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  153. >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  154. >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  155. "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  156. >"...Fuck you."
  157. >Her spirit excites you
  158. "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  159. >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  160. >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  161. >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  162. "I'm going to remind you - both of you - that all you have to do is agree to be good. And you can start living a more comfortable life."
  163. >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  164. >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  165. >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  166. >You turn to Adagio
  167. >She's just staring at the wall
  168. >Not the most sympathetic leader
  169. "Let's go."
  170. ___
  171. >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  172. >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  173. "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  174. >"I know~"
  175. >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  176. >"It's a new ep-"
  177. >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  178. >"Aria...."
  179. >"..Yeah?!"
  180. >They're quiet
  181. >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  182. "Sonata's going to sit here on the comfy couch and watch TV, enjoying junk food. And you know what she'll be doing after that?"
  183. >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  184. "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  185. >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  186. >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  187. >You smile and nod your head
  188. >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  189. >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  190. "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  191. >"Oh. Yeah!"
  192. >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  193. >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  194. ___
  195. "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  196. >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  197. "Then what's it about?"
  198. >You make your way through the kitchen
  199. >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  200. >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  201. >The entrance to the punishment room
  202. "Ready?"
  203. >"Fuck off."
  204. >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  205. >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  206. >You approach it and stand Aria up
  207. >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  208. >Fair
  209. >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  210. >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  211. >"What, is the chair for me?"
  212. "No."
  213. >You sit down
  214. >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  215. >Not quite
  216. >You pull her down onto your lap
  217. >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  218. "Shut up."
  219. >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  220. >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  221. >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  222. >"....What are you doing?"
  223. >She's pretty fit
  224. >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  225. >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  226. >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  227. >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  228. >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  229. >"Are you... a pervert?"
  230. >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  231. "You need to wash your hair better."
  232. >"What?!"
  233. "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  234. >In reality, it smells alright
  235. >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  236. "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  237. >"..."
  238. >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  239. "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  240. >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  241. >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  242. >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  243. >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  244. "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  245. >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  246. "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  247. >"..."
  248. >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  249. >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  250. "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  251. >"Wh-"
  252. "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  253. >You slap her legs together
  254. "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  255. >She's quiet
  256. "Well?"
  257. >You feel around her thighs for some time
  258. >No response
  259. "I'm not surprised."
  260. >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  261. >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  262. "You're the perfect weight though."
  263. >"...What?"
  264. "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  265. >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  266. >"...Whatever."
  267. >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  268. >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  269. "Hey."
  270. >"...Hm?"
  271. "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  272. >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  273. >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  274. >"Anything's better than that."
  275. "Why settle for anything?"
  276. >"Hm?"
  277. "My bed's pretty big. There's more than enough room. Imagine, waking up after eight hours of blissful sleep. Then rolling over and going back to sleep. Fluffy pillows, warm blanket."
  278. >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  279. "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  280. >Her eyes go straight to yours
  281. >And she just stares
  282. >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  283. >And says
  284. >"Hang yourself."
  285. >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  286. "Interesting."
  287. >"...What?"
  288. "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  289. >"The hell are you talking about?"
  290. "You were thinking about it."
  291. >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  292. >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  293. "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  294. >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  295. >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  296. >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  297. "Come on, Aria."
  298. >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  299. >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  300. >"Dude. Back off."
  301. "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  302. >"...And it is?"
  303. "Close your eyes."
  304. >"N-No."
  305. >She does it anyway
  306. >"Don't."
  307. >She quietly groans
  308. >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  309. >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  310. >You lower her just a bit further
  311. >Tighten your grip
  312. >And spit in her face
  313. ___
  314. >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  315. >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  316. >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  317. "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  318. >She responds by kicking the wall
  319. >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  320. >"Anon?"
  321. "Hey. What's up?"
  322. >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  323. >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  324. "I'm afraid not."
  325. >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  326. "It keeps the door locked."
  327. >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  328. "Go ahead, try to open it."
  329. >"Okay."
  330. >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  331. >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  332. "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  333. >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  334. "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  335. >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  336. "You can choose. I have no preference."
  337. >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  338. >As soon as you realized you might be able to convince one of the sirens to sleep beside you, it felt obligatory to buy more pillows
  339. >Now there's a pile of them
  340. >It's fine, though
  341. >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  342. >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  343. >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  344. >Adorable
  345. >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  346. >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  347. >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  348. >It was like caging a wild animal
  349. >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  350. "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  351. >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  352. >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  353. >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  354. >But instead you swing it wide open
  355. >"W-What the HELL!"
  356. >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  357. >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  358. "Don't flatter yourself."
  359. >You hold the towel out toward her
  360. >"...just put it on the counter!"
  361. "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  362. >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  363. >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  364. >"Fucking. Creep."
  365. >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  366. >"...Anon?"
  367. "Huh?"
  368. >"I finished the bed."
  369. "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  370. >You pat Sonata's head
  371. >"Anon?"
  372. "Yeah?"
  373. >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  374. >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  375. "Oh. I did..."
  376. >She looks deeply bothered
  377. "What's wrong?"
  378. >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  379. >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  380. "Uh."
  381. >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  382. >So innocent
  383. >So cute
  384. >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  385. "Is someone getting jealous?"
  386. >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  387. >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  388. >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  389. >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  390. >Probably just her demeanor
  391. "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  392. >"Why not?"
  393. "Because. You're special to me."
  394. >"...special to you..."
  395. >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  396. >You're getting eager to go to bed
  397. >It's about that time now
  398. >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  399. >The door opens up
  400. >Oh fuck
  401. >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  402. >"Wow."
  403. >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  404. >"Hi Aria."
  405. >"Hi, slut."
  406. "...Aria."
  407. >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  408. >"I'm out of here."
  409. "Haha, what?"
  410. >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  411. "Don't be so stupid."
  412. >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  413. >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  414. "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  415. >"Well-"
  416. "You wouldn't last a week on your own, without your magic. You have no idea how this world even works. You're broke. You have no home. You have nothing without me."
  417. >"...where are our necklaces?"
  418. "So you admit it."
  419. >"What? No."
  420. "Go ask a stranger to buy you a meal without your powers. He'll laugh in your face. You'll go hungry, sleep on a park bench and miss my wooden floor. At least it stays warm in here."
  421. >"Fuck! You!"
  422. >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  423. >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  424. >"LET GO!"
  425. "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  426. >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  427. "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  428. >"NO!"
  429. >Well
  430. >Alright then
  431. "Time to go back up."
  432. >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  433. >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  434. >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  435. "Oh calm down..."
  436. >"Aria!"
  437. >You stop in the doorway
  438. >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  439. >You hear Sonata sniffling
  440. >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  441. >"Behave? BEHAVE? Sonata, you are the stupidest girl I've ever met. Your voice is annoying, you s-smell bad, and you're ugly. You're REALLY ugly, and heavy too! OW!"
  442. >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  443. >"OW! Stop!"
  444. "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  445. >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  446. ___
  447. >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  448. >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  449. >As you slice up an apple to go with eggs and toast, you try to imagine how Adagio might react to being abandoned by both girls
  450. >But your mind draws a blank
  451. >She's barely said a word since her capture
  452. >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  453. "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  454. >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  455. >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  456. "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  457. >"Hmm?"
  458. >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  459. "You need to wake up now."
  460. >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  461. "Didn't sleep well?"
  462. >"I slept great. You were really..."
  463. >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  464. >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  465. >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  466. >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  467. >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  468. "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  469. >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  470. >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  471. >It's hard not to baby her
  472. "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  473. >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  474. >You were right to start with Sonata
  475. >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  476. >You even considered releasing them
  477. >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  478. >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  479. >"This is really, really delicio-"
  480. >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  481. "...who the..."
  482. >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  483. "NO- No no no. Sonata, go upstairs. Make sure the guest bedroom door is closed. Then stay there until I come get you."
  484. >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  485. >"Uhh, but-"
  486. "Please, go."
  487. >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  488. ___
  489. >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  490. >Twilight Sparkle
  491. >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  492. >Thankfully, she's alone
  493. >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  494. >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  495. >Please
  496. >Just go
  497. >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  498. >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  499. "Good morning, Twilight."
  500. >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  501. >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  502. "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  503. >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  504. >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  505. "What's this about?"
  506. >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  507. "What for?"
  508. >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  509. "Yes..."
  510. >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  511. "Yes."
  512. >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  513. >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  514. >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  515. "Gone?!"
  516. >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  517. "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  518. >"That's the thing. I tried to contact their parents, but couldn't get their information. In fact I couldn't get any information on those girls at ALL."
  519. "Really?"
  520. >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  521. >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  522. >After she originally dismissed you, her friend Rainbow Dash came and asked you not to waste their time about this kind of thing
  523. >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  524. >Now you'll do it your way
  525. "So what do you think it means?"
  526. >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  527. >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  528. >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  529. "Hm."
  530. >"That's... all I have. My investigation has been a disaster. I have so little to go off of. If I could just find them-"
  531. "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  532. >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  533. >She closes her notebook and looks away
  534. >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  535. >You exhale slowly
  536. "There's not much I can do now. I assure you, I wasn't after attention, and I didn't appreciate being lectured by your friend Rainbow as if I was."
  537. >"...I-"
  538. >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  539. "Uh, hey. It's fine. All I had was my word anyway. I guess I can't blame you. I want you to find them... there's something that might be of some hel-"
  540. >"What is it?!"
  541. >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  542. "....Uh."
  543. >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  544. "Aria, you know, the boyish one, mentioned that she's 'getting sick of the mall'. At the time I didn't notice - since there were far stranger things being said - but that kind of sounds like-"
  545. >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  546. >You nod
  547. "It could be anything, really..."
  548. >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  549. >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  550. >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  551. >Is she about to cry?
  552. >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  553. >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  554. >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  555. "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  556. >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  557. >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  558. >You consider offering her a ride
  559. >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  560. ___
  561. >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  562. >"Anon, who was it?"
  563. "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  564. >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  565. >She stands up with defensive posture
  566. >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  567. >But she just stares
  568. >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  569. "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  570. >"What?"
  571. >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  572. >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  573. "Hmm."
  574. >"Why?"
  575. >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  576. "I was hoping maybe someone there would recognize you. Or at least recognize the mountain-sized head of hair in the corner there."
  577. >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  578. >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  579. "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  580. >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  581. >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  582. >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  583. >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  584. >"Hey."
  585. "...what, Aria?"
  586. >"You're too close."
  587. >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  588. >"H-Hey!"
  589. "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  590. >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  591. >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  592. "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  593. >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  594. >"...you told someone?"
  595. "Nope."
  596. >"Then how could-"
  597. >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  598. >She was the one who told you to begin with
  599. "No, it wasn't her this time. You guys are just naive, and seem to think you can pull anything off in this world."
  600. >"How much do they know?"
  601. >Aria looks on edge
  602. >You just smile
  603. "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  604. >Sonata gasps
  605. >"But it sounded so fun!"
  606. "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  607. >Maybe a disguise or something
  608. >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  609. "Anything it takes! Haha."
  610. >"W-what?"
  611. "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  612. >She frowns
  613. "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  614. >Aria glares
  615. >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  616. "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  617. >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  618. "She just stood there and gawked."
  619. >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  620. "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  621. >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  622. >Gotta admit, it hurts "He's lying. There wasn't an opening at all. Th-the door was locked, he did that thing with the chair, and-"
  623. >"Aria."
  624. >".....huh?"
  625. >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  626. >Aria's mouth hangs open
  627. >"But I... he's lyi..."
  628. "Hey."
  629. >You whisper into her ear
  630. "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  631. >"...what?"
  632. "Your hair."
  633. >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  634. "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  635. >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  636. "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  637. ___
  638. >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  639. >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  640. >She'll be fine though, right?
  641. >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  642. "Ughh..."
  643. >Time for another distraction
  644. "Sonata, where are you?"
  645. >"TV~!"
  646. >You head into the living room
  647. >Some cartoon is on
  648. "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  649. >"Okay~"
  650. "Can you do me a favor?"
  651. >"Of course!"
  652. >She hops off of the couch and beams
  653. >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  654. "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  655. >"Uh-huh."
  656. "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  657. >You head outside
  658. >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  659. >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  660. >Hiring somebody is probably a good idea - you were told to after all - but bringing anybody to your parent's house right now...
  661. >It's asking for trouble
  662. "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  663. >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  664. >A phone call would be better, but...
  665. >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  666. "Wait..."
  667. >There's something in your peripheral vision
  668. >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  669. >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  670. "Oh for fuck's sake."
  671. >A shovel
  672. >THE shovel
  673. >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  674. "Talk about a give-away."
  675. >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  676. >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  677. ___
  678. "We have more magazines!"
  679. >"OOH!"
  680. >Sonata snatches them up
  681. >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  682. >"It's a fashion one!"
  683. >Her eyes narrow
  684. >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  685. "I think you misunderstand. They just send these to me because we've bought a lot of stuff from them. I don't even look at them, really."
  686. >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  687. >"Good."
  688. >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  689. >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  690. >You're both in the school's social networking group, so maybe she won't bother coming to the house if she needs you
  691. "Oh, Sonata."
  692. >You hold up the envelope
  693. "We're going to have some money again."
  694. >"Someone sent you money?"
  695. "Yeah, my parents."
  696. >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  697. >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  698. >"Hello son."
  699. >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  700. >Yeah...
  701. >You know...
  702. >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  703. >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  704. >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  705. >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  706. "Ughh..."
  707. >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  708. >"There should be money in the account by the time you get this letter. Since it's summer, we included a little something extra. Try to have fun. But remember that school will be back in your life before you know it."
  709. >That's it...?
  710. >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  711. "..."
  712. >It's fine
  713. >They're busy, right?
  714. >Probably have a lot on their mind
  715. "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  716. >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  717. "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  718. >"OOH!"
  719. "Got something in mind already?"
  720. >"I DO!"
  721. >You chuckle
  722. "What is it?"
  723. >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  724. "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  725. >"T-T-T-"
  726. >She grabs hold of your arms
  727. >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  728. >Taco...
  729. >Bell?
  730. >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  731. "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  732. >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  733. "Why not?"
  734. >She scoffs
  735. >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  736. "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  737. >"Anon. Please!"
  738. >She hugs your arm
  739. >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  740. >Maybe it's better this way
  741. "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  742. >"Go get it?"
  743. "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  744. >She backs away
  745. >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  746. >She looks upset...
  747. >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  748. >...oh
  749. "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  750. >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  751. "It's-"
  752. >She pulls away
  753. >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  754. "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  755. >"This isn't what?"
  756. "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  757. >"Why? You're just making us good."
  758. "The thing is, I can't really prove that you were evil to begin with. I can't prove that you're not exactly humans, either."
  759. >"So?"
  760. >Sonata
  761. >Please...
  762. "If people find out about this, it'd be over. I'd be in trouble. We wouldn't be together anymore. You three would probably be... who knows what."
  763. >Your heart starts to race
  764. >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  765. >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  766. "I-"
  767. >You feel light-headed
  768. "I'm g-"
  769. >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  770. >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  771. >It's too risky
  772. "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  773. >"It's okay. Never mind."
  774. >She's there, beside you
  775. >"I don't want..."
  776. >She wraps her arms around your waist
  777. >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  778. "Sonata..."
  779. >You stand there quietly with her
  780. >Soon, you feel at ease...
  781. >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  782. "Sonata."
  783. >A fast food trip
  784. >What could happen on a fast food trip
  785. "Let's..."
  786. >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  787. "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  788. >"...Really?"
  789. "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  790. >"Anon, are you sure?"
  791. "Definitely."
  792. >This will be fine
  793. >Just have to be careful
  794. >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  795. "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  796. >"ANYTHING?!"
  797. "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  798. >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  799. "Haha, of course!"
  800. >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  801. >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  802. >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  803. >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  804. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  805. >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  806. "Well I'm a little on edge."
  807. >"Can't have that~"
  808. >She wraps her legs around you
  809. >It feels awkward... but secure
  810. >Very secure
  811. >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  812. "Okay."
  813. >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  814. >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  815. >Always...
  816. >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  817. >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  818. >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  819. ___
  820. >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  821. >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  822. >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  823. "Because this is all gonna work out."
  824. >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  825. >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  826. "Yeah?"
  827. >You drop her in the chair
  828. >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  829. >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  830. "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  831. >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  832. >She rolls her eyes
  833. "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  834. >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  835. "What do you mean?"
  836. >"She's really pissed off at me. It's not even fair... I was going to escape. It's not right. Just tell her that you were lying as part of my punishment. Please?"
  837. >Aria looks pretty worried
  838. >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  839. "Not gonna happen."
  840. >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  841. "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  842. >She waits for you to elaborate
  843. "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  844. >"You don't know anything..."
  845. "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  846. >"What about us?"
  847. "You've been nothing but a fuck-up since I brought you here, but I'm not about to give up on you."
  848. >"Oh yeah, thanks soooo much for perving out on me and shit. I'm soooo ready to swear my devotion to yo-aghh, don't..."
  849. "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  850. >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  851. >Up her sides
  852. >And press into her arm pits
  853. >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  854. >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  855. >"Knock it off."
  856. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  857. >"Obviously. Idiot."
  858. "Well."
  859. >You back off and stand
  860. "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  861. >"Huh?"
  862. "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  863. >"....shut up..."
  864. "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  865. >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  866. "Have you always been so filthy?"
  867. >"I'm not. Filthy."
  868. "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  869. >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  870. >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  871. "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  872. >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  873. >You can't help but laugh in her face
  874. "Once again, you prove my point."
  875. >"What?!"
  876. "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  877. >"....just."
  878. >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  879. >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  880. >She's become quiet
  881. >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  882. "Well..."
  883. >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  884. "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  885. >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  886. "Maybe!"
  887. >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  888. >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  889. "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  890. >"I wasn't even scared!"
  891. "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  892. >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  893. >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  894. >"What?"
  895. "You look terrible."
  896. >"Kill yourself."
  897. "Er, I mean,"
  898. >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  899. >She's trembling a bit
  900. "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  901. >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  902. "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  903. >Er, maybe too soon
  904. "...I just want you to remember that life would be a whole lot more comfortable if you'd give up on Adagio. After all, she apparently gave up on you."
  905. >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  906. >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  907. "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  908. >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  909. >You yawn and hold her tight
  910. >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  911. >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  912. >Poor girl
  913. >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  914. >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  915. "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  916. >She sighs
  917. >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  918. "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  919. >"So it's dumb if I want to know why you treat me like crap for no reason, but Sonata has you wrapped around her finger?"
  920. >You wouldn't say that
  921. >...
  922. >Yes you would
  923. "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  924. >"Yeah right. She told you to spit on me and you did it. You're her bitch, huh? You take her orders, not the other way around."
  925. >Alright, that struck a nerve
  926. "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  927. >"Then why'd you do it?"
  928. "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  929. >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  930. >You do your best not to laugh
  931. "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  932. >"Ugh!"
  933. >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  934. >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  935. "Come on, twin-tails."
  936. >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  937. >She flops around like a fish out of water
  938. >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  939. "Uh."
  940. >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  941. "Uh-huh?"
  942. >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  943. "...Go on..."
  944. >She looks ready to explode
  945. >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  946. "Oh."
  947. >You let her anger fester a bit
  948. >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  949. >Part of you really wants to know
  950. >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  951. >Yeah, probably strangling
  952. "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  953. >"Fu-wha?"
  954. >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  955. >It seems to have been effective
  956. >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  957. "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  958. >"...yeah...?"
  959. "Right off the bat she asked me not to punish you or Adagio. Poor Sonata is called a traitor, and even then she still cares about you two."
  960. >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  961. >She just listens, so you keep going
  962. "She didn't betray you, either. She got out of a shitty situation. You and Adagio are criminals. Believe me, this is the best you could hope for in my world."
  963. >"...but..."
  964. >You cover her mouth
  965. "And yeah, I've been really friendly with you. You might be gross and disgusting, but you're mine. Unlike your current leader, I hold on to my people. No matter what."
  966. >It seems like a good moment, so you pull her right up next to you so that she's sharing the pillow, and rest your arm around her
  967. "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  968. >You shut your eyes
  969. >The good mood you had has evaporated
  970. >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  971. >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  972. ___
  973. >Your back kind of hurts
  974. >Too used to your fancy bed
  975. >What time is it?
  976. >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  977. >Has it been a couple of hours?
  978. >Feels like longer
  979. "Hey, Aria-"
  980. >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  981. >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  982. >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  983. "Oh boy."
  984. >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  985. >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  986. "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  987. >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  988. "Fuck."
  989. >9:14 A.M.
  990. "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  991. >"..nnnghh.."
  992. >You shake her a bit
  993. "You're going back upstairs now."
  994. >"..ghhnn-no!"
  995. >Her eyes shoot open
  996. >"Huh?"
  997. "How are you feeling?"
  998. >She looks around and confirms her location
  999. >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  1000. >You rub her head as you sit up
  1001. "I'm glad."
  1002. >"Psh..."
  1003. >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  1004. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  1005. >....
  1006. >No comeback?
  1007. >Nothing?
  1008. "You know, this floor feels like garbage compared to my bed. And of course, all those fluffy pillows. And it doesn't have the weird smell this room does."
  1009. >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  1010. "Okay."
  1011. >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  1012. >"Wait!"
  1013. "What?"
  1014. >"Can you just wait?"
  1015. "Uh."
  1016. >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  1017. >Much more than a nap, actually
  1018. "You're adorable."
  1019. >"...wha?"
  1020. "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  1021. >Her face turns red and she frowns
  1022. >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  1023. "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  1024. >Her eye twitches
  1025. "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  1026. >"...so..."
  1027. "So?"
  1028. >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  1029. >Too cute
  1030. "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  1031. >"No."
  1032. "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  1033. >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  1034. >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  1035. ___
  1036. >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  1037. >Did she...
  1038. "Sonata?"
  1039. >Yup
  1040. >Fell asleep watching TV again
  1041. >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  1042. >"Hey. The day has started."
  1043. >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  1044. "We've got a trip to m-"
  1045. >A message
  1046. >From...
  1047. >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  1048. >How could she possibly-
  1049. "That's crazy, Twilight"
  1050. >In no time, she responds
  1051. >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  1052. "Didn't find anything?"
  1053. >"Nothing..."
  1054. >"Anonymous"
  1055. >"I don't know what to do"
  1056. >You feel nauseated
  1057. >Maybe you can work something out?
  1058. >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  1059. >But that wouldn't be very believable
  1060. >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  1061. "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  1062. >"Yeah..."
  1063. >"Thank you Anonymous"
  1064. >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  1065. >"I must have made a mistake"
  1066. >No
  1067. >You didn't...
  1068. "Good luck."
  1069. >You sigh and close your laptop
  1070. "Sonata. Wake up."
  1071. >"Ghnnn..."
  1072. >You gently scratch her forehead
  1073. "Come onnnn."
  1074. >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  1075. "It's morning."
  1076. >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  1077. >Really?
  1078. >She's got to be making that up, right?
  1079. >You smile and ruffle her hair
  1080. "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  1081. >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  1082. >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  1083. "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  1084. >"What do we gotta do?!"
  1085. "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  1086. >She pouts
  1087. >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  1088. >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  1089. >It's not long before she gives in
  1090. >"Will you feed them, then?"
  1091. "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  1092. >"Okay~"
  1093. >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  1094. >"Anon..."
  1095. "Yeah?"
  1096. >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  1097. >Uh...?
  1098. "Just grab one right now?"
  1099. >"....wh... um. Okay."
  1100. >She looks at you with a blank face
  1101. >And then continues on
  1102. >Anyway
  1103. >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  1104. >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  1105. >Which is a pretty good punishment on its own, but it could be much better with a reminder of what they're missing out on
  1106. >You scratch your chin and hum
  1107. >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  1108. "So then, clothes."
  1109. ___
  1110. >This room is... uncomfortable
  1111. >You were never allowed inside
  1112. >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  1113. >So you've been rushing through the closet, throwing piles of clothes into the floor, digging through boxes and avoiding your mom's underwear
  1114. >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  1115. >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  1116. >As a result, she has a few-
  1117. "Bingo."
  1118. >A super curly blond wig
  1119. >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  1120. >That's good enough, you think
  1121. >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  1122. >"Anon! Where are you!"
  1123. "In here."
  1124. >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  1125. >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  1126. >"Who lives in here?"
  1127. "My parents used to."
  1128. >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  1129. >She points around at the mess you've made
  1130. "Yeah."
  1131. >"It's one of these!"
  1132. >Oh god
  1133. >Sonata
  1134. >Don't
  1135. "What about it?"
  1136. >"A, uh, b-something."
  1137. "Bra."
  1138. >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  1139. >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  1140. "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  1141. >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  1142. "You know you have to wear it today."
  1143. >"...but I don't like it."
  1144. >You shrug
  1145. "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  1146. >"But Anon."
  1147. >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  1148. >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  1149. >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  1150. >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  1151. >But you fail
  1152. >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  1153. "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  1154. >"As if!"
  1155. "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  1156. >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  1157. >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  1158. >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  1159. "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  1160. >"Really?!"
  1161. "But first, here!"
  1162. >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  1163. >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  1164. >"Heeeeeey..."
  1165. "There."
  1166. >You step back and admire your creation
  1167. >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  1168. >lumpy hair
  1169. >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  1170. >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  1171. "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  1172. >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  1173. >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  1174. >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  1175. >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  1176. "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  1177. >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  1178. >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  1179. >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  1180. "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  1181. >"We can go already?!"
  1182. "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  1183. >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud >It's been an everyday thing
  1184. >And so far it seems to have worked
  1185. >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  1186. >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  1187. >Sonata is bent over your lap
  1188. >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  1189. >Half of her rear end is exposed
  1190. >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  1191. "You're squirming again."
  1192. >"Huh?"
  1193. >She stiffens up
  1194. >"I wasn't..."
  1195. "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  1196. >"...I'm sorry."
  1197. >You press your hand against her
  1198. >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  1199. >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  1200. >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  1201. >THWACK
  1202. >"AHH! Anon!"
  1203. >THWACK
  1204. >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  1205. >THWACK
  1206. >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  1207. >THWACK
  1208. >"Anooooooooon!"
  1209. >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  1210. "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  1211. >She gasps
  1212. >Looks at you with a pout
  1213. "Well?"
  1214. >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  1215. >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  1216. >"I'm yo...I'm your Equestrian sla-ave and I'll never try to c-control humans with m-magic ever again."
  1217. >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  1218. "That's a good Sonata."
  1219. >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  1220. "You promise with all of your heart?"
  1221. >Sniff
  1222. >"I p-promise. But..."
  1223. "But what?"
  1224. >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  1225. >You pat her head
  1226. "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  1227. >Sniff
  1228. >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  1229. "Sonata."
  1230. >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  1231. "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  1232. >"Really?"
  1233. "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  1234. >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  1235. "It's okay. Just trust me. Be a good Equestrian slave and I'll make your voice even prettier than that magic did."
  1236. >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  1237. >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  1238. ___
  1239. >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  1240. >One week since Sonata gave in
  1241. >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  1242. >They scowl all through out
  1243. >"He's sooo nice to me. I get to eat Mexican food, and watch TV, and play video games. And if I keep being a good slave, I get to move from the couch to his big, comfy bed!"
  1244. >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  1245. >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  1246. >"Shut. Up."
  1247. >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  1248. >Sonata frowns
  1249. >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  1250. >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  1251. >"He told me to tell you that your punishment starts tomorrow. But if you agree to be good like I did he won't d-"
  1252. >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  1253. >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  1254. >"He, he does..."
  1255. >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  1256. >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  1257. >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  1258. >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  1259. >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  1260. >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  1261. >"But... but! Adagio!"
  1262. >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  1263. >"Yes, traitor?"
  1264. >Sonata's heart sinks
  1265. >She backs away
  1266. >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  1267. >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  1268. >Sonata runs out of the room
  1269. >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  1270. ___
  1271. >You're downstairs, watching TV
  1272. >Some dull documentary
  1273. >"...Anonnnnn..."
  1274. >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  1275. "How'd it go?"
  1276. >"Annnoooon!"
  1277. >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  1278. "Bad?"
  1279. >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  1280. >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  1281. "What about Aria?"
  1282. >"She spit in my eye."
  1283. "What?"
  1284. >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  1285. >Some specks of spit are still there
  1286. >How dare Aria?
  1287. >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  1288. "There."
  1289. >"You got it?"
  1290. "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  1291. >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  1292. >"Anon?"
  1293. "Yeah?"
  1294. >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  1295. "What makes you ask that?"
  1296. >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  1297. >You wonder
  1298. >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  1299. >Waiting it out isn't such a crazy idea when you can have her wear them down with all the fun she's having
  1300. >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  1301. >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  1302. "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  1303. >"Oh....."
  1304. "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  1305. >"What?"
  1306. "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  1307. >You poke her nose
  1308. "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  1309. >She nods
  1310. >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  1311. ___
  1312. >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  1313. >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  1314. >The former doesn't look at you
  1315. >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  1316. "Hello, Aria."
  1317. >She sticks her tongue out at you
  1318. >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  1319. >This one's just asking for it
  1320. "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  1321. >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  1322. >You smirk
  1323. "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  1324. >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  1325. "Whoa!"
  1326. >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  1327. >You take a moment to admire her body
  1328. >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  1329. >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  1330. >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  1331. "I'm really impressed."
  1332. >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  1333. "Calm down."
  1334. >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  1335. >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  1336. >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  1337. "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  1338. >"...Fuck you."
  1339. >Her spirit excites you
  1340. "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  1341. >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  1342. >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  1343. >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  1344. "I'm going to remind you - both of you - that all you have to do is agree to be good. And you can start living a more comfortable life."
  1345. >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  1346. >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  1347. >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  1348. >You turn to Adagio
  1349. >She's just staring at the wall
  1350. >Not the most sympathetic leader
  1351. "Let's go."
  1352. ___
  1353. >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  1354. >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  1355. "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  1356. >"I know~"
  1357. >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  1358. >"It's a new ep-"
  1359. >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  1360. >"Aria...."
  1361. >"..Yeah?!"
  1362. >They're quiet
  1363. >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  1364. "Sonata's going to sit here on the comfy couch and watch TV, enjoying junk food. And you know what she'll be doing after that?"
  1365. >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  1366. "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  1367. >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  1368. >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  1369. >You smile and nod your head
  1370. >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  1371. >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  1372. "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  1373. >"Oh. Yeah!"
  1374. >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  1375. >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  1376. ___
  1377. "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  1378. >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  1379. "Then what's it about?"
  1380. >You make your way through the kitchen
  1381. >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  1382. >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  1383. >The entrance to the punishment room
  1384. "Ready?"
  1385. >"Fuck off."
  1386. >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  1387. >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  1388. >You approach it and stand Aria up
  1389. >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  1390. >Fair
  1391. >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  1392. >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  1393. >"What, is the chair for me?"
  1394. "No."
  1395. >You sit down
  1396. >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  1397. >Not quite
  1398. >You pull her down onto your lap
  1399. >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  1400. "Shut up."
  1401. >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  1402. >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  1403. >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  1404. >"....What are you doing?"
  1405. >She's pretty fit
  1406. >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  1407. >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  1408. >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  1409. >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  1410. >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  1411. >"Are you... a pervert?"
  1412. >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  1413. "You need to wash your hair better."
  1414. >"What?!"
  1415. "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  1416. >In reality, it smells alright
  1417. >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  1418. "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  1419. >"..."
  1420. >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  1421. "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  1422. >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  1423. >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  1424. >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  1425. >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  1426. "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  1427. >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  1428. "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  1429. >"..."
  1430. >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  1431. >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  1432. "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  1433. >"Wh-"
  1434. "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  1435. >You slap her legs together
  1436. "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  1437. >She's quiet
  1438. "Well?"
  1439. >You feel around her thighs for some time
  1440. >No response
  1441. "I'm not surprised."
  1442. >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  1443. >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  1444. "You're the perfect weight though."
  1445. >"...What?"
  1446. "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  1447. >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  1448. >"...Whatever."
  1449. >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  1450. >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  1451. "Hey."
  1452. >"...Hm?"
  1453. "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  1454. >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  1455. >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  1456. >"Anything's better than that."
  1457. "Why settle for anything?"
  1458. >"Hm?"
  1459. "My bed's pretty big. There's more than enough room. Imagine, waking up after eight hours of blissful sleep. Then rolling over and going back to sleep. Fluffy pillows, warm blanket."
  1460. >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  1461. "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  1462. >Her eyes go straight to yours
  1463. >And she just stares
  1464. >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  1465. >And says
  1466. >"Hang yourself."
  1467. >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  1468. "Interesting."
  1469. >"...What?"
  1470. "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  1471. >"The hell are you talking about?"
  1472. "You were thinking about it."
  1473. >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  1474. >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  1475. "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  1476. >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  1477. >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  1478. >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  1479. "Come on, Aria."
  1480. >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  1481. >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  1482. >"Dude. Back off."
  1483. "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  1484. >"...And it is?"
  1485. "Close your eyes."
  1486. >"N-No."
  1487. >She does it anyway
  1488. >"Don't."
  1489. >She quietly groans
  1490. >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  1491. >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  1492. >You lower her just a bit further
  1493. >Tighten your grip
  1494. >And spit in her face
  1495. ___
  1496. >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  1497. >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  1498. >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  1499. "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  1500. >She responds by kicking the wall
  1501. >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  1502. >"Anon?"
  1503. "Hey. What's up?"
  1504. >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  1505. >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  1506. "I'm afraid not."
  1507. >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  1508. "It keeps the door locked."
  1509. >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  1510. "Go ahead, try to open it."
  1511. >"Okay."
  1512. >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  1513. >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  1514. "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  1515. >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  1516. "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  1517. >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  1518. "You can choose. I have no preference."
  1519. >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  1520. >As soon as you realized you might be able to convince one of the sirens to sleep beside you, it felt obligatory to buy more pillows
  1521. >Now there's a pile of them
  1522. >It's fine, though
  1523. >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  1524. >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  1525. >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  1526. >Adorable
  1527. >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  1528. >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  1529. >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  1530. >It was like caging a wild animal
  1531. >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  1532. "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  1533. >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  1534. >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  1535. >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  1536. >But instead you swing it wide open
  1537. >"W-What the HELL!"
  1538. >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  1539. >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  1540. "Don't flatter yourself."
  1541. >You hold the towel out toward her
  1542. >"...just put it on the counter!"
  1543. "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  1544. >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  1545. >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  1546. >"Fucking. Creep."
  1547. >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  1548. >"...Anon?"
  1549. "Huh?"
  1550. >"I finished the bed."
  1551. "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  1552. >You pat Sonata's head
  1553. >"Anon?"
  1554. "Yeah?"
  1555. >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  1556. >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  1557. "Oh. I did..."
  1558. >She looks deeply bothered
  1559. "What's wrong?"
  1560. >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  1561. >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  1562. "Uh."
  1563. >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  1564. >So innocent
  1565. >So cute
  1566. >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  1567. "Is someone getting jealous?"
  1568. >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  1569. >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  1570. >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  1571. >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  1572. >Probably just her demeanor
  1573. "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  1574. >"Why not?"
  1575. "Because. You're special to me."
  1576. >"...special to you..."
  1577. >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  1578. >You're getting eager to go to bed
  1579. >It's about that time now
  1580. >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  1581. >The door opens up
  1582. >Oh fuck
  1583. >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  1584. >"Wow."
  1585. >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  1586. >"Hi Aria."
  1587. >"Hi, slut."
  1588. "...Aria."
  1589. >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  1590. >"I'm out of here."
  1591. "Haha, what?"
  1592. >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  1593. "Don't be so stupid."
  1594. >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  1595. >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  1596. "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  1597. >"Well-"
  1598. "You wouldn't last a week on your own, without your magic. You have no idea how this world even works. You're broke. You have no home. You have nothing without me."
  1599. >"...where are our necklaces?"
  1600. "So you admit it."
  1601. >"What? No."
  1602. "Go ask a stranger to buy you a meal without your powers. He'll laugh in your face. You'll go hungry, sleep on a park bench and miss my wooden floor. At least it stays warm in here."
  1603. >"Fuck! You!"
  1604. >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  1605. >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  1606. >"LET GO!"
  1607. "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  1608. >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  1609. "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  1610. >"NO!"
  1611. >Well
  1612. >Alright then
  1613. "Time to go back up."
  1614. >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  1615. >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  1616. >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  1617. "Oh calm down..."
  1618. >"Aria!"
  1619. >You stop in the doorway
  1620. >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  1621. >You hear Sonata sniffling
  1622. >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  1623. >"Behave? BEHAVE? Sonata, you are the stupidest girl I've ever met. Your voice is annoying, you s-smell bad, and you're ugly. You're REALLY ugly, and heavy too! OW!"
  1624. >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  1625. >"OW! Stop!"
  1626. "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  1627. >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  1628. ___
  1629. >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  1630. >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  1631. >As you slice up an apple to go with eggs and toast, you try to imagine how Adagio might react to being abandoned by both girls
  1632. >But your mind draws a blank
  1633. >She's barely said a word since her capture
  1634. >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  1635. "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  1636. >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  1637. >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  1638. "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  1639. >"Hmm?"
  1640. >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  1641. "You need to wake up now."
  1642. >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  1643. "Didn't sleep well?"
  1644. >"I slept great. You were really..."
  1645. >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  1646. >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  1647. >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  1648. >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  1649. >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  1650. "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  1651. >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  1652. >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  1653. >It's hard not to baby her
  1654. "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  1655. >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  1656. >You were right to start with Sonata
  1657. >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  1658. >You even considered releasing them
  1659. >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  1660. >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  1661. >"This is really, really delicio-"
  1662. >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  1663. "...who the..."
  1664. >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  1665. "NO- No no no. Sonata, go upstairs. Make sure the guest bedroom door is closed. Then stay there until I come get you."
  1666. >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  1667. >"Uhh, but-"
  1668. "Please, go."
  1669. >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  1670. ___
  1671. >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  1672. >Twilight Sparkle
  1673. >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  1674. >Thankfully, she's alone
  1675. >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  1676. >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  1677. >Please
  1678. >Just go
  1679. >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  1680. >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  1681. "Good morning, Twilight."
  1682. >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  1683. >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  1684. "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  1685. >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  1686. >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  1687. "What's this about?"
  1688. >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  1689. "What for?"
  1690. >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  1691. "Yes..."
  1692. >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  1693. "Yes."
  1694. >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  1695. >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  1696. >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  1697. "Gone?!"
  1698. >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  1699. "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  1700. >"That's the thing. I tried to contact their parents, but couldn't get their information. In fact I couldn't get any information on those girls at ALL."
  1701. "Really?"
  1702. >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  1703. >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  1704. >After she originally dismissed you, her friend Rainbow Dash came and asked you not to waste their time about this kind of thing
  1705. >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  1706. >Now you'll do it your way
  1707. "So what do you think it means?"
  1708. >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  1709. >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  1710. >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  1711. "Hm."
  1712. >"That's... all I have. My investigation has been a disaster. I have so little to go off of. If I could just find them-"
  1713. "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  1714. >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  1715. >She closes her notebook and looks away
  1716. >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  1717. >You exhale slowly
  1718. "There's not much I can do now. I assure you, I wasn't after attention, and I didn't appreciate being lectured by your friend Rainbow as if I was."
  1719. >"...I-"
  1720. >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  1721. "Uh, hey. It's fine. All I had was my word anyway. I guess I can't blame you. I want you to find them... there's something that might be of some hel-"
  1722. >"What is it?!"
  1723. >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  1724. "....Uh."
  1725. >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  1726. "Aria, you know, the boyish one, mentioned that she's 'getting sick of the mall'. At the time I didn't notice - since there were far stranger things being said - but that kind of sounds like-"
  1727. >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  1728. >You nod
  1729. "It could be anything, really..."
  1730. >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  1731. >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  1732. >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  1733. >Is she about to cry?
  1734. >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  1735. >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  1736. >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  1737. "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  1738. >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  1739. >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  1740. >You consider offering her a ride
  1741. >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  1742. ___
  1743. >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  1744. >"Anon, who was it?"
  1745. "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  1746. >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  1747. >She stands up with defensive posture
  1748. >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  1749. >But she just stares
  1750. >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  1751. "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  1752. >"What?"
  1753. >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  1754. >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  1755. "Hmm."
  1756. >"Why?"
  1757. >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  1758. "I was hoping maybe someone there would recognize you. Or at least recognize the mountain-sized head of hair in the corner there."
  1759. >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  1760. >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  1761. "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  1762. >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  1763. >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  1764. >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  1765. >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  1766. >"Hey."
  1767. "...what, Aria?"
  1768. >"You're too close."
  1769. >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  1770. >"H-Hey!"
  1771. "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  1772. >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  1773. >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  1774. "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  1775. >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  1776. >"...you told someone?"
  1777. "Nope."
  1778. >"Then how could-"
  1779. >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  1780. >She was the one who told you to begin with
  1781. "No, it wasn't her this time. You guys are just naive, and seem to think you can pull anything off in this world."
  1782. >"How much do they know?"
  1783. >Aria looks on edge
  1784. >You just smile
  1785. "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  1786. >Sonata gasps
  1787. >"But it sounded so fun!"
  1788. "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  1789. >Maybe a disguise or something
  1790. >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  1791. "Anything it takes! Haha."
  1792. >"W-what?"
  1793. "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  1794. >She frowns
  1795. "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  1796. >Aria glares
  1797. >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  1798. "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  1799. >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  1800. "She just stood there and gawked."
  1801. >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  1802. "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  1803. >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  1804. >Gotta admit, it hurts
  1805. >"He's lying. There wasn't an opening at all. Th-the door was locked, he did that thing with the chair, and-"
  1806. >"Aria."
  1807. >".....huh?"
  1808. >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  1809. >Aria's mouth hangs open
  1810. >"But I... he's lyi..."
  1811. "Hey."
  1812. >You whisper into her ear
  1813. "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  1814. >"...what?"
  1815. "Your hair."
  1816. >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  1817. "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  1818. >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  1819. "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  1820. ___
  1821. >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  1822. >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  1823. >She'll be fine though, right?
  1824. >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  1825. "Ughh..."
  1826. >Time for another distraction
  1827. "Sonata, where are you?"
  1828. >"TV~!"
  1829. >You head into the living room
  1830. >Some cartoon is on
  1831. "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  1832. >"Okay~"
  1833. "Can you do me a favor?"
  1834. >"Of course!"
  1835. >She hops off of the couch and beams
  1836. >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  1837. "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  1838. >"Uh-huh."
  1839. "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  1840. >You head outside
  1841. >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  1842. >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  1843. >Hiring somebody is probably a good idea - you were told to after all - but bringing anybody to your parent's house right now...
  1844. >It's asking for trouble
  1845. "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  1846. >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  1847. >A phone call would be better, but...
  1848. >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  1849. "Wait..."
  1850. >There's something in your peripheral vision
  1851. >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  1852. >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  1853. "Oh for fuck's sake."
  1854. >A shovel
  1855. >THE shovel
  1856. >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  1857. "Talk about a give-away."
  1858. >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  1859. >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  1860. ___
  1861. "We have more magazines!"
  1862. >"OOH!"
  1863. >Sonata snatches them up
  1864. >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  1865. >"It's a fashion one!"
  1866. >Her eyes narrow
  1867. >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  1868. "I think you misunderstand. They just send these to me because we've bought a lot of stuff from them. I don't even look at them, really."
  1869. >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  1870. >"Good."
  1871. >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  1872. >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  1873. >You're both in the school's social networking group, so maybe she won't bother coming to the house if she needs you
  1874. "Oh, Sonata."
  1875. >You hold up the envelope
  1876. "We're going to have some money again."
  1877. >"Someone sent you money?"
  1878. "Yeah, my parents."
  1879. >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  1880. >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  1881. >"Hello son."
  1882. >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  1883. >Yeah...
  1884. >You know...
  1885. >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  1886. >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  1887. >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  1888. >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  1889. "Ughh..."
  1890. >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  1891. >"There should be money in the account by the time you get this letter. Since it's summer, we included a little something extra. Try to have fun. But remember that school will be back in your life before you know it."
  1892. >That's it...?
  1893. >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  1894. "..."
  1895. >It's fine
  1896. >They're busy, right?
  1897. >Probably have a lot on their mind
  1898. "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  1899. >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  1900. "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  1901. >"OOH!"
  1902. "Got something in mind already?"
  1903. >"I DO!"
  1904. >You chuckle
  1905. "What is it?"
  1906. >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  1907. "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  1908. >"T-T-T-"
  1909. >She grabs hold of your arms
  1910. >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  1911. >Taco...
  1912. >Bell?
  1913. >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  1914. "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  1915. >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  1916. "Why not?"
  1917. >She scoffs
  1918. >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  1919. "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  1920. >"Anon. Please!"
  1921. >She hugs your arm
  1922. >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  1923. >Maybe it's better this way
  1924. "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  1925. >"Go get it?"
  1926. "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  1927. >She backs away
  1928. >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  1929. >She looks upset...
  1930. >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  1931. >...oh
  1932. "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  1933. >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  1934. "It's-"
  1935. >She pulls away
  1936. >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  1937. "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  1938. >"This isn't what?"
  1939. "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  1940. >"Why? You're just making us good."
  1941. "The thing is, I can't really prove that you were evil to begin with. I can't prove that you're not exactly humans, either."
  1942. >"So?"
  1943. >Sonata
  1944. >Please...
  1945. "If people find out about this, it'd be over. I'd be in trouble. We wouldn't be together anymore. You three would probably be... who knows what."
  1946. >Your heart starts to race
  1947. >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  1948. >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  1949. "I-"
  1950. >You feel light-headed
  1951. "I'm g-"
  1952. >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  1953. >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  1954. >It's too risky
  1955. "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  1956. >"It's okay. Never mind."
  1957. >She's there, beside you
  1958. >"I don't want..."
  1959. >She wraps her arms around your waist
  1960. >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  1961. "Sonata..."
  1962. >You stand there quietly with her
  1963. >Soon, you feel at ease...
  1964. >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  1965. "Sonata."
  1966. >A fast food trip
  1967. >What could happen on a fast food trip
  1968. "Let's..."
  1969. >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  1970. "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  1971. >"...Really?"
  1972. "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  1973. >"Anon, are you sure?"
  1974. "Definitely."
  1975. >This will be fine
  1976. >Just have to be careful
  1977. >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  1978. "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  1979. >"ANYTHING?!"
  1980. "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  1981. >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  1982. "Haha, of course!"
  1983. >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  1984. >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  1985. >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  1986. >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  1987. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  1988. >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  1989. "Well I'm a little on edge."
  1990. >"Can't have that~"
  1991. >She wraps her legs around you
  1992. >It feels awkward... but secure
  1993. >Very secure
  1994. >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  1995. "Okay."
  1996. >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  1997. >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  1998. >Always...
  1999. >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  2000. >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  2001. >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  2002. ___
  2003. >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  2004. >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  2005. >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  2006. "Because this is all gonna work out."
  2007. >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  2008. >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  2009. "Yeah?"
  2010. >You drop her in the chair
  2011. >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  2012. >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  2013. "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  2014. >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  2015. >She rolls her eyes
  2016. "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  2017. >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  2018. "What do you mean?"
  2019. >"She's really pissed off at me. It's not even fair... I was going to escape. It's not right. Just tell her that you were lying as part of my punishment. Please?"
  2020. >Aria looks pretty worried
  2021. >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  2022. "Not gonna happen."
  2023. >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  2024. "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  2025. >She waits for you to elaborate
  2026. "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  2027. >"You don't know anything..."
  2028. "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  2029. >"What about us?"
  2030. "You've been nothing but a fuck-up since I brought you here, but I'm not about to give up on you."
  2031. >"Oh yeah, thanks soooo much for perving out on me and shit. I'm soooo ready to swear my devotion to yo-aghh, don't..."
  2032. "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  2033. >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  2034. >Up her sides
  2035. >And press into her arm pits
  2036. >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  2037. >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  2038. >"Knock it off."
  2039. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  2040. >"Obviously. Idiot."
  2041. "Well."
  2042. >You back off and stand
  2043. "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  2044. >"Huh?"
  2045. "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  2046. >"....shut up..."
  2047. "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  2048. >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  2049. "Have you always been so filthy?"
  2050. >"I'm not. Filthy."
  2051. "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  2052. >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  2053. >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  2054. "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  2055. >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  2056. >You can't help but laugh in her face
  2057. "Once again, you prove my point."
  2058. >"What?!"
  2059. "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  2060. >"....just."
  2061. >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  2062. >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  2063. >She's become quiet
  2064. >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  2065. "Well..."
  2066. >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  2067. "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  2068. >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  2069. "Maybe!"
  2070. >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  2071. >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  2072. "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  2073. >"I wasn't even scared!"
  2074. "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  2075. >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  2076. >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  2077. >"What?"
  2078. "You look terrible."
  2079. >"Kill yourself."
  2080. "Er, I mean,"
  2081. >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  2082. >She's trembling a bit
  2083. "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  2084. >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  2085. "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  2086. >Er, maybe too soon
  2087. "...I just want you to remember that life would be a whole lot more comfortable if you'd give up on Adagio. After all, she apparently gave up on you."
  2088. >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  2089. >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  2090. "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  2091. >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  2092. >You yawn and hold her tight
  2093. >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  2094. >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  2095. >Poor girl
  2096. >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  2097. >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  2098. "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  2099. >She sighs
  2100. >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  2101. "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  2102. >"So it's dumb if I want to know why you treat me like crap for no reason, but Sonata has you wrapped around her finger?"
  2103. >You wouldn't say that
  2104. >...
  2105. >Yes you would
  2106. "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  2107. >"Yeah right. She told you to spit on me and you did it. You're her bitch, huh? You take her orders, not the other way around."
  2108. >Alright, that struck a nerve
  2109. "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  2110. >"Then why'd you do it?"
  2111. "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  2112. >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  2113. >You do your best not to laugh
  2114. "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  2115. >"Ugh!"
  2116. >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  2117. >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  2118. "Come on, twin-tails."
  2119. >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  2120. >She flops around like a fish out of water
  2121. >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  2122. "Uh."
  2123. >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  2124. "Uh-huh?"
  2125. >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  2126. "...Go on..."
  2127. >She looks ready to explode
  2128. >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  2129. "Oh."
  2130. >You let her anger fester a bit
  2131. >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  2132. >Part of you really wants to know
  2133. >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  2134. >Yeah, probably strangling
  2135. "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  2136. >"Fu-wha?"
  2137. >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  2138. >It seems to have been effective
  2139. >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  2140. "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  2141. >"...yeah...?"
  2142. "Right off the bat she asked me not to punish you or Adagio. Poor Sonata is called a traitor, and even then she still cares about you two."
  2143. >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  2144. >She just listens, so you keep going
  2145. "She didn't betray you, either. She got out of a shitty situation. You and Adagio are criminals. Believe me, this is the best you could hope for in my world."
  2146. >"...but..."
  2147. >You cover her mouth
  2148. "And yeah, I've been really friendly with you. You might be gross and disgusting, but you're mine. Unlike your current leader, I hold on to my people. No matter what."
  2149. >It seems like a good moment, so you pull her right up next to you so that she's sharing the pillow, and rest your arm around her
  2150. "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  2151. >You shut your eyes
  2152. >The good mood you had has evaporated
  2153. >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  2154. >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  2155. ___
  2156. >Your back kind of hurts
  2157. >Too used to your fancy bed
  2158. >What time is it?
  2159. >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  2160. >Has it been a couple of hours?
  2161. >Feels like longer
  2162. "Hey, Aria-"
  2163. >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  2164. >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  2165. >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  2166. "Oh boy."
  2167. >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  2168. >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  2169. "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  2170. >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  2171. "Fuck."
  2172. >9:14 A.M.
  2173. "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  2174. >"..nnnghh.."
  2175. >You shake her a bit
  2176. "You're going back upstairs now."
  2177. >"..ghhnn-no!"
  2178. >Her eyes shoot open
  2179. >"Huh?"
  2180. "How are you feeling?"
  2181. >She looks around and confirms her location
  2182. >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  2183. >You rub her head as you sit up
  2184. "I'm glad."
  2185. >"Psh..."
  2186. >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  2187. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  2188. >....
  2189. >No comeback?
  2190. >Nothing?
  2191. "You know, this floor feels like garbage compared to my bed. And of course, all those fluffy pillows. And it doesn't have the weird smell this room does."
  2192. >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  2193. "Okay."
  2194. >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  2195. >"Wait!"
  2196. "What?"
  2197. >"Can you just wait?"
  2198. "Uh."
  2199. >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  2200. >Much more than a nap, actually
  2201. "You're adorable."
  2202. >"...wha?"
  2203. "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  2204. >Her face turns red and she frowns
  2205. >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  2206. "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  2207. >Her eye twitches
  2208. "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  2209. >"...so..."
  2210. "So?"
  2211. >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  2212. >Too cute
  2213. "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  2214. >"No."
  2215. "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  2216. >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  2217. >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  2218. ___
  2219. >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  2220. >Did she...
  2221. "Sonata?"
  2222. >Yup
  2223. >Fell asleep watching TV again
  2224. >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  2225. >"Hey. The day has started."
  2226. >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  2227. "We've got a trip to m-"
  2228. >A message
  2229. >From...
  2230. >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  2231. >How could she possibly-
  2232. "That's crazy, Twilight"
  2233. >In no time, she responds
  2234. >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  2235. "Didn't find anything?"
  2236. >"Nothing..."
  2237. >"Anonymous"
  2238. >"I don't know what to do"
  2239. >You feel nauseated
  2240. >Maybe you can work something out?
  2241. >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  2242. >But that wouldn't be very believable
  2243. >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  2244. "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  2245. >"Yeah..."
  2246. >"Thank you Anonymous"
  2247. >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  2248. >"I must have made a mistake"
  2249. >No
  2250. >You didn't...
  2251. "Good luck."
  2252. >You sigh and close your laptop
  2253. "Sonata. Wake up."
  2254. >"Ghnnn..."
  2255. >You gently scratch her forehead
  2256. "Come onnnn."
  2257. >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  2258. "It's morning."
  2259. >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  2260. >Really?
  2261. >She's got to be making that up, right?
  2262. >You smile and ruffle her hair
  2263. "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  2264. >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  2265. >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  2266. "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  2267. >"What do we gotta do?!"
  2268. "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  2269. >She pouts
  2270. >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  2271. >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  2272. >It's not long before she gives in
  2273. >"Will you feed them, then?"
  2274. "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  2275. >"Okay~"
  2276. >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  2277. >"Anon..."
  2278. "Yeah?"
  2279. >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  2280. >Uh...?
  2281. "Just grab one right now?"
  2282. >"....wh... um. Okay."
  2283. >She looks at you with a blank face
  2284. >And then continues on
  2285. >Anyway
  2286. >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  2287. >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  2288. >Which is a pretty good punishment on its own, but it could be much better with a reminder of what they're missing out on
  2289. >You scratch your chin and hum
  2290. >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  2291. "So then, clothes."
  2292. ___
  2293. >This room is... uncomfortable
  2294. >You were never allowed inside
  2295. >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  2296. >So you've been rushing through the closet, throwing piles of clothes into the floor, digging through boxes and avoiding your mom's underwear
  2297. >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  2298. >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  2299. >As a result, she has a few-
  2300. "Bingo."
  2301. >A super curly blond wig
  2302. >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  2303. >That's good enough, you think
  2304. >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  2305. >"Anon! Where are you!"
  2306. "In here."
  2307. >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  2308. >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  2309. >"Who lives in here?"
  2310. "My parents used to."
  2311. >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  2312. >She points around at the mess you've made
  2313. "Yeah."
  2314. >"It's one of these!"
  2315. >Oh god
  2316. >Sonata
  2317. >Don't
  2318. "What about it?"
  2319. >"A, uh, b-something."
  2320. "Bra."
  2321. >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  2322. >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  2323. "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  2324. >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  2325. "You know you have to wear it today."
  2326. >"...but I don't like it."
  2327. >You shrug
  2328. "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  2329. >"But Anon."
  2330. >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  2331. >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  2332. >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  2333. >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  2334. >But you fail
  2335. >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  2336. "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  2337. >"As if!"
  2338. "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  2339. >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  2340. >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  2341. >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  2342. "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  2343. >"Really?!"
  2344. "But first, here!"
  2345. >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  2346. >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  2347. >"Heeeeeey..."
  2348. "There."
  2349. >You step back and admire your creation
  2350. >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  2351. >lumpy hair
  2352. >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  2353. >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  2354. "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  2355. >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  2356. >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  2357. >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  2358. >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  2359. "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  2360. >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  2361. >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  2362. >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  2363. "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  2364. >"We can go already?!"
  2365. "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  2366. >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  2367. >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  2368. >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  2369. >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  2370. "Oh. By the way. I'm pretty new to driving, and it stresses me out. So please don't talk to me until we get there, alright?"
  2371. >"Sure!"
  2372. ___
  2373. Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  2374. >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  2375. >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  2376. "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  2377. >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  2378. >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  2379. "Try to have a little patience."
  2380. >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  2381. >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  2382. >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  2383. >She huffs and crosses her arms
  2384. >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  2385. "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  2386. >"Then whyyyy?"
  2387. "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  2388. >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  2389. >This is really starting to piss you off
  2390. "I'm worried about you."
  2391. >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  2392. "...Sona-"
  2393. >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  2394. >Aria's words from last night
  2395. >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  2396. "Sonata. This needs to-"
  2397. >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  2398. >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  2399. "Fuck!"
  2400. >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  2401. >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  2402. >and a truck passes by you from the right
  2403. >Holy shit
  2404. "...Sonata."
  2405. >"Huh?"
  2406. "You need to stop."
  2407. >"What?"
  2408. >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  2409. "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  2410. >"Oh..."
  2411. >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  2412. >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  2413. "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  2414. >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  2415. >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  2416. >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  2417. >...you didn't almost crash
  2418. >Right?
  2419. >You would have stopped no matter what
  2420. >...
  2421. >No
  2422. >Don't kid yourself
  2423. >This is important
  2424. "Oh thank God."
  2425. >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  2426. >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  2427. >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  2428. >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  2429. "Do you understand what just happened?"
  2430. >"Um..."
  2431. "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  2432. >"Not really."
  2433. "We could have died."
  2434. >"Wh-what?!"
  2435. >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  2436. "You saw how fast we were going. If we had hit that truck we could have died, or killed whoever was driving it."
  2437. >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  2438. "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  2439. >She suddenly looks very upset
  2440. >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  2441. >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  2442. >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  2443. "Sonata..."
  2444. >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  2445. "...you did. Just let it be a lesson. If I ask you to be quiet, or to do anything for that matter, you do it."
  2446. >"Uhhh... I-"
  2447. "Understood?"
  2448. >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  2449. >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  2450. >Stiff as a board
  2451. >This... feels shitty
  2452. >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  2453. >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  2454. >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  2455. >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  2456. >Nobody here cares
  2457. >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  2458. "Are you ready?"
  2459. >"Um... uh-huh."
  2460. >She's practically hiding behind the car
  2461. >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  2462. "Come here, Sonata."
  2463. >She slowly walks over to your side
  2464. >God damn it
  2465. >This isn't what you wanted today
  2466. "Stop... please."
  2467. >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  2468. "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  2469. >"...s-sorry."
  2470. >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  2471. >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  2472. "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  2473. >"...uh-huh?"
  2474. "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  2475. >"Okay."
  2476. >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  2477. >She smiles back
  2478. >That's more like it
  2479. >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  2480. "Whoa!"
  2481. >A guy almost hits her with the door
  2482. >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  2483. >"C'mon!"
  2484. "Okay, okay!"
  2485. ___
  2486. >The air conditioning
  2487. >That pop music
  2488. >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  2489. >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  2490. >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  2491. >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  2492. >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  2493. >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  2494. "So. Any ideas?"
  2495. >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  2496. "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  2497. >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  2498. "Crazy, right?"
  2499. >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  2500. "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  2501. >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  2502. "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  2503. >"The whuh?"
  2504. >You point her up to the left
  2505. "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  2506. >"b-bacon!?"
  2507. "And it comes with a drink of course."
  2508. >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  2509. "Are you sure?"
  2510. >"WAIT."
  2511. >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  2512. >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  2513. "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  2514. >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  2515. >"YES!"
  2516. >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  2517. >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  2518. "We're ready. I think."
  2519. >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  2520. "Honey, you can just get both."
  2521. >"Ho...ney...?"
  2522. >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  2523. "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  2524. >You go through the motions of paying
  2525. >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  2526. >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  2527. >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  2528. "I know~"
  2529. >She runs over to the soda machines
  2530. >"You two are adorable."
  2531. "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  2532. >The cashier giggles
  2533. >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  2534. >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  2535. >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  2536. >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  2537. "...you too."
  2538. >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  2539. >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  2540. >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  2541. "Here."
  2542. >You snap it on
  2543. >"Thank yoooou~"
  2544. >There's a lot of flavors these days
  2545. >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  2546. >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  2547. >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  2548. >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  2549. "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  2550. >"Ohhh. Neato."
  2551. >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  2552. "Do you like it hot?"
  2553. >"I like it... I... like it..."
  2554. >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  2555. >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  2556. "Do you want some? Or-"
  2557. >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  2558. >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  2559. "Uhh."
  2560. >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  2561. >"Anon."
  2562. "Yeah?"
  2563. >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  2564. ___
  2565. >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  2566. >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  2567. "Don't choke!"
  2568. >"Ih woghn't!"
  2569. >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  2570. >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  2571. >And kind of turn you on
  2572. >Oh boy
  2573. >"Anaghn?"
  2574. >She swallows
  2575. >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  2576. "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  2577. >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  2578. >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  2579. "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  2580. >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  2581. >You take the moment in
  2582. >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  2583. >It feels amazing
  2584. >"Oh. And Anon?"
  2585. "Yeah?"
  2586. >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  2587. >Dizzy?
  2588. >Is that good or bad?
  2589. >"You should call me it more often~"
  2590. >Oh, it's good
  2591. >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  2592. "Okay, honey."
  2593. >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  2594. >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  2595. >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  2596. >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  2597. >It's blissful
  2598. >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  2599. "...oh God."
  2600. >"Hm?"
  2601. >The side door to the right opens up
  2602. >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  2603. >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  2604. "Oh man."
  2605. >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  2606. "What?"
  2607. >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  2608. >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  2609. "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  2610. >"Uh-huh."
  2611. >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  2612. >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  2613. >She's right
  2614. >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  2615. >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  2616. >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  2617. >In a half-assed attempt at being proper, she wraps one around her index finger and prods at the edges of her mouth
  2618. >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  2619. >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  2620. >"Susanne - their daughter - goes to a hot dog stand with her new boyfriend. And he's suuuper nervous, 'cause Susanne is SMOKIN' hot..."
  2621. >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  2622. >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  2623. >They gave her a cup
  2624. >She's about to circle around
  2625. >Why did you have to sit here?
  2626. >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  2627. "Uhh."
  2628. >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  2629. >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  2630. "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  2631. >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  2632. >Here she comes
  2633. >Don't look at her
  2634. >Look at Sonata
  2635. >There we go
  2636. >Just let her pass
  2637. >Better hold still, too
  2638. >"...go back to his house to get her a new t-shirt to wear home, and she's impressed he has such fancy clothes and..."
  2639. >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  2640. >She's as close as she can get
  2641. >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  2642. >Time seems to slow down
  2643. >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  2644. >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  2645. >Slide under the table?
  2646. >Run for it?
  2647. >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  2648. >You cover your mouth and groan
  2649. >"Anonymous?"
  2650. >...
  2651. >"Is that you?"
  2652. >You look up
  2653. >Her offense seems to have faded
  2654. >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  2655. "That's me, yeah."
  2656. >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  2657. >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  2658. "Oh?"
  2659. >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  2660. "That's not necessary."
  2661. >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  2662. >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  2663. "Ehheh."
  2664. >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  2665. >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  2666. >As soon as she's in range you get as close to her ear as her hood and wig will allow and whisper:
  2667. "Not a word."
  2668. >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  2669. "...feel free."
  2670. >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  2671. "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  2672. >"Applejack."
  2673. "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  2674. >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  2675. "Really?"
  2676. >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  2677. >"Just got back in town an' decided to stop here. Not a big fan of fast food, but ah ain't had a bite to eat in a full twenny four hours."
  2678. "Oh."
  2679. >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  2680. >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  2681. >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  2682. "Did she?"
  2683. >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  2684. "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  2685. >She nods
  2686. >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  2687. "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  2688. >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  2689. >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  2690. >Maybe you can end this quickly
  2691. "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  2692. >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  2693. >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  2694. >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  2695. >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  2696. >All goes well for a few minutes
  2697. >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  2698. >"You're pretty."
  2699. >AJ's eyes open wide
  2700. >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  2701. >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  2702. >Good lord
  2703. >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  2704. >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  2705. >So you just smile and shrug
  2706. >"Yes or no, silly~"
  2707. >Urk
  2708. "Sure, she's pretty."
  2709. >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  2710. >What was she expecting?
  2711. >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  2712. "She's. My... cousin."
  2713. >"Oh really?"
  2714. "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  2715. >She tugs even harder
  2716. >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  2717. >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  2718. "Hey..."
  2719. >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  2720. "...her name is Bella."
  2721. >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  2722. >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  2723. "She's visiting right now."
  2724. >"Ah..."
  2725. >The table falls silent
  2726. >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  2727. >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  2728. >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  2729. >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  2730. >"I'm not just visiting."
  2731. >"...excuse me?"
  2732. >"I live with Anon."
  2733. >Sonata
  2734. >What the fuck
  2735. >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  2736. >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  2737. >"...uh-huh?"
  2738. >"In fact. We share the same-"
  2739. "Bella."
  2740. >"...we-"
  2741. >She hugs your arm
  2742. >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  2743. "BELLA."
  2744. >Both girls jump
  2745. >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  2746. >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  2747. >Your heart's about to beat out of your chest as you stare at the back of her hood, unable to face AJ
  2748. >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  2749. >Finally, she speaks
  2750. >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  2751. ___
  2752. >She knows
  2753. >She's not stupid
  2754. >Just southern
  2755. >Wait, that's fucked up
  2756. >Can't control racing thoughts
  2757. >She's not even looking at you
  2758. >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  2759. >"So."
  2760. "So!?"
  2761. >Too loud, calm down
  2762. >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  2763. "Uh."
  2764. >Can't really deny it now
  2765. "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  2766. >"Because yer livin' together."
  2767. "Y-Yeah?"
  2768. >"Alone."
  2769. "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  2770. >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  2771. >"An' will be for a while."
  2772. "...yeah?"
  2773. >She shakes her head
  2774. >Wait
  2775. >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  2776. "Is that a problem?"
  2777. >She spits into gutter
  2778. >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  2779. >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  2780. "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  2781. >"She pregnant?"
  2782. >Your jaw drops
  2783. "Does she... look pregnant?"
  2784. >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  2785. >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  2786. >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  2787. "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  2788. >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  2789. "That's not quite-"
  2790. >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  2791. "Well."
  2792. >"An' that jacket's just embarrassin'. Talk about an over-correction. She's probably barely showin'. This ain't even mentioning that weird clingy behavior."
  2793. "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  2794. >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  2795. >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  2796. >"Ah'm right."
  2797. "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  2798. >She smiles
  2799. >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  2800. "Get to the point."
  2801. >"Alright, alright."
  2802. >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  2803. >"Ah've seen this four times in my family. It's real obvious at this point. Ah know ya probably think it rude of me ta git in yer business, but ah've seen first-hand how destructive teenage pregnancies can be."
  2804. "Go on."
  2805. >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  2806. "True..."
  2807. >"Ya gotta be mentally prepared for all that. Ah bet ya ain't given a moment's thought to the most critical events."
  2808. "Like?"
  2809. >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  2810. >It's as if her voice moves further away
  2811. >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  2812. >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  2813. >But she keeps going and going
  2814. >Like some kind of after school special
  2815. >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  2816. >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  2817. >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  2818. >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  2819. >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  2820. >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  2821. >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  2822. >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  2823. "Uh-huh."
  2824. >You extend your hand
  2825. >She takes it, and you pull her up
  2826. >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  2827. "I will."
  2828. >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  2829. >It makes your stomach turn
  2830. >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  2831. >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  2832. >Then, she stares at you
  2833. >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  2834. >"Anon."
  2835. "Yeah?"
  2836. >She takes one little step forward
  2837. >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  2838. "Just-"
  2839. >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  2840. >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  2841. >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  2842. >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  2843. >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  2844. >But fuck Aria
  2845. "Come here."
  2846. >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  2847. >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  2848. "I'm not mad."
  2849. >"Y-You aren't?"
  2850. "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  2851. >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  2852. "I think you do, Sonata."
  2853. >"...well, I was bothered because you called me your cousin. I don't want to be your cousin. Or anything else. I want..."
  2854. >She goes quiet
  2855. >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  2856. "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  2857. >"Huh?!"
  2858. "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  2859. >"Anon?"
  2860. "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  2861. >Urgh
  2862. >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  2863. >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  2864. >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  2865. >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  2866. >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  2867. >"Anon! I-"
  2868. >It gets tighter
  2869. >And tighter
  2870. >It's sort of hard to breathe
  2871. >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  2872. >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  2873. "Me too. But hey."
  2874. >"Yeah?"
  2875. "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  2876. >"I can't tell them?"
  2877. "It could mess up their punishment."
  2878. >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  2879. >"I won't tell them!"
  2880. "Good. I mean... thank you."
  2881. >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  2882. >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  2883. >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  2884. >...Yeah
  2885. >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  2886. "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  2887. >"...Sorry!"
  2888. "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  2889. >"Where are we going?"
  2890. >You lead her back inside
  2891. "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  2892. >"You don't know that!"
  2893. "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  2894. ___
  2895. >Your mood could not be any better
  2896. >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  2897. >Going on about the things she likes about you
  2898. >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  2899. >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  2900. >Can't stop smiling
  2901. >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  2902. "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  2903. >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  2904. >Adagio just stares
  2905. "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  2906. >Aria sighs
  2907. >"Took you long enough."
  2908. "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  2909. >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  2910. >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  2911. "Eat up."
  2912. >"...was that a joke?"
  2913. >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  2914. "Haha. Who's first today?"
  2915. >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  2916. >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  2917. >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  2918. >"I'm not hungry."
  2919. "Uh. Are you sure?"
  2920. >No response
  2921. "I guess I won't force you."
  2922. >That was disappointing
  2923. >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  2924. "Well. I guess that's that."
  2925. >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  2926. >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  2927. "Hm?"
  2928. >"Forget something?!"
  2929. "No?"
  2930. >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  2931. >You rub your chin and look around the room
  2932. "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  2933. >"Yo-You THINK?"
  2934. >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  2935. >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  2936. >That's... disgusting
  2937. >All the better
  2938. >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  2939. "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  2940. >"Shut up."
  2941. >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  2942. >Instantly she whines
  2943. >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  2944. >She forces herself to swallow
  2945. >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  2946. "Don't exaggerate."
  2947. >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  2948. "I think you are."
  2949. >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  2950. >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  2951. "How lewd."
  2952. >Her expression softens up
  2953. >"What are you talking about..."
  2954. "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  2955. >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  2956. "Right. Well."
  2957. >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  2958. >You're quick to swallow
  2959. "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  2960. >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  2961. "Haha!"
  2962. >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  2963. "Suit yourself."
  2964. >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  2965. >And inside that is a wrap containing two segments of a foot long submarine sandwich, packed to the brim with meat, cheese, lettuce, mustard and mayonnaise
  2966. >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  2967. >"...Seriously?"
  2968. "Mm?"
  2969. >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  2970. >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  2971. >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  2972. >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  2973. >The crunch of the lettuce
  2974. >The texture of the meat
  2975. >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  2976. >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  2977. >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  2978. "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  2979. >"So?"
  2980. "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  2981. >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  2982. "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  2983. >"SO?"
  2984. "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  2985. >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  2986. >Bingo
  2987. "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  2988. >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  2989. >If taking your time with your brunch weren't enough, this is what brings the fuming siren to let out a quiet growl
  2990. >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  2991. >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  2992. "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  2993. >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  2994. "You know that's not true."
  2995. >"What?!"
  2996. "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  2997. >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  2998. "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  2999. >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  3000. "...any time."
  3001. >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  3002. >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  3003. "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  3004. >"Huh?!"
  3005. "So eager to replace your leader..."
  3006. >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  3007. >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  3008. >There it is
  3009. >What Aria seems to care about most
  3010. >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  3011. >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  3012. "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  3013. >She looks past you
  3014. >Probably right at Adagio
  3015. >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  3016. >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  3017. >Her voice is somber and shaky
  3018. >You smile
  3019. >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  3020. >Not a word?
  3021. >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  3022. >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  3023. >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  3024. >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  3025. "...hmm."
  3026. >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  3027. >She looks at you in defeat
  3028. >Poor twin-tails
  3029. >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  3030. >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  3031. >Gently, you grab the top of her head and turn it back toward you, gesture to Adagio, and then press your index finger against your lips
  3032. >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  3033. >Oh come on twin-tails
  3034. >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  3035. >"..mpgh?!"
  3036. >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  3037. >At first she lets it sit there
  3038. >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  3039. >...there you go
  3040. >She chews slowly
  3041. >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  3042. >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  3043. >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  3044. >You smile at her
  3045. >She stares
  3046. >Your smile fades
  3047. >...and she keeps staring
  3048. >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  3049. >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  3050. >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  3051. >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  3052. >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  3053. >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  3054. "Anyway. If you're both sure you don't want to eat, I have better things to do than hang out with prisoners."
  3055. >You step outside
  3056. "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  3057. >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  3058. >Poor girl
  3059. >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  3060. ___
  3061. >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  3062. "Kitchen!"
  3063. >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  3064. >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  3065. >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  3066. >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  3067. >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  3068. "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  3069. >She hugs herself
  3070. >"Heehee~"
  3071. >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  3072. >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  3073. "Hm?"
  3074. >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  3075. "Oh!"
  3076. >A message
  3077. >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  3078. >Great
  3079. "Let's go see what it is."
  3080. >"Okay!"
  3081. >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  3082. ___
  3083. >You plop down onto the couch
  3084. >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  3085. >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  3086. >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  3087. >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  3088. >This picture always cracks you up
  3089. >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  3090. >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  3091. >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  3092. >...you're stalling
  3093. >Best get it over with
  3094. >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  3095. >"are you at your computer"
  3096. "I am now"
  3097. >"hello anonymous."
  3098. "What's up"
  3099. >"i went back to the mall"
  3100. "Didn't go well?"
  3101. >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  3102. "Oh"
  3103. "I'm sorry"
  3104. >"it's my fault"
  3105. "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  3106. >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  3107. >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  3108. >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  3109. "It's not your fault"
  3110. "Period"
  3111. >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  3112. "Who's they?"
  3113. >"my friends"
  3114. >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  3115. >"there are over seven billion of them"
  3116. >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  3117. "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  3118. >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  3119. "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  3120. >"they will"
  3121. >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  3122. >"they trusted me"
  3123. >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  3124. >Your chest hurts
  3125. >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  3126. >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  3127. >So what can you do?
  3128. >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  3129. >You start typing something
  3130. >Anything...
  3131. "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  3132. >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  3133. >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  3134. >She's... sorry
  3135. >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  3136. >God
  3137. >Damn it
  3138. >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  3139. >"you might be in the history books"
  3140. >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  3141. >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  3142. "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  3143. >You exhale sharply
  3144. >Here we go
  3145. >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  3146. "No"
  3147. "Stop typing"
  3148. "Just listen for a second"
  3149. >Sure enough, the message disappears
  3150. "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  3151. "From now on, I'm in charge"
  3152. "As your investigation manager"
  3153. "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  3154. "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  3155. "I just remembered"
  3156. >"what room is it"
  3157. >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  3158. "Nope"
  3159. "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  3160. "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  3161. "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  3162. "Your job today is to relax"
  3163. "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  3164. "Okay?"
  3165. >There's a long pause
  3166. >The typing notification brings anxiety
  3167. >"Anonymous..."
  3168. >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  3169. "I insist"
  3170. >"Okay..."
  3171. >"But."
  3172. >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  3173. "Don't worry, don't worry"
  3174. "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  3175. "I've got everything under control"
  3176. >"Okay..."
  3177. "Go relax"
  3178. >"Okay."
  3179. "Enjoy yourself"
  3180. >"ok"
  3181. >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  3182. >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  3183. >"Thank you Anonymous."
  3184. >Sonata bursts into laughter
  3185. >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  3186. >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  3187. >Feels kind of naughty
  3188. >"...excuuuuse me?"
  3189. "Huh?"
  3190. >She kicks at your shoulder
  3191. "Hey!"
  3192. >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  3193. >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  3194. >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  3195. >But what fun would that be
  3196. "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  3197. >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  3198. "I am."
  3199. >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  3200. "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  3201. >"Uuurgghh!"
  3202. >Her big toe twists into you
  3203. >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  3204. "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  3205. >"A-Anon!"
  3206. >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  3207. >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  3208. >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  3209. "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  3210. >"But you were looking!"
  3211. >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  3212. >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  3213. >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  3214. "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  3215. >"Yes. Yes you did."
  3216. ___
  3217. "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  3218. >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  3219. >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  3220. >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  3221. >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  3222. "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  3223. >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  3224. "Oh? Are you mad?"
  3225. >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  3226. "Let's play therapist." >"Let's not."
  3227. "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  3228. >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  3229. >"Do you come from some crazy land where ty... tying girls up, being all pervy to them, calling them names and making fun of them and feeding them COLD BEANS, makes them HAPPY?"
  3230. "Interesting..."
  3231. >"It's NOT interesting!"
  3232. "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  3233. >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  3234. >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  3235. >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  3236. >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  3237. "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  3238. >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  3239. >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  3240. >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  3241. >...poor, poor twin-tails
  3242. >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  3243. >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  3244. >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  3245. "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  3246. >"What?"
  3247. "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  3248. >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  3249. >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  3250. >"N-No. I don't know. I don't even want to do it. I just thought you were going to make me."
  3251. "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  3252. >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  3253. >You lay down on your side in front of her
  3254. >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  3255. "Why?"
  3256. >"I don't have to tell you why."
  3257. "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  3258. >"Ugh. No."
  3259. "Then..."
  3260. >"I swear. Maybe you didn't notice, since you're a fucking idiot, but me and Adagio are kind of on bad terms. I mean, we were even before you pulled all this."
  3261. "Really?"
  3262. >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  3263. >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  3264. >"She won't even talk to me. I'm th-the new Sonata. I KNOW that's what she thinks. She thinks I'm a fucking idiot. You just..."
  3265. >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  3266. >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  3267. "Aria..."
  3268. >"And saying that upstairs? About how, 'ohh Aria just wants a new leader'! What the hell?! As if things weren't bad enough after the bus stop!"
  3269. "What happened at the bus stop?"
  3270. >Her breathing quickens
  3271. >And her eyebrows sink
  3272. >Oh boy
  3273. >"I just wanted to h... I just wanted. To show. Her. That I can be a leader too. I mean... help be the leader. We were trying to figure out where to eat. And I told her that, I thought I had a better idea, and told her we shouldn't go to the same places too many times, because it's suspicious. And..."
  3274. "...And?"
  3275. >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  3276. >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  3277. >You're not quite sure, but
  3278. >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  3279. >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  3280. >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  3281. >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  3282. "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  3283. >"Oh fuck off..."
  3284. "Seriously. You show yo-"
  3285. >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  3286. >You raise your voice a bit
  3287. "Quiet!"
  3288. >...
  3289. >Just like before, she stares
  3290. >Looking a bit surprised
  3291. >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  3292. >It's exciting
  3293. "As I was saying. Even you know Adagio was in the wrong. Getting upset over her own insecurity as leader? Ignoring your advice - which was very good by the way - she was definitely wrong."
  3294. >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  3295. "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  3296. >"How's it different?"
  3297. "...huh?"
  3298. >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  3299. >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  3300. "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  3301. >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  3302. >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  3303. >She smells...
  3304. >Er
  3305. >She actually does smell kind of bad
  3306. "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  3307. >"So...?"
  3308. "Aria, I'm not telling you this stuff to make you mad. I'm hoping you'll improve yourself. For your own sake - so maybe you don't embarrass yourself around people - and for my sake too."
  3309. >"Your sake?"
  3310. "Yes."
  3311. >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  3312. "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  3313. >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  3314. >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  3315. "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  3316. >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  3317. "Well that should be obvious."
  3318. >"It's not."
  3319. "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  3320. >You rub her cheek
  3321. >She just takes it
  3322. >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  3323. >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  3324. >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  3325. "Hey. You still hungry?"
  3326. >"Of course I am."
  3327. "Wait here."
  3328. >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  3329. ___
  3330. >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  3331. >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  3332. >Ah, what the hell?
  3333. >Might as well give her a full meal
  3334. >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  3335. >Perfect
  3336. ___
  3337. >"What the heck is all that?"
  3338. "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  3339. >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  3340. >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  3341. "Ohhh no no no."
  3342. >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  3343. "Don't get get too excited."
  3344. >"Huh?"
  3345. >It pops up into her view
  3346. >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  3347. "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  3348. >"...I don't want it."
  3349. >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  3350. "Buuuullshit."
  3351. >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  3352. >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  3353. "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  3354. >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  3355. >"...urmmpphh."
  3356. >At this point she stops responding
  3357. >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  3358. "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  3359. >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  3360. >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  3361. >Her chewing is full of sass
  3362. >You didn't even know that was possible
  3363. >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  3364. >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  3365. "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  3366. >"...yeah."
  3367. "Haha... twin-tails."
  3368. >"...what?"
  3369. "You're cute."
  3370. >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  3371. >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  3372. >It feels kind of... rapey
  3373. >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  3374. >"SEE?"
  3375. >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  3376. >"LOOK!"
  3377. >Smack, smack, smack
  3378. >"I'm EATING it!"
  3379. "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  3380. "Shut UP!"
  3381. >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  3382. >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  3383. >And another bite down
  3384. >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  3385. >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  3386. >"Ohh, Aria, sleep next to me! It's all warm and cozy and shit! Ohh Aria, eat this sandwich while she's not looking! Ohh here, just eat the whole thing in my creepy dungeon room!"
  3387. >Then, she takes that next bite
  3388. >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  3389. >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  3390. >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  3391. >And then, you bring out the coke
  3392. >"...ohhh, THANK you dear leader! You're s-so kind to me... I'm so happy... is that what you want me to say?"
  3393. >You smile
  3394. >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  3395. >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  3396. >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  3397. >She gulps down half of it at once
  3398. >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  3399. >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  3400. "Really?"
  3401. >"Yes, really."
  3402. "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  3403. >"What!? ...I mean..."
  3404. >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  3405. >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  3406. >"Oh. Those."
  3407. "Do you like them?"
  3408. >She shrugs
  3409. "You like them."
  3410. >The bag ruffles
  3411. >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  3412. >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  3413. >You raise it toward her
  3414. >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  3415. >...along with part of you
  3416. "Ack."
  3417. >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  3418. >Every inch of her face is moving
  3419. >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  3420. >"These are... pretty well made."
  3421. "Think so?"
  3422. >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  3423. >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  3424. >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  3425. >It's like feeding a deer or something
  3426. >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  3427. >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  3428. >She swallows
  3429. >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  3430. >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  3431. >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  3432. >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  3433. >She barely seems to mind
  3434. "Aria... maybe I don't want you to be a prisoner forever."
  3435. >"What..."
  3436. "Maybe I feel like I have to guide you toward the obvious best choice."
  3437. >She focuses on the bag of chips and keeps her mouth shut
  3438. "So?"
  3439. >"So what?"
  3440. "Do you want do finish off this bag, or not?"
  3441. >She frowns
  3442. >Then rolls her eyes
  3443. >And sighs
  3444. "Haha... okay then."
  3445. >You dig in for another handful
  3446. ___
  3447. >Having elected to draw out the trip upstairs, you casually stroll through the kitchen
  3448. >When you told her punishment had ended, Aria had nothing to say
  3449. >Didn't even make a face
  3450. >Kind of disappointing
  3451. >You creep up the stairs, one by one
  3452. >Listening for a reaction of any kind
  3453. >...halfway up now...
  3454. >Nothing?
  3455. >Three quarters
  3456. >There's the final step
  3457. >"Wait."
  3458. >Lo and behold
  3459. "Yeah?"
  3460. >".......uh."
  3461. >You wait patiently, but she delays for far too long
  3462. >She gets a bit heavy on your shoulder
  3463. >Once you feel an urge to set her down, you rush her
  3464. "Go ahead."
  3465. >"Just- ...ugh. Never mind."
  3466. "What were you going to say?"
  3467. >"Nothing."
  3468. "I think it was something."
  3469. >You pat her ass and she kicks her legs
  3470. >"Fuck you. Go hang yourself."
  3471. "Alright, alright."
  3472. >You carry her into the guest bedroom
  3473. >Adagio's fast asleep, her head hanging and hair obscuring her face
  3474. >After Aria is tied up properly again she flops right onto her side and closes her eyes
  3475. "Uhh."
  3476. >It's almost funny
  3477. "...sleep tight, twin-tails."
  3478. ___
  3479. >"Anon?"
  3480. >You jolt awake
  3481. >The white glow of your laptop screen hurts your eyes
  3482. >Sonata's hand rests on your knee
  3483. >Shit
  3484. >Why are you so tired?
  3485. "Hey."
  3486. >You rub your eyes and then sigh at the blinking cursor with nothing behind it
  3487. >Some brainstorming session that amounted to
  3488. "I thought you were going to go to sleep? That's why I turned the lights off."
  3489. >Sonata grabs the remote off the back of the couch and lowers the volume just a bit before answering:
  3490. >"I can't fall asleep."
  3491. "Since when are you too good for the couch? Am I spoiling you?"
  3492. >You absolutely are
  3493. >"Hee hee. It's not that. I'm just worried about why you're so worried."
  3494. "Er."
  3495. >She gets up and sits so close to you that she's forced to rest her arm on your lap
  3496. >If this is some kind of pressure tactic...
  3497. >It's working
  3498. >"You can tell me, you know."
  3499. "I..."
  3500. >Telling her couldn't possibly end well
  3501. >Going out to spend time with a girl she's already shown jealousy toward?
  3502. >She'd worry, she'd get angry
  3503. >Judging by that little outburst at Taco Bell, Sonata might even contact Twilight to set the record straight
  3504. >So, you can't
  3505. >Sorry Sonata, but...
  3506. "It's about the money."
  3507. >"Huh? ...oh! Oh no!"
  3508. "Wh-what?"
  3509. >She covers her mouth and distances herself from you
  3510. >"I knew it..."
  3511. "What?"
  3512. >"I'm so stupid..."
  3513. "What?! What's wrong?"
  3514. >She buries her face into a cushion
  3515. >Her legs flop out onto the floor
  3516. >"I spent all our money at Taco Bell!"
  3517. >...
  3518. "Not quite. I'm not exactly rich, but I'm far from poor. I mean, we're."
  3519. >"So I didn't waste the money?"
  3520. "No, silly."
  3521. >She perks up and sits down again
  3522. >"Good! Then what is the problem?"
  3523. "I uh. Uhhh. Well, this money was sent to us from another country. And the... government is suspicious, since it happens too often, and-"
  3524. >"The cops and judges!?"
  3525. "Yes? Sort of."
  3526. >"Are you going to jail?!"
  3527. >Jesus Christ
  3528. >This girl goes from calm to panic in an instant
  3529. >You ruffle her hair and shake your head
  3530. "The government is big. The cops and judges are only part of it. The part that's causing problems with me is just making sure I'm not a criminal."
  3531. >"Oh."
  3532. >She puts on an innocent smile
  3533. >Trusting your every word as you spew bullshit
  3534. >God damn it
  3535. "Yeah. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow and I'm just nervous about it."
  3536. >"You should have told me. I can help you."
  3537. "It's okay. I c-"
  3538. >"Anon!"
  3539. >She crawls into the floor in front of you and rests her head on your lap
  3540. >Very quickly you start to feel her warmth
  3541. >That, and her weight - this feeling of being trapped where you sit is oddly comforting
  3542. >Why is she so good at calming your mind?
  3543. >"I need to help you."
  3544. "Need to?"
  3545. >"Yeah... um."
  3546. >She slips her arms under her face and settles in
  3547. >"It's my job. You've been taking care of me, and you're so nice to me. And now, ever since T-Taco Bell we're-"
  3548. >She stuffs her face into your leg for a moment to quiet a squee
  3549. >"we're a couple."
  3550. >You are, aren't you?
  3551. >It still seems so surreal for this girl you met so recently, who was initially scared of you, to be with you
  3552. >"And a girlfriend is supposed to comfort her boyfriend. Especially when he's about to face a battle."
  3553. "Sonata..."
  3554. >'Battle' is a bit dramatic, but you let it slide
  3555. >A dog food commercial passes by on TV
  3556. >Thirty seconds of contemplation as she hums and gently rocks left and right on top of you
  3557. >Even though you aren't doing anything wrong, you feel guilty
  3558. >Lying so that you can spend the day with Twilight...
  3559. >Maybe it's best just to tell her?
  3560. "Sonata. There's something I need to-"
  3561. >The words escape you
  3562. >Her head shoots up
  3563. >"Uh, do you mean..."
  3564. >She sit sup straight and lets her eyelids sink down a bit
  3565. >"...that you need me?"
  3566. "Huh?"
  3567. >Her eyes revert as she studies your confused reaction
  3568. >"Is it what you need?"
  3569. "Uh."
  3570. >"Anon?"
  3571. >She runs her hand up and down your leg, very slowly
  3572. >Your face heats up
  3573. >Your mind draws a blank
  3574. >Where is this coming from?
  3575. >"I-Is it what you need or not?"
  3576. >Her hand stops moving
  3577. >Though it's hard to see her face with the laptop glowing behind her, you can tell she's nervous
  3578. >Time to force some words
  3579. "What's this all about?"
  3580. >"What do you mean..."
  3581. "Where did this come from?"
  3582. >She waits a while
  3583. >"I'm confused..."
  3584. "Me too?"
  3585. >"Don't you-"
  3586. >Her ponytail whips around as she looks away
  3587. >"Don't you want me, Anon?"
  3588. >Of course
  3589. >How could you not?
  3590. >But so soon, and with this investigation shit on your mind?
  3591. "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"
  3592. >"I don't know. Is it?"
  3593. "Maybe. We literally started dating today."
  3594. >You glance at the time
  3595. "Yesterday..."
  3596. >Sonata looks at your laptop, and then to you
  3597. >"Isn't this what boys want?"
  3598. "Well. Yes?"
  3599. >"They want to get really close with a pretty girl."
  3600. "Yeah."
  3601. >"So I'm not pretty? Is that it?"
  3602. >What?!
  3603. >"Is it my hair? I can do twin-tails like Aria. Is- is that it? Am I not tough enough? 'Cause I can be. Beating people up and, saying bad words. Or is it my hair color? I can get the wig. Just tell me. Tell me what to do..."
  3604. >The more she goes on, the faster she talks, and the faster she talks, the higher she climbs up your lap
  3605. >Once she's close to your face your stomach goes ice cold. Now you can clearly see the tears building in her eyes
  3606. >"I can be smart, too. I can... maybe not as much as that one girl. But I promise I can be smart."
  3607. >Her voice shakes with her unsteady breathing
  3608. "Sonata, why are you saying this stuff?"
  3609. >"Because."
  3610. >She runs her fingers over her eyes
  3611. >"I'm scared."
  3612. "Of what?"
  3613. >She shakes her head
  3614. >"You're more interested in all the other girls."
  3615. >That's not true...
  3616. >"Like how you wanted to see Aria naked, but not me."
  3617. >Where in the world did she get that impression?
  3618. >...
  3619. >Your jaw drops as a sentence from earlier on hits you with all of its meaning
  3620. >"And Applejack - you kept looking and, I know you said you were just nervous, but then you said she's pretty."
  3621. >It was kind of forced out of your mouth, though-
  3622. >"You didn't tell me what you talked to her about either."
  3623. >A bunch of bullshit is all-
  3624. >"When that smart girl came to the house, you wanted to be alone with her too!"
  3625. >She knows why that is-
  3626. >"And. And..."
  3627. >She's lightly sobbing at this point
  3628. >Talking so quickly you can't even think straight
  3629. >"You spent last night with Aria, huh?"
  3630. >...
  3631. >Well
  3632. >It's true
  3633. >"It's just so... scary having a boy leader."
  3634. "So that's what it is?"
  3635. >Her mouth shuts tight and she leans in a bit
  3636. >Apparently eager to hear your response
  3637. >You reach around and rub her back
  3638. "Sonata, you think I'm going to abandon you for other girls?"
  3639. >She shrugs her shoulders and sniffles
  3640. "Don't be crazy. Do you really think I'd trade you off?"
  3641. >"If they were prettier."
  3642. "Well I wouldn't. You're mine. No matter what happens you'll be by my side."
  3643. >"Anon..."
  3644. "Besides that, you're insane if you think you're not as pretty as those other girls. You're..."
  3645. >You caress the side of her face
  3646. "...the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
  3647. >"...Anonnn..."
  3648. "I don't want to hear about you being stupid, either."
  3649. >"But I am."
  3650. "You aren't. A bit naive maybe. But you're just saying this because Aria calls you stupid. Right?"
  3651. >"I don't know."
  3652. "I do."
  3653. >She presses into your hand and whimpers
  3654. >You'll have to do something about Aria...
  3655. "And about last night. I was punishing her and fell asleep. That's all there is to it."
  3656. >She looks perplexed for a moment, likely thinking back to her own punishment and wondering how one dozes off during a spanking
  3657. "Did you already forget what I told you?"
  3658. >"What?"
  3659. "You're special to me, Sonata."
  3660. >The faint sound of the TV is all you hear for some time
  3661. >You start to worry that she isn't convinced
  3662. >But then she lunges into a hug so hard you nearly lose your breath
  3663. >As soon as presses her face into your shirt, her quiet sobbing intensifies
  3664. "Sonata..."
  3665. >"Y-You mean it?"
  3666. >You hug her back
  3667. "Of course."
  3668. >"I'm... I'm s... I'm so happy..."
  3669. >You stay like this so long that your laptop's screen shuts off
  3670. >Resisting the urge to reach over and wake it up, you decide...
  3671. >Fuck it
  3672. >You'll just wing it tomorrow
  3673. >Right now, she needs you
  3674. ___
  3675. >You wake up to the intro theme of Sonata's favorite show
  3676. >The previously dark living room is lit partially through the windows and their closed curtains
  3677. >Morning already
  3678. "Your show is on~"
  3679. >She stirs a bit
  3680. "Don't you want to watch it?"
  3681. >"Mmm... tired."
  3682. "Come on~"
  3683. >Truthfully, you just need her to get off of you
  3684. >"tired..."
  3685. "I've got to pee."
  3686. >"Oh."
  3687. >She gets up, rubs her groggy eyes and falls into the vacant side of the couch
  3688. >Already fast asleep again
  3689. >Time to get ready for the investigation
  3690. >While making your way to your bedroom's bathroom, you strip off your shirt and pants
  3691. >After you've done what must be done you stand in the living room and stretch
  3692. >The fact that there's a girl in the room strikes you, and you feel a bit awkward
  3693. >Too used to living alone
  3694. >You start back to your bedroom to get changed and are stopped by three knocks on the door
  3695. "What the hell?"
  3696. >You glance at Sonata
  3697. >Still asleep, thank god
  3698. >You hop over to the door and look through the peephole
  3699. >As you thought... Twilight
  3700. >You can't let her inside with Sonata right there on the couch
  3701. >But you also don't want to have to tell Sonata to head off to the guest room so you can talk to someone she views as a rival
  3702. "Damn it."
  3703. >You stand up straight, and try not to panic
  3704. >She's going to knock again. What if Sonata wakes up?
  3705. >After adjusting your boxers a bit, you open the door, step outside and close it as quickly - and quietly - as possible
  3706. >"Hello Anoh my gosh..."
  3707. >She raises her notebook over her face
  3708. "Hey. Why're you here? You should've messaged me."
  3709. >"Ahh... I, uh, I did. Five times."
  3710. "Oh. Well it's so early. I just woke up. Please excuse me while I get dressed."
  3711. >"It's twelve-thirty..."
  3712. "Feel free to hop into the passenger seat of my car, I'll just be a minute."
  3713. >"Okay. I will."
  3714. >She scurries off
  3715. >Perfect
  3716. >You smile in victory and head back into the house
  3717. >After shaking her a bit, Sonata springs awake
  3718. >"Mmmmm. Anooon! You didn't tell me my show was on!"
  3719. "I did too, silly. Hey, you have to get up."
  3720. >"Noooo..."
  3721. >She watches as you pass by the couch
  3722. >"Anaawwwn~!"
  3723. "Huh?"
  3724. >"Oh my GOSH~!"
  3725. >Oh, right
  3726. >Almost naked
  3727. "Sorry, I was changing for my meeting."
  3728. >"Oh you don't have to apologize~"
  3729. >You feel your face heat up and your stomach get all tingly
  3730. >No time though
  3731. >Got to act fast
  3732. "No seducing your leader."
  3733. >"More like you're seducing me~"
  3734. "Oh boy."
  3735. >Now you really don't want to leave
  3736. >But you've got a girl waiting in your car
  3737. >Urk
  3738. "I've gotta get dressed, follow me!"
  3739. >You dash into your room and throw on a fresh t-shirt and jeans
  3740. >Your shoes are hiding under the edge of your bed, but you manage to find them
  3741. >Sonata jumps onto your side of the bed and starts to get cozy
  3742. "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake. I need you to feed the prisoners."
  3743. >"Awwww!"
  3744. "Listen close, this is important okay? Remember not t-"
  3745. >"to untie them, or listen to anything they say, EVEN if they say they're ready to be good. I'm not stupid, remember?"
  3746. >She smiles, and you do as well
  3747. "Sorry. I'm nervous because it's a bit different this time. I might be gone for a long time today."
  3748. >Hold it
  3749. >Taking them to use the restroom involves untying them
  3750. >You can't really leave that to Sonata
  3751. "Fuuuuck. I've gotta check on them. Aria has to pee."
  3752. >"What? How do you know?"
  3753. "I just know. Hey, I'm going to head out right after that, okay? I'll see you later."
  3754. >"Okay.... I'll miss you."
  3755. "You too! Go get their food ready!"
  3756. >"Arghhh!"
  3757. ___
  3758. >"Hey, asshole! I don't need your help!"
  3759. "You sure?"
  3760. >She shoves you, but you hold your position
  3761. >Twin-tails could just sprint off if you don't
  3762. >She stands there and glares at you
  3763. "Forgive me. You just seem so feeble and helpless after literally eating out of my hand."
  3764. >"I didn't have a choice."
  3765. "Oh, you enjoyed it."
  3766. >"Yeah, I just LOOOoove being at your mercy like that."
  3767. >...
  3768. >She groans and slams the door
  3769. "Make sure you wash your hands."
  3770. >"Don't be stupid!"
  3771. >Oh, why not check that off the list right now?
  3772. >Like an asshole, you wait a few moments before opening the door
  3773. >"...what the FUCK!"
  3774. >She's got her purple pants pulled down to her knees
  3775. >For a split second, anyway. She practically falls over pulling them back up
  3776. >"Get out!"
  3777. "Just a moment."
  3778. >"..Huh?"
  3779. >You shut the door behind you, and her eyes widen
  3780. >"...hey."
  3781. >She backpedals into the corner as you approach
  3782. >"Wh-what? Freak."
  3783. "I need to talk to you about something."
  3784. >You lean over her and pray she doesn't kick you in the balls
  3785. "Sonata, actually."
  3786. >Like a child told to clean her room, Aria lets out an exaggerated sigh
  3787. >"What is it now? You're the only one who's spitting on people lately."
  3788. "Still mad I didn't kiss you?"
  3789. >"I would've puked if you did."
  3790. "So unladylike..."
  3791. >You get closer and she mashes her face into the wall
  3792. "Pfft."
  3793. >"Just get out of here! Fucking creep!"
  3794. >She pushes a hand into your chest with impressive force, for a single arm
  3795. >You snatch up her wrist
  3796. "Aria."
  3797. >"Let! GO!"
  3798. >She throws her fist
  3799. >You raise your hand just in time to catch it, sending a sharp pain through your arm
  3800. "Man. You're pretty strong, twin-tails."
  3801. >With your leg firmly pressed into both of hers, you shift your weight onto her
  3802. >She groans and twists and turns as she tries to get away
  3803. "Anyway, about Sonata. You're going to st-"
  3804. >"Go! Go AWAY!"
  3805. "Aria. Calm down."
  3806. >"UGH!"
  3807. >She thrusts herself into the toilet tank and tries to squeeze by you, and you catch her by the waist
  3808. >Her grunts get increasingly pathetic
  3809. >She tries to climb over your arm
  3810. "Jesus. You're going to piss yourself if you keep it u-"
  3811. >"I can't even go to the fucking bathroom now? God!"
  3812. "Ari-"
  3813. >"You are the WORST!"
  3814. >Being interrupted by this girl is the most frustrating thing
  3815. >And after what you did last night?
  3816. >Maybe you're being too soft on twin-tails
  3817. "ARIA."
  3818. >She jumps
  3819. >And then like magic she's frozen in place, and completely silent
  3820. "Sit down."
  3821. >"...ugh..."
  3822. >Her head hangs low
  3823. >The toilet seat clunks under her ass
  3824. >That...
  3825. >Felt pretty good
  3826. "Okay. Now."
  3827. >You take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, facing the top of Aria's head
  3828. "I've got a problem with the way you talk to Sonata."
  3829. >"Okay?"
  3830. "Namely, you calling her stupid."
  3831. >"...well..."
  3832. "Well what?"
  3833. >She exhales sharply and lowers her head even more
  3834. >"Nothing..."
  3835. "Right. Anyway it's going to stop. From now on, you are forbidden to call her that."
  3836. >"Forbidden? Seriously?"
  3837. >She sits up straight again, you suppose to show off the irritation on her face
  3838. >You take note of the blush as well
  3839. "A prisoner doesn't get to exercise free speech, let alone use it to insult her superior."
  3840. >"...SuPERIO-"
  3841. >The tank's lid audibly shifts as the siren sits against it and grabs hold of her twin-tails
  3842. >She pulls on them, hard
  3843. >"FINE. I won't insult your PRINCESS. Happy?"
  3844. "Yeah."
  3845. >Every time you get Aria flustered, it gets even more exciting
  3846. >Her tough exterior just begs to be fucked with
  3847. >"Now let me piss in peace, will you?!"
  3848. "Not yet."
  3849. >You step up and raise out your hands
  3850. >Trying to move further into the tank doesn't work out for her
  3851. >Regardless, you freeze with your fingers grazing her sides
  3852. >Something curbs your excitement
  3853. >Guilt...
  3854. >A bawling Sonata, hiding her face in your chest
  3855. "...uh..."
  3856. >Twin-tails eyes you up and down
  3857. >"The fuck are you doing?"
  3858. >Well, now you feel silly
  3859. >You scratch the back of your head
  3860. >Maybe you can play it off
  3861. "You smell worse than usual. I don't want it on my hands."
  3862. >"What... ever."
  3863. >She relaxes a bit as you back off, then raises her hands in disbelief when you sit back down
  3864. >"SERIOUSLY? How long am I supposed to hold it in?"
  3865. >The urge to fuck with her rises
  3866. >But touching her is...
  3867. >As much as you enjoyed feeling her impressive body, you shouldn't
  3868. >With how much pain Sonata's already gone through you'll have to make some changes
  3869. >Aria raises an eyebrow at your sigh
  3870. >...what were you thinking when you kidnapped them?
  3871. >Why would it ever work out with all three?
  3872. >Those daydreams about having a trio of loving, affectionate companions?
  3873. >Sonata can't handle that...
  3874. >And you can hardly blame her
  3875. >It's depressing
  3876. "I've got an idea."
  3877. >You're fine with one wife and two servants
  3878. >Right?
  3879. >It can still work out
  3880. >You don't even need to touch Aria to humiliate her, either
  3881. >There are plenty of ways...
  3882. >Such as:
  3883. "Go ahead. Relieve yourself."
  3884. >"...WHAT?"
  3885. "You heard me."
  3886. >"You. Have. Got. To be. Kidding."
  3887. "Nope."
  3888. >Her mouth hangs open
  3889. >It seems she's waiting for you to laugh and tell her it was a joke
  3890. >You cross your arms and give her a stern look
  3891. "It wasn't a request. I have stuff to do, so get to it."
  3892. >"A-Are you... serious... oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You're an actual pervert."
  3893. >Never has flipping the bird been so energetic
  3894. >Her fist and extended middle finger are waved all around
  3895. >"I'm drawing the line. This is beyond disgusting. I refuse."
  3896. >She refuses
  3897. >Isn't that cute?
  3898. >Curious how her rude hand gesture disappears the moment you get on your feet
  3899. >"I'm serious. I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I've had enough."
  3900. "Garbage?"
  3901. >"...huh?"
  3902. "You'd be the luckiest girl in the world to be treated like garbage."
  3903. >"What do you mean by THAT?"
  3904. "That, as long as you're a prisoner, you're nothing."
  3905. >You hold on to her shoulders and get in her face
  3906. >Not eager to risk a kick to the dick, you step on her feet
  3907. "You have no freedom of speech. You are not entitled to privacy. Cold beans are wasted on you. You're at the very bottom of the hierarchy. You get me?"
  3908. >"...you-"
  3909. "And you've only got yourself to blame."
  3910. >"No, I'v-"
  3911. "Now hurry up."
  3912. >Her lip trembles
  3913. >She squeezes her fists
  3914. >"N-N-"
  3915. >With a stomp, she stands up and pulls her pants down to her ankles
  3916. >She brings her hands back up and hooks her fingers into the band of her panties
  3917. >As soon as they're far enough down falls back into the seat
  3918. >Her eyes are full of hate
  3919. >"Nothing. I'm 'nothing', huh?"
  3920. >All of a sudden, the situation sets in
  3921. >You're standing right in front of an angry tomboy who's about to take a piss
  3922. >Displaying your discomfort would be bad though, so you cross your arms and wait
  3923. >After ten seconds or so she mumbles something and you hear spattering against the bowl, alongside tiny splashes
  3924. "There you go."
  3925. >You give her two good pats on the head
  3926. "Was that so hard?"
  3927. >"...can't... believe... you."
  3928. >The sounds fade, and she slumps
  3929. "Good twin-tails. Okay, I've got other stuff to get to, so-"
  3930. >"Take me upstairs then."
  3931. >She stands and pulls her underwear and pants back on
  3932. >To your amusement she slams her fist into the flusher
  3933. >"I'm nothing, right? A f-fuck up. Go tie me up and leave me to die. I don't care anymore."
  3934. "Oh, Aria!"
  3935. >"...huh?"
  3936. >You take a step back
  3937. "Shouldn't you have uh."
  3938. >She follows your pointing finger to the toilet paper roll
  3939. >"Ugh! Whatever! It's your fault, standing over me like a sexual predator! Of course I forgot!"
  3940. "Man. You really are gross."
  3941. >With the doorknob in your hand, you motion her toward it
  3942. >She steps forward
  3943. "One thing though."
  3944. >"What?"
  3945. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I said you're nothing *so long as you're a prisoner*."
  3946. >"...so?"
  3947. "So, how about you spend the day thinking about it."
  3948. >"Just. Take me up."
  3949. >Ew
  3950. "I'm not carrying you this time. Start marching, I'll tie you up in the guest room..."
  3951. ___
  3952. >Standing out by your hedges, you pet your pocket
  3953. >An idea struck you after Aria was back in her place
  3954. >The bullshit lead you needed was right there in your house all along
  3955. >It took a while to find it, but at least now you have something
  3956. >You run your hand over your pocket one last time
  3957. >The fear of it creating a noticeable bulge seems inescapable, even after a test in front of the mirror showed just about nothing
  3958. "Okay. Here we go."
  3959. >You make your way out to your car
  3960. >Twilight jumps as the door clicks open
  3961. "Hey. Sorry I was in there so long."
  3962. >"Oh. It's... fine."
  3963. "Not very manager-like."
  3964. >You climb in, close the door and buckle up
  3965. >Twilight just sits there staring at the glovebox
  3966. "Gonna go without buckling? I mean, I won't force you. But I'm a pretty bad driver."
  3967. >"Oh! I'm sorry!"
  3968. >She frantically reaches over her shoulder and secures herself
  3969. >"I'd never go without it. It's the rules."
  3970. "Uh-huh..."
  3971. >Something's up
  3972. >She's not looking at you when she speaks
  3973. >Is it because you were in your underwear?
  3974. >It's not that big of a deal, is it?
  3975. "Um."
  3976. >Well this is embarrassing
  3977. "Sorry if I made it weird before. I'm not used to having visitors."
  3978. >"...it's okay, I wasn't even thinking about that."
  3979. "Oh."
  3980. >...
  3981. >Awkward silence
  3982. >She's fidgeting
  3983. >This is going badly
  3984. >Just start the car
  3985. >Wait, what if she's like this the whole drive?
  3986. >Or the whole day?
  3987. >Fuck
  3988. "You're acting kind of strange."
  3989. >"...oh."
  3990. "You alright?"
  3991. >"Uh."
  3992. >She rubs her face
  3993. >"Please don't lecture me."
  3994. >She looks over
  3995. >Her eyes are red and weary
  3996. >"I was up all night."
  3997. >Not terribly surprising
  3998. "What were you doing all night...? Reading? Because I was joking about two bo-"
  3999. >"I decided to go to the school."
  4000. >Your jaw drops
  4001. >But, you should have expected this
  4002. "Are you serious?"
  4003. >"Yes. I feel so stupid."
  4004. >She lays against the head rest and makes frustrated hand gestures
  4005. >"It was dark, so I couldn't even find it."
  4006. "You got lost?!"
  4007. >"Yes! Why are there so many buildings?!"
  4008. >How disappointing
  4009. >Giving Twilight that little speech yesterday about relaxing and having fun felt good
  4010. >Now you feel like an idiot for trusting the anxiety addict to not worry
  4011. "You really shouldn't be wandering around the city at night by yourself."
  4012. >"I didn't want to."
  4013. "How'd you find your way back to Rarity's house?"
  4014. >"P-Police officer..."
  4015. "Uh oh. You got arrested?"
  4016. >She looks genuinely insulted, at least a little bit
  4017. >"No, no. He asked me if I was alright. Anonymous, I'd never be arrested, because I'd never commit a crime."
  4018. "Of course. I know."
  4019. >You chuckle
  4020. "I'm glad you made it home okay."
  4021. >"Thanks... I'm sorry."
  4022. "For not doing what I said? You should be sorry."
  4023. >"I know! That's why I apologized!"
  4024. >Didn't expect her to snap at you
  4025. >You back into the window and raise your hands defensively
  4026. "It was a joke. Spare my life."
  4027. >She looks confused, then apologetic, and then stifles a laugh
  4028. >"Sorry. I wasn't mad. Last night was just so stressful."
  4029. "That's why I told you."
  4030. >Something bothers you
  4031. "Couldn't you have pestered Rarity to drive you there?"
  4032. >"No."
  4033. "Why not?"
  4034. >Twilight runs her fingers over the stacked pages of her closed notebook
  4035. >"Besides the fact that she was already asleep... they don't know that I'm having so much trouble finding information. Mostly I've been talking to everyone on the Personal Computer in the living room. Rarity's suspicious, but I told her I've just got a lot on my mind about my home."
  4036. "I see."
  4037. >"Please don't mention it to them."
  4038. "Don't worry. I probably won't even talk to them."
  4039. >"Thank you. Thank you, Anonymous."
  4040. >Her worries influence everything about her, from her restless posture to her antsy tone
  4041. >She looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a while
  4042. >It almost feels that, by capturing the sirens, you've also imprisoned Twilight
  4043. >That's not what you wanted
  4044. >"Now then, to the school. We have a very thorough search to conduct."
  4045. "...About that. What do you say we hold off? For just a little bit."
  4046. >"WHAT?"
  4047. >She seems to shock herself with her own volume
  4048. >"Sorry- what do you mean?"
  4049. "That. Exactly that. You are unbelievably high strung right now."
  4050. >"That's not true! I'm just focused, Anonymous!"
  4051. ___
  4052. >Giving in to the shaking hand guiding it, the spoon presses into the corner of Adagio's mouth
  4053. >Not good, Sonata whispers in her mind
  4054. >When she sees that her former leader's stare has become cold, her mind starts to yell
  4055. >Not good, not good, not good...
  4056. >"S-Sorry Adagio."
  4057. >Sonata pulls back the spoon, takes a deep breath, and goes to try again
  4058. >"Stop."
  4059. >As commanded, her hand freezes in place and her fingers tighten
  4060. >"What's wrong?"
  4061. >" 'What's wrong' ? Do you really need to ask?"
  4062. >Sonata shrugs her shoulders and looks away
  4063. >Only for a moment
  4064. >"Look at me."
  4065. >"S-Sorry."
  4066. >She snaps back to Adagio's face
  4067. >Her droopy, exhausted, yet terrifying face
  4068. >There's a bit of refried beans on her. Must be what the problem is
  4069. >Sonata takes a finger and scrapes it off
  4070. >"Same as always, Sonata."
  4071. >"...what does that mean?"
  4072. >"You know exactly what it means."
  4073. >Sonata's heart was already beating fast
  4074. >But now she feels a strong urge to either raise her voice, or run away
  4075. >With no clue which to choose, she elects to look at the floor
  4076. >"...SONATA."
  4077. >"Ye-yes! Oh, okay! Sorry Ada... gio..."
  4078. >What is she doing, she thinks, bending so easily to her?
  4079. >For some time, Sonata rubs the spoon handle and studies Adagio's figure
  4080. >She's sitting with her knees against her chest
  4081. >Her head hanging a bit to the side
  4082. >Rope around her foot, and rope binding her hands
  4083. >What can she do?
  4084. >"Adag..."
  4085. >In an effort to muster up extra courage, Sonata thinks of you
  4086. >Being so afraid of Dagi is a betrayal
  4087. >Sounds crazy, but it's not, she asserts to herself
  4088. >If Dagi can't do anything right now...
  4089. >Being afraid of her is like admitting that she'll win someday, or that you won't be able to make her be good... >"Adagio."
  4090. >"Yes?"
  4091. >"...p-pr-"
  4092. >Sonata scoops up some refried beans and holds it up to Adagio's face
  4093. >Using every ounce of her willpower, she frowns and speaks up
  4094. >"Prisoners will be quiet as they're fed. Even with beans on their faces!"
  4095. >She said it!
  4096. >Excitement and mortal terror bubble up in Sonata's stomach
  4097. >Signals run to her legs telling her to stand and run
  4098. >But she keeps her butt planted on the wooden floor
  4099. >Adagio can't do anything
  4100. >And yet Sonata's skin crawls as she sees her mouth open up
  4101. >"So. The brainwashing has been going well?"
  4102. >"Brainwashing? You mean like what we used to do...?"
  4103. >Adagio laughs softly
  4104. >"Oh, Sonata. I'm referring to something much more simple, and a victim who is far more pathetic."
  4105. >Adagio shakes her head
  4106. >After it's dropped, the spoon dings into the rim of the bowl
  4107. >"Are you calling me a victim?"
  4108. >"Do you think otherwise?"
  4109. >"I'm not a victim... and he didn't brainwash me. He doesn't even have magic, so-"
  4110. >"Exactly why this is so pathetic. This isn't a matter of magical intervention. Instead, this is about a naive fool who trades her friends, her companions - her family - for hollow promises of a comfortable life."
  4111. >"Wh-what are you talking about?! I didn't 'trade' you..."
  4112. >"Have you forgotten your agreement with that human?"
  4113. >"Well..."
  4114. >"He is your new leader. Your loyalties have shifted. You, are a traitor."
  4115. >Sonata shakes her head and clenches her fists
  4116. >However, no proper counter argument springs into her mind
  4117. >"It amazes me that you would even try to down-play what you've done to the person who's taken care of you for so long."
  4118. >"Uhh..."
  4119. >"So tell me. Are you going to admit that you've whored yourself out to him?"
  4120. >It's not
  4121. >LIKE that
  4122. >Sonata's vision blurs and she runs her arm over her watery eyes
  4123. >Is Aria hearing this, she wonders?
  4124. >To her relief she finds twin-tails still laying on her side, arms over her head, with tightly shut eyes and slow, rhythmic breathing
  4125. >"What do you see happening to you in ten years?"
  4126. >"...I'll be here. With Anon."
  4127. >"Will you be happy?"
  4128. >"Yeah..."
  4129. >"No you will not be. After ten years, you'll spend your free time daydreaming. Reliving the days when you were your own person. And those daydreams will be interrupted by a bitter man's orders."
  4130. >"...what...?"
  4131. >" 'Clean the toilet, Sonata.' 'Sonata, cook my dinner.' 'And don't burn it this time, idiot.' After he's told you what you get to do for him, he'll go off on his own."
  4132. >"That's stupid... what are you even saying?"
  4133. >"That he will grow tired of you. You are his Equestrian trophy - mildly attractive, but untalented. Clumsy. Slow. Untrustworthy. Annoying. A handful. He'll groan at the sound of your voice and think, 'how did they tolerate this girl before I got her?' After he's grown bored of your body, and you're little more than a maid who sleeps in the floor beside his bed, you'll understand how grave this decision you've made is."
  4134. >Sonata squeezes tight around her wrist, wincing at each insult
  4135. >She's wrong, Sonata knows she is... but she can't help but visualize you saying each and every heartbreaking word
  4136. >Your face angry and impatient
  4137. >Just like Adagio's
  4138. >"Y-Yo-You're wrong."
  4139. >"Am I?"
  4140. >"Y-Yes!"
  4141. >"I suppose those tears are joyful, and that you've reassured yourself that Anon cares about you."
  4142. >Sonata quickly wipes her eyes and stands, sending the bowl of beans tumbling into the floor by Adagio's foot
  4143. >"A-Anon WON'T get tired of me! He WON'T be mean!"
  4144. >After glancing at the slumbering Aria and quieting herself, Sonata reaches over and grips her own arm again
  4145. >"Anon is nice. The kind of nice where, if I'm upset, he doesn't get annoyed. He comforts me, and makes me feel better, and he. He-"
  4146. >She shouldn't, and she's aware of it. But the words come so easily
  4147. >"He loves me. He told me that I'm special to him."
  4148. >Adagio's eyebrows raise, just a little. Interpreting this as surprise, Sonata continues confidently
  4149. >"He doesn't want to rush into S-E-X, because we're doing things proper. Like, dating. He's my boyfriend now."
  4150. >Sonata smiles
  4151. >"We haven't even kissed. He doesn't just want me for my body. He wants me to be by his side. Forever."
  4152. >Her finger pushes painfully into her arm as anxiety builds. Every word she speaks at this point is surely a bad idea
  4153. >Best to stop here, she decides
  4154. >She releases her arm and rests her hands on her hips
  4155. >"...Special?"
  4156. >Adagio slowly turns her head toward Aria
  4157. >When she looks back, the smile she's adopted sends a chill down Sonata's spine
  4158. >"...mhm."
  4159. >"You think this human is in love with you?"
  4160. >"I think he is. No, I KNOW he is."
  4161. >Her eerie smile strengthens
  4162. >"Very, very interesting."
  4163. >Scooting her foot around the bowl of beans, Adagio stretches out her legs and yawns
  4164. >"Sonata, you've just given me something to think about."
  4165. >"What?"
  4166. >"Let's just say I'm going to have to re-evaluate Anon after hearing that."
  4167. >"Wait. Really? Are, are you serious?!"
  4168. >She bounces and clasps her hands together, which is enough to send Adagio right back into that irritated state
  4169. >"Calm down."
  4170. >"Yeah, yeah..."
  4171. >"Listen. I'm not very hungry."
  4172. >"Are you sure? You barely ate any."
  4173. >"If I tell you that I'm not hungry, it means I'm not hungry."
  4174. >Sonata nods and takes the bowl in her hands
  4175. >The beans have slid up to the edge, but it's still fine
  4176. >Trying to contain the excitement of her victory, she hums and kneels in front of Aria
  4177. >"Don't worry about that. Just go down stairs."
  4178. >"But, she'll be mad!"
  4179. >"Being like this, eating as little as we do..."
  4180. >Adagio cracks her neck, to the left, and then to the right
  4181. >"...shrinks your stomach. Do you understand me?"
  4182. >"Yeah. I do."
  4183. >"So, go downstairs, Sonata."
  4184. >She pokes at the side of the bowl for a while
  4185. >Then she sighs and stands by the doorway
  4186. >"You don't have to have a small stomach. If you jus-"
  4187. >Adagio's face is hidden again by her hair as she stares at the wall
  4188. >But that's okay
  4189. >This conversation was a success, Sonata tells herself
  4190. >With a big smile she dashes out of the guest room and down the stairs
  4191. >If only Anon were here right now...
  4192. ___
  4193. "I swear. You'll be thanking me."
  4194. >"No! It's inappropriate!"
  4195. "It's not about what's... 'appropriate,' for crying out loud. It's about enjoying yourself."
  4196. >"Anonymous, I respectfully decline."
  4197. "No you don't."
  4198. >"WH- you can't consent for me!"
  4199. "I so can. I'm gonna do it right now."
  4200. >You reach out your hand and Twilight grunts
  4201. >"I'll feel guilty. Just, please stop it already..."
  4202. >The glovebox's little weight becomes apparent the moment its handle is pulled, and you let it fall open
  4203. >You take your wallet and wag it in the air
  4204. "It's nothing. Seriously."
  4205. >Facing the speaker again, you clear your throat and try to talk loud and clear
  4206. "We changed our mind, she'll take the deluxe ice cream sundae after all."
  4207. >The passenger buckle clicks and the belt zips up and over
  4208. >A palm presses into your leg
  4209. >Hair fills your vision
  4210. >"DISREGARD! Please, strike that from the record, I did NOT consent!"
  4211. "Twilight. Come on..."
  4212. >You push her back into her seat
  4213. >"Unhand me, Anonymous!"
  4214. "Alright."
  4215. >You hold her down with your foot the best you can
  4216. "Ignore her, she's just trying to be funny."
  4217. >Twilight shoves on your leg, barely budging it, and the speaker fuzzes
  4218. >"...okay sir, please check the screen and confirm your order..."
  4219. "That's right. ESPECIALLY the last bit, with the deluxe ice cream sundae."
  4220. >"Anonymous!"
  4221. ___
  4222. >Twenty minutes later you sit across from an irritated Twilight, at the tables outside a fancy book store
  4223. >You've finished eating, but Twilight's pretty slow
  4224. >Something has been making you feel a childish excitement since you got here:
  4225. >She hasn't noticed where you are
  4226. "So. Once you're done with your fries, and the sundae, I have another idea."
  4227. >Her mouth shuts hard, mashing a fry in half
  4228. >Through gritted teeth, she asks,
  4229. >"Anonymous. Don't tell me we aren't going to the school next?"
  4230. "Nope."
  4231. >"Are you KIDDING ME?!"
  4232. "Uh. Twilight?"
  4233. >"I was only keeping my mouth shut because I knew it was almost time to go!"
  4234. >She seems to notice the worry on your face
  4235. >Twilight shuts her eyes, and while gesturing toward her chest, breathes in
  4236. >Then while gesturing away, breathes out
  4237. >"Ahhh... alright. Alright. I'm sorry for yelling."
  4238. "It's fine."
  4239. >"What do you have in mind, manager?"
  4240. "I'll tell you right after you finish your sundae."
  4241. >"...to be honest, I'm already full. Why don't you eat the sundae?"
  4242. "Come on. I've come to expect girls to eat three times as much as you just did."
  4243. >"What?"
  4244. "Nothing, just enjoy the sundae. I want you to have it."
  4245. >"I don't... want it."
  4246. >Why's she being so adamant about this ice cream?
  4247. "What is there to feel guilty about if I happily bought it for you?"
  4248. >"I... don't deserve it. After what I did to y-"
  4249. "Stop. Seriously. I'm not upset."
  4250. >"Maybe because you don't know how big a deal this could be. In fact, judging by your attitude about this investigation I KNOW you don't understand."
  4251. >Don't... understand?
  4252. "I understand just fine."
  4253. >"You don't."
  4254. "Being responsible is one thing. Worrying yourself into the ground is another. Just eat the sundae, Twilight."
  4255. >"No, Anonymous!"
  4256. "Come on!"
  4257. >"I decline! I'm FULL!"
  4258. "No you're not!"
  4259. >"First you consent for me, then you consent for my stomach?!"
  4260. "I-"
  4261. >You realize you've stood up
  4262. >Twilight's glare doesn't soften, even after you smile and scratch your chin in embarrassment
  4263. "Sorry."
  4264. >"Yeah."
  4265. >Uh oh
  4266. >Sleep deprivation and stress are not pretty on this girl. Not pretty at all
  4267. >Not that they'd be pretty on anybody
  4268. "Tell you what. Forget about the sundae."
  4269. >"Gladly. I didn't want it in the first place."
  4270. "Eheh. Okay. Uh, about that idea."
  4271. >Pointing off to the side, you drop down into your chair
  4272. >You feel better the moment her eyes are on the hanging sign
  4273. >"Oh. A book store?"
  4274. "Yeah. You like books. Right?"
  4275. >"I love books."
  4276. "How about we look around? I bet you've never been in a human book store before."
  4277. >"I haven't."
  4278. >Twilight looks back with a faint smile, which disappears immediately after she sees the sundae again
  4279. >She shoves it to your side of the table and continues
  4280. >"But I don't have money to buy books, or the time to read them - I'm very busy when I'm in this world."
  4281. "Exactly."
  4282. >She frowns
  4283. >"No thank you."
  4284. "What?"
  4285. >"I'm not going to let you buy me a bunch of books."
  4286. "Really? Don't you wish you could amass a human literature collection, and bring it back to your world?"
  4287. >"I d-... um."
  4288. "You could build a whole library just for the stuff, back home. Our species has written so much that you'd need far more than just one library to contain it all though. Imagine taking books through the portal, studying them, and returning as a human expert..."
  4289. >Her lips move as if to say something, but she just ponders
  4290. "To start out, you could buy an encyclopedia. A few novels to get a better grasp on human to human interactions too. I bet you have a lot of questions about our biology..."
  4291. >Her eyes widen a bit
  4292. >"...there are books that cover each and every last detail about the human body. Isn't that the kind of stuff you're into?"
  4293. >"Uhhhh."
  4294. >It seems as though she's trying to be angry, and just can't
  4295. >A potent curiosity is painted on her face
  4296. >"They have those books here for sure?"
  4297. "Yeah!"
  4298. >That's how you catch a nerd
  4299. >"Well. I guess a few minutes of looking around wouldn't hurt."
  4300. "Damn right they wouldn't. Let's go."
  4301. ___
  4302. >For the past ten minutes, she's been moving from section to section, gawking at the many different genres on display
  4303. >"The art. There's so many beautiful covers."
  4304. "That's a weird thing to notice."
  4305. >"Well, I mean-"
  4306. >She holds up a romance novel with a beautifully painted forest in Fall
  4307. >As she swoons she rubs its side
  4308. >"Art on the cover of a book is less common in Equestria."
  4309. "Ah."
  4310. >"I think it's fantastic. Imagine how many children it could lure in."
  4311. >Creepy way to phrase it, but who can disagree?
  4312. >She continues moving from shelf to shelf, reading summaries and noting which ones she's interested in
  4313. >Eventually she stumbles upon a section with a big banner advertising pre-owned study material
  4314. >Textbooks lay side by side on a few tables with reduced prices
  4315. "Ah, we found it. Math, Science, Literature, Health-"
  4316. >Twilight snatches up a biology book and flips it open
  4317. >"Oh my gosh. There are so many pages..."
  4318. "Yeah! You can read all about our weird fingers and stuff."
  4319. >"Oh my gosh! A whole chapter on the human heart."
  4320. "Uh-huh. A good thing to learn about, I guess."
  4321. >She skips ahead
  4322. >"Oh my... gosh."
  4323. >She looks at you from beside it, apparently comparing you to an illustration, and quickly looks back to the book
  4324. "...Twilight?"
  4325. >Over the next ten seconds you watch a blush form on her face
  4326. >You grab it out of her hands and put it back on the table
  4327. "Alright, maybe you should start with another textbook."
  4328. >"Y-Yes."
  4329. >A little while later, you're looking around in embarrassment as the bookworm argues with you
  4330. >"I. Decline."
  4331. "Come on. It was the whole point of coming in here. I can afford it, so enjoy it."
  4332. >"Anonymous, I really don't feel comfortable. I'll acquire human books on my own."
  4333. "You're not even technically a student, right? Do you have your own textbooks?"
  4334. >"If I find time, I'll study Rarity's..."
  4335. "And then leave them behind?"
  4336. >She stamps her foot and shakes her head
  4337. >One by one she takes the books piled in your arms and places them back where they belong, in some instances sprinting across the store and coming right back
  4338. >"There! Now drop it, would you?"
  4339. "Twilight. You're... something else."
  4340. >"Uh-huh! I'm going back to the vehicle!"
  4341. "It's called a car you dork."
  4342. >"Uh-huh!"
  4343. >She stomps off
  4344. ___
  4345. >Back on the road
  4346. >Almost to Canterlot High
  4347. >Thankfully for your nerves, Twilight is too mad to say anything
  4348. >Her frustration is difficult for you to relate to
  4349. >Probably because you know so little about Equestria, or magical beings...
  4350. >...but you couldn't resist giving it one last shot
  4351. >You pull the shopping bag further up your lap so that it doesn't fall to the floor as you turn
  4352. >The Taco Bell you usually eat at passes by
  4353. "Okay. We're pretty much there now."
  4354. >A few minutes later you pull into the mostly empty High School parking lot
  4355. >Before the car has even come to a complete stop, Twilight unbuckles and goes for the door handle
  4356. "Wait a second."
  4357. >No response, she's just frozen in place
  4358. "I don't want you to be mad at me."
  4359. >You notice her shoulders rise and fall before she turns around
  4360. >"I just want to search for information."
  4361. "Yeah, I get it. But listen."
  4362. >"...Okay."
  4363. "Back in the book store, watching you look around like an excited little kid, was amazing. That's the only time I've actually seen you happy."
  4364. >"Oh, well I don't know about that."
  4365. >With how little time you've spent with Twilight, it's very true
  4366. "I know you feel guilty, but I have to insist. Because I want you to learn to balance your time."
  4367. >"Insist on wha-"
  4368. >She notices the shopping bag, and sighs
  4369. >"You said that you bought yourself a dictionary."
  4370. "Ha!"
  4371. >You pull the bag up from its bottom and catch the novel in your hand
  4372. >Staring up at Twilight is that same romance novel, with the Fall forest
  4373. >Upside down. Just as planned, right?
  4374. >"A-Anonymous..."
  4375. "Hundreds of pages of humans being humans."
  4376. >"But..."
  4377. >Her voice softens
  4378. "The protagonist is a dork, too. It's the perfect place to start. Just take it, in exchange for promising that you'll spend plenty of time unwinding while you read it."
  4379. >She carefully takes the book from your hand and places it in her lap
  4380. >Running her finger up and down the cover seems like a pretty positive reaction
  4381. >"...it is a beautiful book."
  4382. "Yeah."
  4383. >"And I know you're trying to help me."
  4384. >She picks up the shopping bag, places the novel inside and pushes it against your leg
  4385. >"But for the last time, I decline."
  4386. "...What?! I had you that time!"
  4387. >"Not even close actually."
  4388. "This is so damn stupid... just take it!"
  4389. >You drop the bag onto her
  4390. >"Hey!"
  4391. >She picks it up and drops it from slightly higher up
  4392. >You similarly raise the stakes and go just about as high as is possible in the car
  4393. >"ANONYMOUS!"
  4394. >Twilight grips it tight
  4395. >Smacks it into the ceiling
  4396. >And slams it into your crotch
  4397. "...FFF-"
  4398. >You grab the steering wheel and look away
  4399. >Judging by Twilight's immediate ranting, she doesn't realize what she did
  4400. >"There's something you REALLY need to learn Anonymous. And frankly, I can't believe I'm going to have to teach it to you!"
  4401. "Y-Yeah? What? How to treat a small mystery like a blooming World War?"
  4402. >"No, I'm going to teach you how to be a better friend!"
  4403. "Th-this entire day was about being a good friend to you."
  4404. >"Are you sure?"
  4405. >You groan and look at her
  4406. >She's crossing her arms and tapping her elbow
  4407. >"Are you sure this is being a good friend?"
  4408. "What are you saying?"
  4409. >"I told you I didn't want you to buy me food! I practically begged you not to buy the ice cream! And now you've spent even more money on me!"
  4410. "I wanted to-"
  4411. >"Did I look like I wanted you to?"
  4412. "...Twilight..."
  4413. >"You can't do this to people. If you force something on someone, even if you THINK it's for the best, deep down they'll RESENT you for it!"
  4414. >She hops out of the car and slams the door
  4415. >Though you're still suffering from an agonizing pain between your legs, her words seem to have struck you the hardest
  4416. >"Don't wait for me! Just tell me what room you overheard the girls talking in, and go home."
  4417. "...uh..."
  4418. >Which room
  4419. >Which fucking room?
  4420. >How are you going to do this?
  4421. "Uhhh..."
  4422. >"What? You forgot? Great. GREAT! I'll just search every room in entire school, Anonymous! Or maybe you're just holding out until we spend some time at the gas station?"
  4423. "Do you know where the art rooms are?"
  4424. >"Yes."
  4425. "It was in one of them. I don't remember which."
  4426. >Though Twilight's anger doesn't dissipate, you catch a hint of a smile
  4427. >"Good. Then I'll be off."
  4428. >She takes a few steps, and then returns to the passenger window
  4429. >"Um. Anonymous. Even though you're absolutely in the wrong... um..."
  4430. >After grabbing her notebook off of the seat, she forces a smile
  4431. >"...I know you were... trying to be good. So..."
  4432. >Twilight sighs, and takes off
  4433. >You slide into your door
  4434. >The warm window heats up the side of your face
  4435. >But you can't bring yourself to get off of it
  4436. >You just watch Twilight rush inside
  4437. "...fuck."
  4438. ___
  4439. >Dozens of channels surfed, and none have distracted you in the slightest
  4440. >Annoying commercials trying hard to be "random"
  4441. >The shopping channel feels pointless
  4442. >Cooking shows will just make you hungry
  4443. >Hey, your favorite movie's playing
  4444. >It seems like a perfect opportunity at first, but there's no way you'll commit to the runtime
  4445. "Ughh."
  4446. >It's not the first time TV has let you down. The internet will have to pick up the slack
  4447. >...though, if you're on your laptop, you probably won't be able to resist checking for messages from Twilight
  4448. >You sigh and fall onto your side
  4449. >Might as well just check if Sonata's show is on-
  4450. "Uggghhh."
  4451. >"Anon?"
  4452. >You sit up and find Sonata, standing behind the couch
  4453. "Hey."
  4454. >"They don't need to go to the bathroom."
  4455. "That's good."
  4456. >Sonata smiles, opens her mouth to speak, but stops, as if unsure of what to say or how to say it
  4457. >"...Aria wanted to talk to you."
  4458. "About what?"
  4459. >Once again she pauses
  4460. >Ever since you got home today you've noticed this behavior. This subtle discomfort she's hiding
  4461. >It makes you wonder: did it start today?
  4462. >Or has she been doing this the whole time, while you've been too naive to notice?
  4463. >"She wouldn't say. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
  4464. "Just tell her to give a reason, or I won't bother."
  4465. >Sonata nods and heads on out of the living room
  4466. >You lay back down
  4467. "Twin-tails... let me mope in peace..."
  4468. >Soon, Sonata's face is hovering over yours
  4469. >"She wants to know when you're going to punish her."
  4470. >Oh, right
  4471. >You'd forgotten about punishment completely
  4472. >The select button on the remote brings up the time
  4473. >11:24 PM I guess it is getting late."
  4474. >"...You don't have to punish her, do you?"
  4475. "Still worrying about them?"
  4476. >"Well, yeah."
  4477. "Hmm. I don't really feel like punishing her. I'm pretty tired."
  4478. >"Great! Then I'll tell her!"
  4479. "W-Wait."
  4480. >You sit up and rest a hand on Sonata's shoulder
  4481. >She jumps
  4482. >Though it catches your attention, you try to stay focused
  4483. "It's fine. I'll do it. I guess I have to."
  4484. >"Why?"
  4485. "You know. Intimidation. I don't want to look like a slacker."
  4486. >"Don't worry Anon. You're intimidating anyway."
  4487. >It's like a knife through the heart
  4488. >Your suspicions seem to materialize as ice packed into your stomach
  4489. >You let yourself slide backwards off the couch
  4490. >"Anon!?"
  4491. >Her bare feet appear upside down before your eyes
  4492. >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  4493. >She gets down on one knee
  4494. >She doesn't seem aware, but her panties are in clear view
  4495. >You can't muster up any excitement over it
  4496. >"Are you sick?"
  4497. "Nah... don't worry, Sonata. I'm just exhausted after today."
  4498. >"Turning into a snake isn't going to help, silly."
  4499. "Yeah, but it gives me an excuse to have you pick me up."
  4500. >Sonata smiles
  4501. >At least you hope she does
  4502. >All you see is her legs straightening out
  4503. >"You're a boy, so."
  4504. "You calling me heavy?"
  4505. >She takes both of your hands and pulls as hard as she can
  4506. >Your back rubs against the cushion and your head meets the carpet
  4507. "Are you picking me up or pulling me into the floor?"
  4508. >"Uh! You're a BOY, so!"
  4509. "That's no excuse."
  4510. >You lift your legs
  4511. >Sonata grabs them and tugs
  4512. >It works much better this time, flipping you onto your stomach
  4513. "There we go."
  4514. >"You look like you're really, really tired. Just punish her tomo-another day, okay?"
  4515. "No, no... I went and said it would be an everyday thing."
  4516. >You pull yourself up by the arm of the couch
  4517. "Just prepare for relentless hugging once I'm done."
  4518. ___
  4519. >"Why are you going so slow?"
  4520. >Aria's voice is practically a growl already
  4521. >The microwave on the kitchen counter catches your eye
  4522. >You hum and poke at the buttons
  4523. "This thing's so old. I should buy a new one."
  4524. >"I don't even know what you're talking about."
  4525. "Oh."
  4526. >You spin around. Aria's ass joins you in staring at the doorway for a moment before you turn back
  4527. >"Well what is it?"
  4528. "A microwave. It warms up your beans."
  4529. >"Yeah, used to maybe."
  4530. "Still mad about that?"
  4531. >She wiggles around on your shoulder
  4532. >"Just keep going."
  4533. "I don't know... maybe I should google some good modern microwaves first?"
  4534. >"The hell does google mean? I- I don't even care. Why do you keep stopping?"
  4535. "Because you keep complaining."
  4536. >"Well GO! I need to talk to you about something very, VERY important!"
  4537. >Something important?
  4538. >Maybe something along the lines of, 'I want to be your slave'?
  4539. "Well, well, well."
  4540. >She settles as you head into the hallway
  4541. >Rather than kicking the black door open, you walk into it. Just as lazily, you lean your back into it to shut it
  4542. >"OW?"
  4543. "Oh. Sorry."
  4544. >You drop Aria into the chair and cross your arms
  4545. >"What's up with you? You're being even weirder than usual."
  4546. "Don't worry about that. Just go ahead."
  4547. >"Uh..."
  4548. >She looks down at her lap
  4549. >Given that it's probably a humiliating thing for her to say, you give her some time
  4550. >About fifteen seconds
  4551. >Then you lose patience
  4552. "All that complaining and you didn't even want to tell me what's on your mind?"
  4553. >"I want to. It's just. Ugh..."
  4554. "Get it over with. You'll feel better."
  4555. >"Okay..."
  4556. >Twin-tails takes a deep breath, and exhales very slowly
  4557. >"Will you... fuckin'..."
  4558. >She extends her arms as well as she can, pushes her bound hands into the floor and crawls onto her knees
  4559. >"Talk to Adagio, and make things okay between her and I?"
  4560. >Wait
  4561. >This again? Seriously?
  4562. >Before you can get a word in, Aria gets down on her arms and lowers her face into the smelly carpet
  4563. >"PLEASE."
  4564. "...Are you really begging on your hands and knees?"
  4565. >She maintains the position in complete silence
  4566. "Wow, Aria. I don't know what to say."
  4567. >You sit down in front of her
  4568. "What happened to make you do this?"
  4569. >A cute little muffled groan can be heard
  4570. >She really doesn't want to say
  4571. >Even prodding the side of her head doesn't get it out of her
  4572. "Come on. Tell me. I'm not going to stop poking until you tell m-"
  4573. >Her head pushes your hand away as she shoots back up
  4574. >"SHE GAVE UP on me, like you said. She told me I should just do what Sonata did and join you. Can you fuckin' believe that? How could someone as stupid as you be right? I can't fuckin' believe this..."
  4575. >Her face is already beet red
  4576. >"You have to do something. She's only doing this because of what you said. If you take it back, she'll change her mind. So, please. Do something nice for me for once. I'll owe you a favor or something."
  4577. "For once? Didn't that sandwich count?"
  4578. >"Wh-whatever. Two favors?"
  4579. "Don't forget about the chips and the soda."
  4580. >"...Four favors. Okay?"
  4581. "Man. Four favors for my prisoner. I'm awfully nice."
  4582. >"Just agree already."
  4583. "Aria..."
  4584. >Remembering the reality check to the balls from earlier today, you decide that forcing Aria to accept the realities of her own situation is the best course of action
  4585. "Let's say I go up there, and take all of it back. Adagio's happy with you again."
  4586. >"Yeah. Will you?"
  4587. "So you go back to being tied up alongside her for another two weeks. Or a month. Or a year. Or longer? Is that your plan?"
  4588. >"N-No."
  4589. "You escape, right? Slip right out of the rope or something. Now what? You get your necklaces?"
  4590. >"..."
  4591. "That's not going to happen. Those things are gone. Search the city for the rest of your life and you'll never find them. In other words you'll be out on the streets without your magic."
  4592. >She frowns
  4593. >Time to lay it on thick
  4594. "Maybe right after you escape you decide to get some food. Well, good luck. That costs money. And how much money do you have?"
  4595. >She rolls her eyes
  4596. "How much, Aria?"
  4597. >"None. Obviously."
  4598. "So you go hungry. At least you can get a hotel room and think over your options after a good night's sleep. Except you can't. Those cost money too. That leaves you with very few options. How do you like park benches?"
  4599. >"You must think we're idiots. Maybe I'll find work?"
  4600. "No one's going to hire a girl who can't prove her identity."
  4601. >"Why would I need to prove my identity?"
  4602. >You shake your head
  4603. "This is what I mean. You're not stupid, but you have no idea how this world works. At the same time you've got this hubris. It's a recipe for disaster."
  4604. >"So you're trying to say that my ONLY option is to stay with you."
  4605. "Well-"
  4606. >"Why do you want this so fuckin' badly? Why do you NEED me to stay here with you? If you really think this is a good option for me, then tell me why you're so willing to take me in."
  4607. >Ouch
  4608. >Parried her reality check, and brought yours right back into focus
  4609. >Judging from her suspicious stare she probably expects the answer to be that you're just a pervert
  4610. "I'm... not sure anymore."
  4611. >She raises an eyebrow
  4612. >Punishing the sirens seemed like a necessary step
  4613. >They're criminals, after all. But more importantly...
  4614. >If you break them down, and turn them into slaves...
  4615. >They'll have to depend on you
  4616. >They CAN'T leave you
  4617. >And the guilt you feel in doing this to them can be pushed away by just remembering:
  4618. >They're monsters
  4619. >They're not even people
  4620. "I guess I was just trying to fill a hole in my life. But, it was a bad idea."
  4621. >"What?"
  4622. "All of this. I didn't think it through."
  4623. >You pull Aria into the chair
  4624. "I mean, fuck. I spray painted that door a few minutes before I left to kidnap you three. I don't even know why I did that. It looks goofy."
  4625. >"Uh. That still doesn't tell me WHY you kidnapped me. What do you mean, hole in your life?"
  4626. "You wouldn't believe my motives anyway. I'll just be a pervert to you. Hey, tell me something: you hate my guts, don't you?"
  4627. >"Yes."
  4628. >No hesitation...
  4629. "You mean it when you tell me to hang myself, right?"
  4630. >"Uhh."
  4631. "See? I don't know why I ever thought this would work out."
  4632. >"What are you saying?"
  4633. "This was all... a mistake. That's what I'm saying. I should never have kidnapped you."
  4634. >"M-Mistake? But you said-"
  4635. >She slowly pulls her legs up to her chest
  4636. "I said what?"
  4637. >"You said... you said I was-"
  4638. >Her face scrunches up
  4639. >She lets out a quiet, exhausted whine and rocks around in the chair
  4640. >"Wo-would you just hit me already?"
  4641. "What?"
  4642. >"Hit me! Like you did Sonata! No, worse than Sonata! Punch me in the stomach until I can't breath!"
  4643. >On instinct alone, you take a step away from her
  4644. >"Do it! You're fuckin' AWFUL at this. Maybe you can REDEEM yourself. Kick me until my teeth fall out!"
  4645. "Twin-tails? You uh, you feeling alright?"
  4646. >"NO! I'm feeling bored, because you're the worst wannabe 'master' ever. Saying I smell bad? Feeling me up? Cute! And that sandwich thing was just sad. At this rate you're gonna do more nice things than MEAN THINGS!"
  4647. "Aria, are you... about to cry?"
  4648. >"NO!"
  4649. >She throws herself off of the chair
  4650. >Her twin-tails spiral around her as she rolls to the wall and back, ranting all the while
  4651. >"Kick my ass! 'You might be tough for a girl but I'm a guy' THEN PROVE IT! Hit me! Throw me into the floor! Step on my face!"
  4652. "You're creeping me out."
  4653. >"I'M CREEPY, RIGHT?"
  4654. "Right now... yes..."
  4655. >"I smell bad, I'm not pretty, I'm stupid, I'm NOTHING, and I was all a MISTAKE!"
  4656. >Is she having some kind of meltdown?
  4657. >The discomfort building in your gut makes it clear that you're not equipped to deal with this
  4658. >Her rolling picks up in speed
  4659. >The chair has officially tipped over
  4660. >Aria's shirt rides up her stomach, and her hair is a wild mess
  4661. >"HIT! ME! IDIOT! GIVE ME A REASON! HIT! ME! HIT! MEE!"
  4662. >She comes to a sudden stop against your raised foot
  4663. >Her face is so scrunched up that you can't even tell if her eyes are closed
  4664. "I'm not going to hit you."
  4665. >"Right. Fuckin' coward..."
  4666. "Aria."
  4667. >"H-Huh?"
  4668. "I think punishment is over."
  4669. >"Whatever. Gonna be thirty seconds long every night or what?"
  4670. "No, I mean, I think punishment is over... forever."
  4671. ___
  4672. >She's been standing against the kitchen table for a few minutes now
  4673. >By your choice. Since you refused to patch things up between her and Adagio, taking her back upstairs is probably a bad idea
  4674. >You lean over and try and gauge her mood, but her face is...
  4675. >Blank
  4676. "What do you think of sleeping in here?"
  4677. >"The kitchen...?"
  4678. "Yeah. For now, anyway."
  4679. >"...for now?"
  4680. >You nod and tap on the table
  4681. "Yeah. For now."
  4682. >She shrugs her shoulders as slowly as a person possibly could
  4683. "Hmm. Alright. I'm going to get a pillow and a blanket or something, I guess."
  4684. >"Uh-huh..."
  4685. >You take a step past her, and her bound hands come flying into your chest
  4686. >"Wait."
  4687. "What?"
  4688. >"Uh... I... uhhh... I, I need to go to the bathroom."
  4689. >A loud, dramatic stinger plays on the TV in the living room
  4690. >She doesn't find it nearly as amusing as you do
  4691. "Ha... what, were you lying before?"
  4692. >"No. Just wanted to talk to you."
  4693. "Oh?"
  4694. >You throw her over your shoulder and make your way into your bedroom
  4695. "Are you feeling better now?"
  4696. >"Uh-huh..."
  4697. "Are you lying?"
  4698. >"Uh-h-nno..."
  4699. "Hmmm."
  4700. >After getting the ropes off of her, you gesture toward the bathroom
  4701. >She drags her feet on the way in
  4702. >As if watching that freakout wasn't a big enough guilt trip...
  4703. >"What are you doing? Are you not going to come in?"
  4704. "I told you. We're not doing punishment anymore."
  4705. >She shrugs her shoulders again, leans against the door frame and rubs her wrists
  4706. >"Are you really going to give up? Kinda makes you a quitter, huh?"
  4707. "Aria. Go to the bathroom."
  4708. >"Anyway, there's no paper on the roll. I don't know how to put more on there, so."
  4709. "What? There should be some."
  4710. >"I just saw it, dude."
  4711. >She steps in and points
  4712. >Did Sonata play with the-
  4713. >No, come on
  4714. >She's not a puppy
  4715. "Okay. I'll show you how to put more on. Pay attention, okay?"
  4716. >Once inside, you reach down for the cabinet, but stop yourself
  4717. "Aria. There's definitely still paper on-"
  4718. >In an instant, you're staring at the clean, white ceiling
  4719. >One rim of the bathtub slams into the top of your head, and the other jabs into your back
  4720. >You hear a gasp, a few stomps and a slam
  4721. "What. The fuck..."
  4722. >As you sit up, you notice a jingling of the door knob that is impossibly far away
  4723. >And when stand you nearly fall
  4724. "Holy shit."
  4725. >You take a moment
  4726. >Breathing slowly and waiting...
  4727. >The dizziness starts to fade
  4728. >The throbbing pain, however, intensifies
  4729. "Aria..."
  4730. >Sliding your hand on the wall helps keep your balance to the door
  4731. >The knob won't budge
  4732. >Not one bit
  4733. "Aria. Aria!"
  4734. >She's not there, is she?
  4735. >Yeah
  4736. >She's gone
  4737. >You flip the lock both ways a few times, and obviously it makes no difference
  4738. >Looks like you taught her a new trick
  4739. "S-"
  4740. >You ball your fist, and hit the door a few times
  4741. "SONATA!"
  4742. >And then you wait
  4743. >You repeat this, two more times
  4744. >Nothing
  4745. "SONATA!"
  4746. >Probably asleep
  4747. >Or distracted by the TV?
  4748. "SO... NAATA...aaaa."
  4749. >The knob turns, and the door opens up slowly
  4750. >On the other side is a terrified Sonata holding a chair up to her chest
  4751. >"Anon! What happened!?"
  4752. >The chair tumbles to the floor
  4753. >She puts a hand on your shoulder and gets as far up on her tiptoes as she can
  4754. >"Are you hurt?"
  4755. "Did you see Aria?"
  4756. >"Uhh. I."
  4757. >Feeling your balance fully return, you let go of the wall and walk through your bedroom
  4758. >The living room's empty
  4759. >"I heard the front door slam, and I woke up. I thought it was you."
  4760. >So, she really did it
  4761. "I didn't think she had it in her."
  4762. >"Anon! Why are you rubbing your head? What happened?"
  4763. "I fell. It's nothing. Come on."
  4764. >You open a nearby drawer and take a flashlight
  4765. "There's another behind the TV. Go get it, okay?"
  4766. >"Wait. Is Aria outside?!"
  4767. >You dash through the living room
  4768. >The doormat slides under your feet
  4769. >If you hadn't grabbed the knob you'd be on the floor
  4770. "Yeesh."
  4771. >The chilly night air hits you
  4772. >No time to get a jacket
  4773. >You flip the flashlight's switch
  4774. >Nothing
  4775. "Seriously?"
  4776. >You raise it up and slap its back end into the palm of your hand, over and over
  4777. >"Are y-you mad, Anon?"
  4778. "No, this is how you get it to work."
  4779. >"I didn't have to do that. Look!"
  4780. >Bright light invades your eyes
  4781. "SONATA."
  4782. >Should have grabbed that one to begin with
  4783. >You spin around and groan
  4784. >This piece of shit never works when you need it to
  4785. >"See? Just flip the switch Anon."
  4786. "I have to do this!"
  4787. >"You don't! Watch!"
  4788. >She circles around you and points hers into your eyes as she flips it on and off
  4789. "SONATA!"
  4790. >"What!?"
  4791. >Fuck it
  4792. >You get to just beyond the hedges, wind up, and pitch the dollar store flashlight into the trees
  4793. >Leaves shake and branches shift before you hear a quiet thud in the distance
  4794. >"Why did you do that? I told you how to turn it on."
  4795. >You reach for her flashlight and she raises it up above her head
  4796. >"You threw yours away! I'm not giving you mine!"
  4797. "They're both mi- oh man. Just follow me and point it around!"
  4798. >She gasps, seeing you take off into the dark
  4799. >You stop just before the first row of trees and point down the dirt road
  4800. "Shine it this way! Quick!"
  4801. >Stumbling around on the road she could have been lighting up, she makes it to you and grips the bottom of your shirt
  4802. >The light reaches far down the road and shows you nothing but dirt with trees on either side
  4803. "This way too."
  4804. >You turn Sonata around and once again stare down an empty road
  4805. >She couldn't have gotten very far in either direction
  4806. >So unless she's just hid herself in the back yard...
  4807. "Fuuuck."
  4808. >You take Sonata's hand and guide her around the side of the house
  4809. "Aria! You out here?!"
  4810. >Empty
  4811. >In the back yard, Sonata tries to search thoroughly, but is distracted by the empty pool she had yet to see
  4812. >"Arrriiaaaa! Aria out here!?"
  4813. "Shit."
  4814. >The two of you go by the other side of the house as well
  4815. "Okay, we're heading into the woods."
  4816. >"WHAT?! At night time?"
  4817. "She ran through there. We have to go after her."
  4818. >"But!"
  4819. "If you're scared you can stay here."
  4820. >You reach for the flashlight and she pulls it away
  4821. >"No. No, I'll help..."
  4822. "Then hurry up!"
  4823. >You head on
  4824. >She yelps and points the flashlight at your back
  4825. >"Don't leave me behind, Anon!"
  4826. ___
  4827. "Twin-taaaaails!"
  4828. >The echoes are loud and clear
  4829. >After they fade you can hear your own heavy breathing, as well as pants and snapping twigs behind you
  4830. >"Anon!"
  4831. "Hurry!"
  4832. >Sonata groans
  4833. >The hand slapped onto your back tells you she's finally caught up
  4834. >She shines the light all around
  4835. >This far into the woods, it's much easier to see since the trees are spaced apart
  4836. >In fact you're almost to the other side
  4837. >She goes from row to row, starting in front of you two and working her way up as far as the light will reach
  4838. >Once she's ended up searching the direction you two came from, you decide to move on
  4839. "Let's go."
  4840. >"Waaait!"
  4841. "Huh?!"
  4842. >You freeze in the middle of a take-off, balancing on one foot
  4843. "If she's not out here hiding, it means crossed the other side and is- Well, she could be anywhere."
  4844. >"I'm... I'm tired."
  4845. >The light zooms across the ground and stops right beside her feet
  4846. >She's resting her hands on her knees and panting a bit too much to be believed
  4847. "I know you're not THAT tired."
  4848. >"What do you mean!?"
  4849. "You're gasping for air harder than when you'd just finished running."
  4850. >"Well I'm still tired!"
  4851. >Now she's straight up whining
  4852. "Do I have to carry you?"
  4853. >You flinch seeing her shadowy figure rush past you
  4854. >Her arms wrap around your neck
  4855. "Whoa."
  4856. >Her thigh presses against your hip
  4857. >"I thought you'd never ask!"
  4858. >Once your hand is supporting her leg, she lifts the other
  4859. >Sonata is heavier than she looks
  4860. >But at least you get two constant handfuls and a hug from behind
  4861. >Plus the light is now guiding you much more consistently
  4862. >The only true annoyance here is that you have to be extra careful about walking straight into branches
  4863. >It takes you a while to reach the other side of the woods
  4864. >Once the trees are behind you and a line of houses stands in front of you, Sonata sighs in relief
  4865. >"I'm never touching another stupid tree again."
  4866. "We're going through there to get home, of course."
  4867. >You smile at her gasp, and point around for her to direct the flash light >It's been an everyday thing
  4868. >And so far it seems to have worked
  4869. >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  4870. >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  4871. >Sonata is bent over your lap
  4872. >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  4873. >Half of her rear end is exposed
  4874. >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  4875. "You're squirming again."
  4876. >"Huh?"
  4877. >She stiffens up
  4878. >"I wasn't..."
  4879. "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  4880. >"...I'm sorry."
  4881. >You press your hand against her
  4882. >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  4883. >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  4884. >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  4885. >THWACK
  4886. >"AHH! Anon!"
  4887. >THWACK
  4888. >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  4889. >THWACK
  4890. >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  4891. >THWACK
  4892. >"Anooooooooon!"
  4893. >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  4894. "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  4895. >She gasps
  4896. >Looks at you with a pout
  4897. "Well?"
  4898. >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  4899. >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  4900. >"I'm yo...I'm your Equestrian sla-ave and I'll never try to c-control humans with m-magic ever again."
  4901. >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  4902. "That's a good Sonata."
  4903. >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  4904. "You promise with all of your heart?"
  4905. >Sniff
  4906. >"I p-promise. But..."
  4907. "But what?"
  4908. >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  4909. >You pat her head
  4910. "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  4911. >Sniff
  4912. >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  4913. "Sonata."
  4914. >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  4915. "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  4916. >"Really?"
  4917. "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  4918. >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  4919. "It's okay. Just trust me. Be a good Equestrian slave and I'll make your voice even prettier than that magic did."
  4920. >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  4921. >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  4922. ___
  4923. >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  4924. >One week since Sonata gave in
  4925. >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  4926. >They scowl all through out
  4927. >"He's sooo nice to me. I get to eat Mexican food, and watch TV, and play video games. And if I keep being a good slave, I get to move from the couch to his big, comfy bed!"
  4928. >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  4929. >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  4930. >"Shut. Up."
  4931. >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  4932. >Sonata frowns
  4933. >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  4934. >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  4935. >"He told me to tell you that your punishment starts tomorrow. But if you agree to be good like I did he won't d-"
  4936. >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  4937. >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  4938. >"He, he does..."
  4939. >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  4940. >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  4941. >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  4942. >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  4943. >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  4944. >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  4945. >"But... but! Adagio!"
  4946. >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  4947. >"Yes, traitor?"
  4948. >Sonata's heart sinks
  4949. >She backs away
  4950. >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  4951. >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  4952. >Sonata runs out of the room
  4953. >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  4954. ___
  4955. >You're downstairs, watching TV
  4956. >Some dull documentary
  4957. >"...Anonnnnn..."
  4958. >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  4959. "How'd it go?"
  4960. >"Annnoooon!"
  4961. >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  4962. "Bad?"
  4963. >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  4964. >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  4965. "What about Aria?"
  4966. >"She spit in my eye."
  4967. "What?"
  4968. >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  4969. >Some specks of spit are still there
  4970. >How dare Aria?
  4971. >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  4972. "There."
  4973. >"You got it?"
  4974. "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  4975. >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  4976. >"Anon?"
  4977. "Yeah?"
  4978. >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  4979. "What makes you ask that?"
  4980. >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  4981. >You wonder
  4982. >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  4983. >Waiting it out isn't such a crazy idea when you can have her wear them down with all the fun she's having
  4984. >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  4985. >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  4986. "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  4987. >"Oh....."
  4988. "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  4989. >"What?"
  4990. "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  4991. >You poke her nose
  4992. "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  4993. >She nods
  4994. >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  4995. ___
  4996. >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  4997. >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  4998. >The former doesn't look at you
  4999. >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  5000. "Hello, Aria."
  5001. >She sticks her tongue out at you
  5002. >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  5003. >This one's just asking for it
  5004. "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  5005. >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  5006. >You smirk
  5007. "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  5008. >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  5009. "Whoa!"
  5010. >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  5011. >You take a moment to admire her body
  5012. >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  5013. >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  5014. >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  5015. "I'm really impressed."
  5016. >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  5017. "Calm down."
  5018. >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  5019. >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  5020. >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  5021. "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  5022. >"...Fuck you."
  5023. >Her spirit excites you
  5024. "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  5025. >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  5026. >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  5027. >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  5028. "I'm going to remind you - both of you - that all you have to do is agree to be good. And you can start living a more comfortable life."
  5029. >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  5030. >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  5031. >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  5032. >You turn to Adagio
  5033. >She's just staring at the wall
  5034. >Not the most sympathetic leader
  5035. "Let's go."
  5036. ___
  5037. >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  5038. >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  5039. "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  5040. >"I know~"
  5041. >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  5042. >"It's a new ep-"
  5043. >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  5044. >"Aria...."
  5045. >"..Yeah?!"
  5046. >They're quiet
  5047. >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  5048. "Sonata's going to sit here on the comfy couch and watch TV, enjoying junk food. And you know what she'll be doing after that?"
  5049. >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  5050. "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  5051. >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  5052. >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  5053. >You smile and nod your head
  5054. >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  5055. >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  5056. "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  5057. >"Oh. Yeah!"
  5058. >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  5059. >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  5060. ___
  5061. "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  5062. >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  5063. "Then what's it about?"
  5064. >You make your way through the kitchen
  5065. >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  5066. >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  5067. >The entrance to the punishment room
  5068. "Ready?"
  5069. >"Fuck off."
  5070. >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  5071. >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  5072. >You approach it and stand Aria up
  5073. >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  5074. >Fair
  5075. >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  5076. >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  5077. >"What, is the chair for me?"
  5078. "No."
  5079. >You sit down
  5080. >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  5081. >Not quite
  5082. >You pull her down onto your lap
  5083. >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  5084. "Shut up."
  5085. >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  5086. >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  5087. >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  5088. >"....What are you doing?"
  5089. >She's pretty fit
  5090. >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  5091. >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  5092. >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  5093. >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  5094. >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  5095. >"Are you... a pervert?"
  5096. >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  5097. "You need to wash your hair better."
  5098. >"What?!"
  5099. "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  5100. >In reality, it smells alright
  5101. >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  5102. "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  5103. >"..."
  5104. >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  5105. "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  5106. >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  5107. >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  5108. >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  5109. >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  5110. "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  5111. >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  5112. "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  5113. >"..."
  5114. >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  5115. >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  5116. "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  5117. >"Wh-"
  5118. "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  5119. >You slap her legs together
  5120. "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  5121. >She's quiet
  5122. "Well?"
  5123. >You feel around her thighs for some time
  5124. >No response
  5125. "I'm not surprised."
  5126. >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  5127. >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  5128. "You're the perfect weight though."
  5129. >"...What?"
  5130. "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  5131. >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  5132. >"...Whatever."
  5133. >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  5134. >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  5135. "Hey."
  5136. >"...Hm?"
  5137. "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  5138. >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  5139. >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  5140. >"Anything's better than that."
  5141. "Why settle for anything?"
  5142. >"Hm?"
  5143. "My bed's pretty big. There's more than enough room. Imagine, waking up after eight hours of blissful sleep. Then rolling over and going back to sleep. Fluffy pillows, warm blanket."
  5144. >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  5145. "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  5146. >Her eyes go straight to yours
  5147. >And she just stares
  5148. >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  5149. >And says
  5150. >"Hang yourself."
  5151. >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  5152. "Interesting."
  5153. >"...What?"
  5154. "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  5155. >"The hell are you talking about?"
  5156. "You were thinking about it."
  5157. >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  5158. >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  5159. "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  5160. >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  5161. >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  5162. >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  5163. "Come on, Aria."
  5164. >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  5165. >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  5166. >"Dude. Back off."
  5167. "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  5168. >"...And it is?"
  5169. "Close your eyes."
  5170. >"N-No."
  5171. >She does it anyway
  5172. >"Don't."
  5173. >She quietly groans
  5174. >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  5175. >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  5176. >You lower her just a bit further
  5177. >Tighten your grip
  5178. >And spit in her face
  5179. ___
  5180. >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  5181. >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  5182. >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  5183. "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  5184. >She responds by kicking the wall
  5185. >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  5186. >"Anon?"
  5187. "Hey. What's up?"
  5188. >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  5189. >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  5190. "I'm afraid not."
  5191. >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  5192. "It keeps the door locked."
  5193. >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  5194. "Go ahead, try to open it."
  5195. >"Okay."
  5196. >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  5197. >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  5198. "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  5199. >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  5200. "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  5201. >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  5202. "You can choose. I have no preference."
  5203. >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  5204. >As soon as you realized you might be able to convince one of the sirens to sleep beside you, it felt obligatory to buy more pillows
  5205. >Now there's a pile of them
  5206. >It's fine, though
  5207. >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  5208. >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  5209. >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  5210. >Adorable
  5211. >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  5212. >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  5213. >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  5214. >It was like caging a wild animal
  5215. >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  5216. "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  5217. >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  5218. >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  5219. >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  5220. >But instead you swing it wide open
  5221. >"W-What the HELL!"
  5222. >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  5223. >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  5224. "Don't flatter yourself."
  5225. >You hold the towel out toward her
  5226. >"...just put it on the counter!"
  5227. "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  5228. >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  5229. >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  5230. >"Fucking. Creep."
  5231. >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  5232. >"...Anon?"
  5233. "Huh?"
  5234. >"I finished the bed."
  5235. "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  5236. >You pat Sonata's head
  5237. >"Anon?"
  5238. "Yeah?"
  5239. >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  5240. >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  5241. "Oh. I did..."
  5242. >She looks deeply bothered
  5243. "What's wrong?"
  5244. >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  5245. >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  5246. "Uh."
  5247. >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  5248. >So innocent
  5249. >So cute
  5250. >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  5251. "Is someone getting jealous?"
  5252. >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  5253. >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  5254. >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  5255. >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  5256. >Probably just her demeanor
  5257. "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  5258. >"Why not?"
  5259. "Because. You're special to me."
  5260. >"...special to you..."
  5261. >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  5262. >You're getting eager to go to bed
  5263. >It's about that time now
  5264. >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  5265. >The door opens up
  5266. >Oh fuck
  5267. >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  5268. >"Wow."
  5269. >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  5270. >"Hi Aria."
  5271. >"Hi, slut."
  5272. "...Aria."
  5273. >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  5274. >"I'm out of here."
  5275. "Haha, what?"
  5276. >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  5277. "Don't be so stupid."
  5278. >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  5279. >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  5280. "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  5281. >"Well-"
  5282. "You wouldn't last a week on your own, without your magic. You have no idea how this world even works. You're broke. You have no home. You have nothing without me."
  5283. >"...where are our necklaces?"
  5284. "So you admit it."
  5285. >"What? No."
  5286. "Go ask a stranger to buy you a meal without your powers. He'll laugh in your face. You'll go hungry, sleep on a park bench and miss my wooden floor. At least it stays warm in here."
  5287. >"Fuck! You!"
  5288. >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  5289. >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  5290. >"LET GO!"
  5291. "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  5292. >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  5293. "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  5294. >"NO!"
  5295. >Well
  5296. >Alright then
  5297. "Time to go back up."
  5298. >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  5299. >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  5300. >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  5301. "Oh calm down..."
  5302. >"Aria!"
  5303. >You stop in the doorway
  5304. >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  5305. >You hear Sonata sniffling
  5306. >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  5307. >"Behave? BEHAVE? Sonata, you are the stupidest girl I've ever met. Your voice is annoying, you s-smell bad, and you're ugly. You're REALLY ugly, and heavy too! OW!"
  5308. >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  5309. >"OW! Stop!"
  5310. "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  5311. >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  5312. ___
  5313. >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  5314. >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  5315. >As you slice up an apple to go with eggs and toast, you try to imagine how Adagio might react to being abandoned by both girls
  5316. >But your mind draws a blank
  5317. >She's barely said a word since her capture
  5318. >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  5319. "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  5320. >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  5321. >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  5322. "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  5323. >"Hmm?"
  5324. >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  5325. "You need to wake up now."
  5326. >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  5327. "Didn't sleep well?"
  5328. >"I slept great. You were really..."
  5329. >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  5330. >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  5331. >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  5332. >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  5333. >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  5334. "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  5335. >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  5336. >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  5337. >It's hard not to baby her
  5338. "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  5339. >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  5340. >You were right to start with Sonata
  5341. >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  5342. >You even considered releasing them
  5343. >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  5344. >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  5345. >"This is really, really delicio-"
  5346. >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  5347. "...who the..."
  5348. >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  5349. "NO- No no no. Sonata, go upstairs. Make sure the guest bedroom door is closed. Then stay there until I come get you."
  5350. >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  5351. >"Uhh, but-"
  5352. "Please, go."
  5353. >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  5354. ___
  5355. >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  5356. >Twilight Sparkle
  5357. >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  5358. >Thankfully, she's alone
  5359. >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  5360. >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  5361. >Please
  5362. >Just go
  5363. >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  5364. >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  5365. "Good morning, Twilight."
  5366. >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  5367. >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  5368. "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  5369. >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  5370. >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  5371. "What's this about?"
  5372. >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  5373. "What for?"
  5374. >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  5375. "Yes..."
  5376. >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  5377. "Yes."
  5378. >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  5379. >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  5380. >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  5381. "Gone?!"
  5382. >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  5383. "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  5384. >"That's the thing. I tried to contact their parents, but couldn't get their information. In fact I couldn't get any information on those girls at ALL."
  5385. "Really?"
  5386. >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  5387. >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  5388. >After she originally dismissed you, her friend Rainbow Dash came and asked you not to waste their time about this kind of thing
  5389. >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  5390. >Now you'll do it your way
  5391. "So what do you think it means?"
  5392. >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  5393. >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  5394. >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  5395. "Hm."
  5396. >"That's... all I have. My investigation has been a disaster. I have so little to go off of. If I could just find them-"
  5397. "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  5398. >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  5399. >She closes her notebook and looks away
  5400. >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  5401. >You exhale slowly
  5402. "There's not much I can do now. I assure you, I wasn't after attention, and I didn't appreciate being lectured by your friend Rainbow as if I was."
  5403. >"...I-"
  5404. >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  5405. "Uh, hey. It's fine. All I had was my word anyway. I guess I can't blame you. I want you to find them... there's something that might be of some hel-"
  5406. >"What is it?!"
  5407. >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  5408. "....Uh."
  5409. >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  5410. "Aria, you know, the boyish one, mentioned that she's 'getting sick of the mall'. At the time I didn't notice - since there were far stranger things being said - but that kind of sounds like-"
  5411. >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  5412. >You nod
  5413. "It could be anything, really..."
  5414. >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  5415. >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  5416. >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  5417. >Is she about to cry?
  5418. >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  5419. >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  5420. >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  5421. "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  5422. >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  5423. >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  5424. >You consider offering her a ride
  5425. >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  5426. ___
  5427. >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  5428. >"Anon, who was it?"
  5429. "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  5430. >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  5431. >She stands up with defensive posture
  5432. >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  5433. >But she just stares
  5434. >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  5435. "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  5436. >"What?"
  5437. >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  5438. >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  5439. "Hmm."
  5440. >"Why?"
  5441. >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  5442. "I was hoping maybe someone there would recognize you. Or at least recognize the mountain-sized head of hair in the corner there."
  5443. >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  5444. >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  5445. "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  5446. >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  5447. >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  5448. >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  5449. >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  5450. >"Hey."
  5451. "...what, Aria?"
  5452. >"You're too close."
  5453. >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  5454. >"H-Hey!"
  5455. "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  5456. >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  5457. >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  5458. "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  5459. >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  5460. >"...you told someone?"
  5461. "Nope."
  5462. >"Then how could-"
  5463. >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  5464. >She was the one who told you to begin with
  5465. "No, it wasn't her this time. You guys are just naive, and seem to think you can pull anything off in this world."
  5466. >"How much do they know?"
  5467. >Aria looks on edge
  5468. >You just smile
  5469. "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  5470. >Sonata gasps
  5471. >"But it sounded so fun!"
  5472. "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  5473. >Maybe a disguise or something
  5474. >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  5475. "Anything it takes! Haha."
  5476. >"W-what?"
  5477. "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  5478. >She frowns
  5479. "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  5480. >Aria glares
  5481. >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  5482. "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  5483. >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  5484. "She just stood there and gawked."
  5485. >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  5486. "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  5487. >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  5488. >Gotta admit, it hurts
  5489. >"He's lying. There wasn't an opening at all. Th-the door was locked, he did that thing with the chair, and-"
  5490. >"Aria."
  5491. >".....huh?"
  5492. >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  5493. >Aria's mouth hangs open
  5494. >"But I... he's lyi..."
  5495. "Hey."
  5496. >You whisper into her ear
  5497. "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  5498. >"...what?"
  5499. "Your hair."
  5500. >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  5501. "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  5502. >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  5503. "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  5504. ___
  5505. >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  5506. >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  5507. >She'll be fine though, right?
  5508. >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  5509. "Ughh..."
  5510. >Time for another distraction
  5511. "Sonata, where are you?"
  5512. >"TV~!"
  5513. >You head into the living room
  5514. >Some cartoon is on
  5515. "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  5516. >"Okay~"
  5517. "Can you do me a favor?"
  5518. >"Of course!"
  5519. >She hops off of the couch and beams
  5520. >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  5521. "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  5522. >"Uh-huh."
  5523. "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  5524. >You head outside
  5525. >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  5526. >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  5527. >Hiring somebody is probably a good idea - you were told to after all - but bringing anybody to your parent's house right now...
  5528. >It's asking for trouble
  5529. "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  5530. >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  5531. >A phone call would be better, but...
  5532. >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  5533. "Wait..."
  5534. >There's something in your peripheral vision
  5535. >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  5536. >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  5537. "Oh for fuck's sake."
  5538. >A shovel
  5539. >THE shovel
  5540. >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  5541. "Talk about a give-away."
  5542. >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  5543. >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  5544. ___
  5545. "We have more magazines!"
  5546. >"OOH!"
  5547. >Sonata snatches them up
  5548. >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  5549. >"It's a fashion one!"
  5550. >Her eyes narrow
  5551. >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  5552. "I think you misunderstand. They just send these to me because we've bought a lot of stuff from them. I don't even look at them, really."
  5553. >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  5554. >"Good."
  5555. >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  5556. >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  5557. >You're both in the school's social networking group, so maybe she won't bother coming to the house if she needs you
  5558. "Oh, Sonata."
  5559. >You hold up the envelope
  5560. "We're going to have some money again."
  5561. >"Someone sent you money?"
  5562. "Yeah, my parents."
  5563. >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  5564. >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  5565. >"Hello son."
  5566. >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  5567. >Yeah...
  5568. >You know...
  5569. >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  5570. >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  5571. >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  5572. >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  5573. "Ughh..."
  5574. >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  5575. >"There should be money in the account by the time you get this letter. Since it's summer, we included a little something extra. Try to have fun. But remember that school will be back in your life before you know it."
  5576. >That's it...?
  5577. >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  5578. "..."
  5579. >It's fine
  5580. >They're busy, right?
  5581. >Probably have a lot on their mind
  5582. "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  5583. >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  5584. "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  5585. >"OOH!"
  5586. "Got something in mind already?"
  5587. >"I DO!"
  5588. >You chuckle
  5589. "What is it?"
  5590. >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  5591. "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  5592. >"T-T-T-"
  5593. >She grabs hold of your arms
  5594. >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  5595. >Taco...
  5596. >Bell?
  5597. >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  5598. "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  5599. >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  5600. "Why not?"
  5601. >She scoffs
  5602. >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  5603. "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  5604. >"Anon. Please!"
  5605. >She hugs your arm
  5606. >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  5607. >Maybe it's better this way
  5608. "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  5609. >"Go get it?"
  5610. "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  5611. >She backs away
  5612. >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  5613. >She looks upset...
  5614. >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  5615. >...oh
  5616. "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  5617. >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  5618. "It's-"
  5619. >She pulls away
  5620. >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  5621. "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  5622. >"This isn't what?"
  5623. "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  5624. >"Why? You're just making us good."
  5625. "The thing is, I can't really prove that you were evil to begin with. I can't prove that you're not exactly humans, either."
  5626. >"So?"
  5627. >Sonata
  5628. >Please...
  5629. "If people find out about this, it'd be over. I'd be in trouble. We wouldn't be together anymore. You three would probably be... who knows what."
  5630. >Your heart starts to race
  5631. >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  5632. >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  5633. "I-"
  5634. >You feel light-headed
  5635. "I'm g-"
  5636. >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  5637. >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  5638. >It's too risky
  5639. "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  5640. >"It's okay. Never mind."
  5641. >She's there, beside you
  5642. >"I don't want..."
  5643. >She wraps her arms around your waist
  5644. >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  5645. "Sonata..."
  5646. >You stand there quietly with her
  5647. >Soon, you feel at ease...
  5648. >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  5649. "Sonata."
  5650. >A fast food trip
  5651. >What could happen on a fast food trip
  5652. "Let's..."
  5653. >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  5654. "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  5655. >"...Really?"
  5656. "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  5657. >"Anon, are you sure?"
  5658. "Definitely."
  5659. >This will be fine
  5660. >Just have to be careful
  5661. >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  5662. "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  5663. >"ANYTHING?!"
  5664. "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  5665. >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  5666. "Haha, of course!"
  5667. >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  5668. >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  5669. >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  5670. >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  5671. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  5672. >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  5673. "Well I'm a little on edge."
  5674. >"Can't have that~"
  5675. >She wraps her legs around you
  5676. >It feels awkward... but secure
  5677. >Very secure
  5678. >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  5679. "Okay."
  5680. >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  5681. >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  5682. >Always...
  5683. >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  5684. >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  5685. >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  5686. ___
  5687. >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  5688. >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  5689. >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  5690. "Because this is all gonna work out."
  5691. >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  5692. >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  5693. "Yeah?"
  5694. >You drop her in the chair
  5695. >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  5696. >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  5697. "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  5698. >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  5699. >She rolls her eyes
  5700. "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  5701. >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  5702. "What do you mean?"
  5703. >"She's really pissed off at me. It's not even fair... I was going to escape. It's not right. Just tell her that you were lying as part of my punishment. Please?"
  5704. >Aria looks pretty worried
  5705. >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  5706. "Not gonna happen."
  5707. >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  5708. "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  5709. >She waits for you to elaborate
  5710. "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  5711. >"You don't know anything..."
  5712. "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  5713. >"What about us?"
  5714. "You've been nothing but a fuck-up since I brought you here, but I'm not about to give up on you."
  5715. >"Oh yeah, thanks soooo much for perving out on me and shit. I'm soooo ready to swear my devotion to yo-aghh, don't..."
  5716. "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  5717. >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  5718. >Up her sides
  5719. >And press into her arm pits
  5720. >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  5721. >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  5722. >"Knock it off."
  5723. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  5724. >"Obviously. Idiot."
  5725. "Well."
  5726. >You back off and stand
  5727. "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  5728. >"Huh?"
  5729. "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  5730. >"....shut up..."
  5731. "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  5732. >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  5733. "Have you always been so filthy?"
  5734. >"I'm not. Filthy."
  5735. "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  5736. >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  5737. >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  5738. "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  5739. >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  5740. >You can't help but laugh in her face
  5741. "Once again, you prove my point."
  5742. >"What?!"
  5743. "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  5744. >"....just."
  5745. >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  5746. >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  5747. >She's become quiet
  5748. >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  5749. "Well..."
  5750. >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  5751. "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  5752. >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  5753. "Maybe!"
  5754. >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  5755. >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  5756. "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  5757. >"I wasn't even scared!"
  5758. "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  5759. >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  5760. >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  5761. >"What?"
  5762. "You look terrible."
  5763. >"Kill yourself."
  5764. "Er, I mean,"
  5765. >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  5766. >She's trembling a bit
  5767. "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  5768. >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  5769. "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  5770. >Er, maybe too soon
  5771. "...I just want you to remember that life would be a whole lot more comfortable if you'd give up on Adagio. After all, she apparently gave up on you."
  5772. >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  5773. >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  5774. "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  5775. >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  5776. >You yawn and hold her tight
  5777. >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  5778. >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  5779. >Poor girl
  5780. >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  5781. >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  5782. "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  5783. >She sighs
  5784. >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  5785. "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  5786. >"So it's dumb if I want to know why you treat me like crap for no reason, but Sonata has you wrapped around her finger?"
  5787. >You wouldn't say that
  5788. >...
  5789. >Yes you would
  5790. "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  5791. >"Yeah right. She told you to spit on me and you did it. You're her bitch, huh? You take her orders, not the other way around."
  5792. >Alright, that struck a nerve
  5793. "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  5794. >"Then why'd you do it?"
  5795. "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  5796. >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  5797. >You do your best not to laugh
  5798. "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  5799. >"Ugh!"
  5800. >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  5801. >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  5802. "Come on, twin-tails."
  5803. >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  5804. >She flops around like a fish out of water
  5805. >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  5806. "Uh."
  5807. >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  5808. "Uh-huh?"
  5809. >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  5810. "...Go on..."
  5811. >She looks ready to explode
  5812. >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  5813. "Oh."
  5814. >You let her anger fester a bit
  5815. >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  5816. >Part of you really wants to know
  5817. >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  5818. >Yeah, probably strangling
  5819. "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  5820. >"Fu-wha?"
  5821. >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  5822. >It seems to have been effective
  5823. >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  5824. "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  5825. >"...yeah...?"
  5826. "Right off the bat she asked me not to punish you or Adagio. Poor Sonata is called a traitor, and even then she still cares about you two."
  5827. >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  5828. >She just listens, so you keep going
  5829. "She didn't betray you, either. She got out of a shitty situation. You and Adagio are criminals. Believe me, this is the best you could hope for in my world."
  5830. >"...but..."
  5831. >You cover her mouth
  5832. "And yeah, I've been really friendly with you. You might be gross and disgusting, but you're mine. Unlike your current leader, I hold on to my people. No matter what."
  5833. >It seems like a good moment, so you pull her right up next to you so that she's sharing the pillow, and rest your arm around her
  5834. "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  5835. >You shut your eyes
  5836. >The good mood you had has evaporated
  5837. >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  5838. >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  5839. ___
  5840. >Your back kind of hurts
  5841. >Too used to your fancy bed
  5842. >What time is it?
  5843. >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  5844. >Has it been a couple of hours?
  5845. >Feels like longer
  5846. "Hey, Aria-"
  5847. >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  5848. >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  5849. >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  5850. "Oh boy."
  5851. >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  5852. >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  5853. "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  5854. >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  5855. "Fuck."
  5856. >9:14 A.M.
  5857. "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  5858. >"..nnnghh.."
  5859. >You shake her a bit
  5860. "You're going back upstairs now."
  5861. >"..ghhnn-no!"
  5862. >Her eyes shoot open
  5863. >"Huh?"
  5864. "How are you feeling?"
  5865. >She looks around and confirms her location
  5866. >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  5867. >You rub her head as you sit up
  5868. "I'm glad."
  5869. >"Psh..."
  5870. >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  5871. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  5872. >....
  5873. >No comeback?
  5874. >Nothing?
  5875. "You know, this floor feels like garbage compared to my bed. And of course, all those fluffy pillows. And it doesn't have the weird smell this room does."
  5876. >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  5877. "Okay."
  5878. >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  5879. >"Wait!"
  5880. "What?"
  5881. >"Can you just wait?"
  5882. "Uh."
  5883. >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  5884. >Much more than a nap, actually
  5885. "You're adorable."
  5886. >"...wha?"
  5887. "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  5888. >Her face turns red and she frowns
  5889. >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  5890. "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  5891. >Her eye twitches
  5892. "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  5893. >"...so..."
  5894. "So?"
  5895. >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  5896. >Too cute
  5897. "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  5898. >"No."
  5899. "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  5900. >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  5901. >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  5902. ___
  5903. >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  5904. >Did she...
  5905. "Sonata?"
  5906. >Yup
  5907. >Fell asleep watching TV again
  5908. >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  5909. >"Hey. The day has started."
  5910. >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  5911. "We've got a trip to m-"
  5912. >A message
  5913. >From...
  5914. >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  5915. >How could she possibly-
  5916. "That's crazy, Twilight"
  5917. >In no time, she responds
  5918. >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  5919. "Didn't find anything?"
  5920. >"Nothing..."
  5921. >"Anonymous"
  5922. >"I don't know what to do"
  5923. >You feel nauseated
  5924. >Maybe you can work something out?
  5925. >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  5926. >But that wouldn't be very believable
  5927. >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  5928. "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  5929. >"Yeah..."
  5930. >"Thank you Anonymous"
  5931. >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  5932. >"I must have made a mistake"
  5933. >No
  5934. >You didn't...
  5935. "Good luck."
  5936. >You sigh and close your laptop
  5937. "Sonata. Wake up."
  5938. >"Ghnnn..."
  5939. >You gently scratch her forehead
  5940. "Come onnnn."
  5941. >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  5942. "It's morning."
  5943. >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  5944. >Really?
  5945. >She's got to be making that up, right?
  5946. >You smile and ruffle her hair
  5947. "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  5948. >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  5949. >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  5950. "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  5951. >"What do we gotta do?!"
  5952. "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  5953. >She pouts
  5954. >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  5955. >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  5956. >It's not long before she gives in
  5957. >"Will you feed them, then?"
  5958. "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  5959. >"Okay~"
  5960. >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  5961. >"Anon..."
  5962. "Yeah?"
  5963. >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  5964. >Uh...?
  5965. "Just grab one right now?"
  5966. >"....wh... um. Okay."
  5967. >She looks at you with a blank face
  5968. >And then continues on
  5969. >Anyway
  5970. >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  5971. >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  5972. >Which is a pretty good punishment on its own, but it could be much better with a reminder of what they're missing out on
  5973. >You scratch your chin and hum
  5974. >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  5975. "So then, clothes."
  5976. ___
  5977. >This room is... uncomfortable
  5978. >You were never allowed inside
  5979. >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  5980. >So you've been rushing through the closet, throwing piles of clothes into the floor, digging through boxes and avoiding your mom's underwear
  5981. >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  5982. >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  5983. >As a result, she has a few-
  5984. "Bingo."
  5985. >A super curly blond wig
  5986. >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  5987. >That's good enough, you think
  5988. >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  5989. >"Anon! Where are you!"
  5990. "In here."
  5991. >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  5992. >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  5993. >"Who lives in here?"
  5994. "My parents used to."
  5995. >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  5996. >She points around at the mess you've made
  5997. "Yeah."
  5998. >"It's one of these!"
  5999. >Oh god
  6000. >Sonata
  6001. >Don't
  6002. "What about it?"
  6003. >"A, uh, b-something."
  6004. "Bra."
  6005. >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  6006. >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  6007. "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  6008. >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  6009. "You know you have to wear it today."
  6010. >"...but I don't like it."
  6011. >You shrug
  6012. "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  6013. >"But Anon."
  6014. >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  6015. >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  6016. >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  6017. >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  6018. >But you fail
  6019. >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  6020. "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  6021. >"As if!"
  6022. "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  6023. >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  6024. >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  6025. >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  6026. "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  6027. >"Really?!"
  6028. "But first, here!"
  6029. >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  6030. >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  6031. >"Heeeeeey..."
  6032. "There."
  6033. >You step back and admire your creation
  6034. >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  6035. >lumpy hair
  6036. >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  6037. >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  6038. "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  6039. >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  6040. >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  6041. >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  6042. >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  6043. "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  6044. >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  6045. >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  6046. >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  6047. "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  6048. >"We can go already?!"
  6049. "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  6050. >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  6051. >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  6052. >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  6053. >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  6054. "Oh. By the way. I'm pretty new to driving, and it stresses me out. So please don't talk to me until we get there, alright?"
  6055. >"Sure!"
  6056. ___
  6057. Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  6058. >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  6059. >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  6060. "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  6061. >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  6062. >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  6063. "Try to have a little patience."
  6064. >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  6065. >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  6066. >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  6067. >She huffs and crosses her arms
  6068. >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  6069. "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  6070. >"Then whyyyy?"
  6071. "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  6072. >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  6073. >This is really starting to piss you off
  6074. "I'm worried about you."
  6075. >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  6076. "...Sona-"
  6077. >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  6078. >Aria's words from last night
  6079. >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  6080. "Sonata. This needs to-"
  6081. >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  6082. >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  6083. "Fuck!"
  6084. >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  6085. >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  6086. >and a truck passes by you from the right
  6087. >Holy shit
  6088. "...Sonata."
  6089. >"Huh?"
  6090. "You need to stop."
  6091. >"What?"
  6092. >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  6093. "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  6094. >"Oh..."
  6095. >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  6096. >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  6097. "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  6098. >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  6099. >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  6100. >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  6101. >...you didn't almost crash
  6102. >Right?
  6103. >You would have stopped no matter what
  6104. >...
  6105. >No
  6106. >Don't kid yourself
  6107. >This is important
  6108. "Oh thank God."
  6109. >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  6110. >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  6111. >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  6112. >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  6113. "Do you understand what just happened?"
  6114. >"Um..."
  6115. "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  6116. >"Not really."
  6117. "We could have died."
  6118. >"Wh-what?!"
  6119. >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  6120. "You saw how fast we were going. If we had hit that truck we could have died, or killed whoever was driving it."
  6121. >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  6122. "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  6123. >She suddenly looks very upset
  6124. >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  6125. >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  6126. >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  6127. "Sonata..."
  6128. >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  6129. "...you did. Just let it be a lesson. If I ask you to be quiet, or to do anything for that matter, you do it."
  6130. >"Uhhh... I-"
  6131. "Understood?"
  6132. >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  6133. >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  6134. >Stiff as a board
  6135. >This... feels shitty
  6136. >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  6137. >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  6138. >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  6139. >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  6140. >Nobody here cares
  6141. >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  6142. "Are you ready?"
  6143. >"Um... uh-huh."
  6144. >She's practically hiding behind the car
  6145. >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  6146. "Come here, Sonata."
  6147. >She slowly walks over to your side
  6148. >God damn it
  6149. >This isn't what you wanted today
  6150. "Stop... please."
  6151. >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  6152. "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  6153. >"...s-sorry."
  6154. >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  6155. >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  6156. "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  6157. >"...uh-huh?"
  6158. "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  6159. >"Okay."
  6160. >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  6161. >She smiles back
  6162. >That's more like it
  6163. >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  6164. "Whoa!"
  6165. >A guy almost hits her with the door
  6166. >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  6167. >"C'mon!"
  6168. "Okay, okay!"
  6169. ___
  6170. >The air conditioning
  6171. >That pop music
  6172. >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  6173. >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  6174. >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  6175. >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  6176. >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  6177. >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  6178. "So. Any ideas?"
  6179. >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  6180. "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  6181. >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  6182. "Crazy, right?"
  6183. >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  6184. "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  6185. >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  6186. "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  6187. >"The whuh?"
  6188. >You point her up to the left
  6189. "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  6190. >"b-bacon!?"
  6191. "And it comes with a drink of course."
  6192. >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  6193. "Are you sure?"
  6194. >"WAIT."
  6195. >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  6196. >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  6197. "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  6198. >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  6199. >"YES!"
  6200. >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  6201. >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  6202. "We're ready. I think."
  6203. >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  6204. "Honey, you can just get both."
  6205. >"Ho...ney...?"
  6206. >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  6207. "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  6208. >You go through the motions of paying
  6209. >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  6210. >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  6211. >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  6212. "I know~"
  6213. >She runs over to the soda machines
  6214. >"You two are adorable."
  6215. "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  6216. >The cashier giggles
  6217. >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  6218. >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  6219. >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  6220. >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  6221. "...you too."
  6222. >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  6223. >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  6224. >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  6225. "Here."
  6226. >You snap it on
  6227. >"Thank yoooou~"
  6228. >There's a lot of flavors these days
  6229. >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  6230. >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  6231. >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  6232. >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  6233. "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  6234. >"Ohhh. Neato."
  6235. >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  6236. "Do you like it hot?"
  6237. >"I like it... I... like it..."
  6238. >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  6239. >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  6240. "Do you want some? Or-"
  6241. >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  6242. >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  6243. "Uhh."
  6244. >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  6245. >"Anon."
  6246. "Yeah?"
  6247. >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  6248. ___
  6249. >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  6250. >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  6251. "Don't choke!"
  6252. >"Ih woghn't!"
  6253. >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  6254. >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  6255. >And kind of turn you on
  6256. >Oh boy
  6257. >"Anaghn?"
  6258. >She swallows
  6259. >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  6260. "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  6261. >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  6262. >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  6263. "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  6264. >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  6265. >You take the moment in
  6266. >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  6267. >It feels amazing
  6268. >"Oh. And Anon?"
  6269. "Yeah?"
  6270. >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  6271. >Dizzy?
  6272. >Is that good or bad?
  6273. >"You should call me it more often~"
  6274. >Oh, it's good
  6275. >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  6276. "Okay, honey."
  6277. >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  6278. >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  6279. >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  6280. >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  6281. >It's blissful
  6282. >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  6283. "...oh God."
  6284. >"Hm?"
  6285. >The side door to the right opens up
  6286. >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  6287. >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  6288. "Oh man."
  6289. >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  6290. "What?"
  6291. >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  6292. >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  6293. "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  6294. >"Uh-huh."
  6295. >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  6296. >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  6297. >She's right
  6298. >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  6299. >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  6300. >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  6301. >In a half-assed attempt at being proper, she wraps one around her index finger and prods at the edges of her mouth
  6302. >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  6303. >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  6304. >"Susanne - their daughter - goes to a hot dog stand with her new boyfriend. And he's suuuper nervous, 'cause Susanne is SMOKIN' hot..."
  6305. >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  6306. >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  6307. >They gave her a cup
  6308. >She's about to circle around
  6309. >Why did you have to sit here?
  6310. >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  6311. "Uhh."
  6312. >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  6313. >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  6314. "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  6315. >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  6316. >Here she comes
  6317. >Don't look at her
  6318. >Look at Sonata
  6319. >There we go
  6320. >Just let her pass
  6321. >Better hold still, too
  6322. >"...go back to his house to get her a new t-shirt to wear home, and she's impressed he has such fancy clothes and..."
  6323. >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  6324. >She's as close as she can get
  6325. >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  6326. >Time seems to slow down
  6327. >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  6328. >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  6329. >Slide under the table?
  6330. >Run for it?
  6331. >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  6332. >You cover your mouth and groan
  6333. >"Anonymous?"
  6334. >...
  6335. >"Is that you?"
  6336. >You look up
  6337. >Her offense seems to have faded
  6338. >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  6339. "That's me, yeah."
  6340. >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  6341. >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  6342. "Oh?"
  6343. >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  6344. "That's not necessary."
  6345. >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  6346. >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  6347. "Ehheh."
  6348. >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  6349. >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  6350. >As soon as she's in range you get as close to her ear as her hood and wig will allow and whisper:
  6351. "Not a word."
  6352. >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  6353. "...feel free."
  6354. >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  6355. "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  6356. >"Applejack."
  6357. "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  6358. >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  6359. "Really?"
  6360. >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  6361. >"Just got back in town an' decided to stop here. Not a big fan of fast food, but ah ain't had a bite to eat in a full twenny four hours."
  6362. "Oh."
  6363. >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  6364. >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  6365. >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  6366. "Did she?"
  6367. >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  6368. "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  6369. >She nods
  6370. >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  6371. "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  6372. >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  6373. >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  6374. >Maybe you can end this quickly
  6375. "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  6376. >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  6377. >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  6378. >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  6379. >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  6380. >All goes well for a few minutes
  6381. >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  6382. >"You're pretty."
  6383. >AJ's eyes open wide
  6384. >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  6385. >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  6386. >Good lord
  6387. >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  6388. >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  6389. >So you just smile and shrug
  6390. >"Yes or no, silly~"
  6391. >Urk
  6392. "Sure, she's pretty."
  6393. >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  6394. >What was she expecting?
  6395. >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  6396. "She's. My... cousin."
  6397. >"Oh really?"
  6398. "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  6399. >She tugs even harder
  6400. >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  6401. >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  6402. "Hey..."
  6403. >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  6404. "...her name is Bella."
  6405. >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  6406. >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  6407. "She's visiting right now."
  6408. >"Ah..."
  6409. >The table falls silent
  6410. >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  6411. >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  6412. >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  6413. >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  6414. >"I'm not just visiting."
  6415. >"...excuse me?"
  6416. >"I live with Anon."
  6417. >Sonata
  6418. >What the fuck
  6419. >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  6420. >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  6421. >"...uh-huh?"
  6422. >"In fact. We share the same-"
  6423. "Bella."
  6424. >"...we-"
  6425. >She hugs your arm
  6426. >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  6427. "BELLA."
  6428. >Both girls jump
  6429. >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  6430. >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  6431. >Your heart's about to beat out of your chest as you stare at the back of her hood, unable to face AJ
  6432. >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  6433. >Finally, she speaks
  6434. >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  6435. ___
  6436. >She knows
  6437. >She's not stupid
  6438. >Just southern
  6439. >Wait, that's fucked up
  6440. >Can't control racing thoughts
  6441. >She's not even looking at you
  6442. >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  6443. >"So."
  6444. "So!?"
  6445. >Too loud, calm down
  6446. >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  6447. "Uh."
  6448. >Can't really deny it now
  6449. "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  6450. >"Because yer livin' together."
  6451. "Y-Yeah?"
  6452. >"Alone."
  6453. "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  6454. >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  6455. >"An' will be for a while."
  6456. "...yeah?"
  6457. >She shakes her head
  6458. >Wait
  6459. >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  6460. "Is that a problem?"
  6461. >She spits into gutter
  6462. >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  6463. >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  6464. "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  6465. >"She pregnant?"
  6466. >Your jaw drops
  6467. "Does she... look pregnant?"
  6468. >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  6469. >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  6470. >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  6471. "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  6472. >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  6473. "That's not quite-"
  6474. >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  6475. "Well."
  6476. >"An' that jacket's just embarrassin'. Talk about an over-correction. She's probably barely showin'. This ain't even mentioning that weird clingy behavior."
  6477. "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  6478. >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  6479. >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  6480. >"Ah'm right."
  6481. "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  6482. >She smiles
  6483. >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  6484. "Get to the point."
  6485. >"Alright, alright."
  6486. >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  6487. >"Ah've seen this four times in my family. It's real obvious at this point. Ah know ya probably think it rude of me ta git in yer business, but ah've seen first-hand how destructive teenage pregnancies can be."
  6488. "Go on."
  6489. >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  6490. "True..."
  6491. >"Ya gotta be mentally prepared for all that. Ah bet ya ain't given a moment's thought to the most critical events."
  6492. "Like?"
  6493. >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  6494. >It's as if her voice moves further away
  6495. >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  6496. >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  6497. >But she keeps going and going
  6498. >Like some kind of after school special
  6499. >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  6500. >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  6501. >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  6502. >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  6503. >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  6504. >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  6505. >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  6506. >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  6507. "Uh-huh."
  6508. >You extend your hand
  6509. >She takes it, and you pull her up
  6510. >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  6511. "I will."
  6512. >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  6513. >It makes your stomach turn
  6514. >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  6515. >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  6516. >Then, she stares at you
  6517. >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  6518. >"Anon."
  6519. "Yeah?"
  6520. >She takes one little step forward
  6521. >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  6522. "Just-"
  6523. >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  6524. >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  6525. >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  6526. >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  6527. >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  6528. >But fuck Aria
  6529. "Come here."
  6530. >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  6531. >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  6532. "I'm not mad."
  6533. >"Y-You aren't?"
  6534. "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  6535. >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  6536. "I think you do, Sonata."
  6537. >"...well, I was bothered because you called me your cousin. I don't want to be your cousin. Or anything else. I want..."
  6538. >She goes quiet
  6539. >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  6540. "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  6541. >"Huh?!"
  6542. "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  6543. >"Anon?"
  6544. "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  6545. >Urgh
  6546. >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  6547. >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  6548. >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  6549. >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  6550. >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  6551. >"Anon! I-"
  6552. >It gets tighter
  6553. >And tighter
  6554. >It's sort of hard to breathe
  6555. >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  6556. >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  6557. "Me too. But hey."
  6558. >"Yeah?"
  6559. "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  6560. >"I can't tell them?"
  6561. "It could mess up their punishment."
  6562. >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  6563. >"I won't tell them!"
  6564. "Good. I mean... thank you."
  6565. >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  6566. >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  6567. >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  6568. >...Yeah
  6569. >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  6570. "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  6571. >"...Sorry!"
  6572. "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  6573. >"Where are we going?"
  6574. >You lead her back inside
  6575. "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  6576. >"You don't know that!"
  6577. "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  6578. ___
  6579. >Your mood could not be any better
  6580. >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  6581. >Going on about the things she likes about you
  6582. >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  6583. >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  6584. >Can't stop smiling
  6585. >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  6586. "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  6587. >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  6588. >Adagio just stares
  6589. "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  6590. >Aria sighs
  6591. >"Took you long enough."
  6592. "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  6593. >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  6594. >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  6595. "Eat up."
  6596. >"...was that a joke?"
  6597. >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  6598. "Haha. Who's first today?"
  6599. >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  6600. >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  6601. >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  6602. >"I'm not hungry."
  6603. "Uh. Are you sure?"
  6604. >No response
  6605. "I guess I won't force you."
  6606. >That was disappointing
  6607. >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  6608. "Well. I guess that's that."
  6609. >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  6610. >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  6611. "Hm?"
  6612. >"Forget something?!"
  6613. "No?"
  6614. >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  6615. >You rub your chin and look around the room
  6616. "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  6617. >"Yo-You THINK?"
  6618. >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  6619. >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  6620. >That's... disgusting
  6621. >All the better
  6622. >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  6623. "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  6624. >"Shut up."
  6625. >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  6626. >Instantly she whines
  6627. >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  6628. >She forces herself to swallow
  6629. >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  6630. "Don't exaggerate."
  6631. >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  6632. "I think you are."
  6633. >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  6634. >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  6635. "How lewd."
  6636. >Her expression softens up
  6637. >"What are you talking about..."
  6638. "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  6639. >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  6640. "Right. Well."
  6641. >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  6642. >You're quick to swallow
  6643. "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  6644. >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  6645. "Haha!"
  6646. >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  6647. "Suit yourself."
  6648. >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  6649. >And inside that is a wrap containing two segments of a foot long submarine sandwich, packed to the brim with meat, cheese, lettuce, mustard and mayonnaise
  6650. >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  6651. >"...Seriously?"
  6652. "Mm?"
  6653. >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  6654. >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  6655. >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  6656. >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  6657. >The crunch of the lettuce
  6658. >The texture of the meat
  6659. >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  6660. >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  6661. >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  6662. "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  6663. >"So?"
  6664. "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  6665. >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  6666. "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  6667. >"SO?"
  6668. "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  6669. >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  6670. >Bingo
  6671. "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  6672. >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  6673. >If taking your time with your brunch weren't enough, this is what brings the fuming siren to let out a quiet growl
  6674. >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  6675. >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  6676. "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  6677. >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  6678. "You know that's not true."
  6679. >"What?!"
  6680. "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  6681. >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  6682. "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  6683. >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  6684. "...any time."
  6685. >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  6686. >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  6687. "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  6688. >"Huh?!"
  6689. "So eager to replace your leader..."
  6690. >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  6691. >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  6692. >There it is
  6693. >What Aria seems to care about most
  6694. >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  6695. >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  6696. "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  6697. >She looks past you
  6698. >Probably right at Adagio
  6699. >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  6700. >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  6701. >Her voice is somber and shaky
  6702. >You smile
  6703. >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  6704. >Not a word?
  6705. >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  6706. >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  6707. >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  6708. >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  6709. "...hmm."
  6710. >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  6711. >She looks at you in defeat
  6712. >Poor twin-tails
  6713. >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  6714. >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  6715. >Gently, you grab the top of her head and turn it back toward you, gesture to Adagio, and then press your index finger against your lips
  6716. >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  6717. >Oh come on twin-tails
  6718. >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  6719. >"..mpgh?!"
  6720. >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  6721. >At first she lets it sit there
  6722. >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  6723. >...there you go
  6724. >She chews slowly
  6725. >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  6726. >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  6727. >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  6728. >You smile at her
  6729. >She stares
  6730. >Your smile fades
  6731. >...and she keeps staring
  6732. >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  6733. >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  6734. >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  6735. >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  6736. >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  6737. >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  6738. "Anyway. If you're both sure you don't want to eat, I have better things to do than hang out with prisoners."
  6739. >You step outside
  6740. "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  6741. >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  6742. >Poor girl
  6743. >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  6744. ___
  6745. >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  6746. "Kitchen!"
  6747. >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  6748. >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  6749. >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  6750. >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  6751. >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  6752. "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  6753. >She hugs herself
  6754. >"Heehee~"
  6755. >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  6756. >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  6757. "Hm?"
  6758. >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  6759. "Oh!"
  6760. >A message
  6761. >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  6762. >Great
  6763. "Let's go see what it is."
  6764. >"Okay!"
  6765. >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  6766. ___
  6767. >You plop down onto the couch
  6768. >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  6769. >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  6770. >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  6771. >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  6772. >This picture always cracks you up
  6773. >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  6774. >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  6775. >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  6776. >...you're stalling
  6777. >Best get it over with
  6778. >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  6779. >"are you at your computer"
  6780. "I am now"
  6781. >"hello anonymous."
  6782. "What's up"
  6783. >"i went back to the mall"
  6784. "Didn't go well?"
  6785. >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  6786. "Oh"
  6787. "I'm sorry"
  6788. >"it's my fault"
  6789. "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  6790. >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  6791. >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  6792. >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  6793. "It's not your fault"
  6794. "Period"
  6795. >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  6796. "Who's they?"
  6797. >"my friends"
  6798. >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  6799. >"there are over seven billion of them"
  6800. >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  6801. "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  6802. >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  6803. "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  6804. >"they will"
  6805. >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  6806. >"they trusted me"
  6807. >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  6808. >Your chest hurts
  6809. >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  6810. >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  6811. >So what can you do?
  6812. >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  6813. >You start typing something
  6814. >Anything...
  6815. "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  6816. >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  6817. >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  6818. >She's... sorry
  6819. >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  6820. >God
  6821. >Damn it
  6822. >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  6823. >"you might be in the history books"
  6824. >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  6825. >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  6826. "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  6827. >You exhale sharply
  6828. >Here we go
  6829. >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  6830. "No"
  6831. "Stop typing"
  6832. "Just listen for a second"
  6833. >Sure enough, the message disappears
  6834. "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  6835. "From now on, I'm in charge"
  6836. "As your investigation manager"
  6837. "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  6838. "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  6839. "I just remembered"
  6840. >"what room is it"
  6841. >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  6842. "Nope"
  6843. "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  6844. "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  6845. "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  6846. "Your job today is to relax"
  6847. "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  6848. "Okay?"
  6849. >There's a long pause
  6850. >The typing notification brings anxiety
  6851. >"Anonymous..."
  6852. >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  6853. "I insist"
  6854. >"Okay..."
  6855. >"But."
  6856. >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  6857. "Don't worry, don't worry"
  6858. "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  6859. "I've got everything under control"
  6860. >"Okay..."
  6861. "Go relax"
  6862. >"Okay."
  6863. "Enjoy yourself"
  6864. >"ok"
  6865. >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  6866. >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  6867. >"Thank you Anonymous."
  6868. >Sonata bursts into laughter
  6869. >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  6870. >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  6871. >Feels kind of naughty
  6872. >"...excuuuuse me?"
  6873. "Huh?"
  6874. >She kicks at your shoulder
  6875. "Hey!"
  6876. >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  6877. >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  6878. >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  6879. >But what fun would that be
  6880. "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  6881. >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  6882. "I am."
  6883. >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  6884. "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  6885. >"Uuurgghh!"
  6886. >Her big toe twists into you
  6887. >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  6888. "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  6889. >"A-Anon!"
  6890. >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  6891. >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  6892. >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  6893. "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  6894. >"But you were looking!"
  6895. >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  6896. >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  6897. >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  6898. "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  6899. >"Yes. Yes you did."
  6900. ___
  6901. "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  6902. >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  6903. >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  6904. >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  6905. >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  6906. "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  6907. >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  6908. "Oh? Are you mad?"
  6909. >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  6910. "Let's play therapist."
  6911. >"Let's not."
  6912. "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  6913. >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  6914. >"Do you come from some crazy land where ty... tying girls up, being all pervy to them, calling them names and making fun of them and feeding them COLD BEANS, makes them HAPPY?"
  6915. "Interesting..."
  6916. >"It's NOT interesting!"
  6917. "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  6918. >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  6919. >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  6920. >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  6921. >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  6922. "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  6923. >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  6924. >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  6925. >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  6926. >...poor, poor twin-tails
  6927. >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  6928. >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  6929. >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  6930. "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  6931. >"What?"
  6932. "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  6933. >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  6934. >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  6935. >"N-No. I don't know. I don't even want to do it. I just thought you were going to make me."
  6936. "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  6937. >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  6938. >You lay down on your side in front of her
  6939. >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  6940. "Why?"
  6941. >"I don't have to tell you why."
  6942. "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  6943. >"Ugh. No."
  6944. "Then..."
  6945. >"I swear. Maybe you didn't notice, since you're a fucking idiot, but me and Adagio are kind of on bad terms. I mean, we were even before you pulled all this."
  6946. "Really?"
  6947. >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  6948. >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  6949. >"She won't even talk to me. I'm th-the new Sonata. I KNOW that's what she thinks. She thinks I'm a fucking idiot. You just..."
  6950. >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  6951. >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  6952. "Aria..."
  6953. >"And saying that upstairs? About how, 'ohh Aria just wants a new leader'! What the hell?! As if things weren't bad enough after the bus stop!"
  6954. "What happened at the bus stop?"
  6955. >Her breathing quickens
  6956. >And her eyebrows sink
  6957. >Oh boy
  6958. >"I just wanted to h... I just wanted. To show. Her. That I can be a leader too. I mean... help be the leader. We were trying to figure out where to eat. And I told her that, I thought I had a better idea, and told her we shouldn't go to the same places too many times, because it's suspicious. And..."
  6959. "...And?"
  6960. >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  6961. >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  6962. >You're not quite sure, but
  6963. >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  6964. >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  6965. >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  6966. >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  6967. "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  6968. >"Oh fuck off..."
  6969. "Seriously. You show yo-"
  6970. >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  6971. >You raise your voice a bit
  6972. "Quiet!"
  6973. >...
  6974. >Just like before, she stares
  6975. >Looking a bit surprised
  6976. >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  6977. >It's exciting
  6978. "As I was saying. Even you know Adagio was in the wrong. Getting upset over her own insecurity as leader? Ignoring your advice - which was very good by the way - she was definitely wrong."
  6979. >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  6980. "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  6981. >"How's it different?"
  6982. "...huh?"
  6983. >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  6984. >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  6985. "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  6986. >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  6987. >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  6988. >She smells...
  6989. >Er
  6990. >She actually does smell kind of bad
  6991. "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  6992. >"So...?"
  6993. "Aria, I'm not telling you this stuff to make you mad. I'm hoping you'll improve yourself. For your own sake - so maybe you don't embarrass yourself around people - and for my sake too."
  6994. >"Your sake?"
  6995. "Yes."
  6996. >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  6997. "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  6998. >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  6999. >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  7000. "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  7001. >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  7002. "Well that should be obvious."
  7003. >"It's not."
  7004. "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  7005. >You rub her cheek
  7006. >She just takes it
  7007. >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  7008. >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  7009. >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  7010. "Hey. You still hungry?"
  7011. >"Of course I am."
  7012. "Wait here."
  7013. >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  7014. ___
  7015. >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  7016. >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  7017. >Ah, what the hell?
  7018. >Might as well give her a full meal
  7019. >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  7020. >Perfect
  7021. ___
  7022. >"What the heck is all that?"
  7023. "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  7024. >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  7025. >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  7026. "Ohhh no no no."
  7027. >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  7028. "Don't get get too excited."
  7029. >"Huh?"
  7030. >It pops up into her view
  7031. >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  7032. "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  7033. >"...I don't want it."
  7034. >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  7035. "Buuuullshit."
  7036. >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  7037. >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  7038. "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  7039. >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  7040. >"...urmmpphh."
  7041. >At this point she stops responding
  7042. >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  7043. "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  7044. >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  7045. >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  7046. >Her chewing is full of sass
  7047. >You didn't even know that was possible
  7048. >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  7049. >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  7050. "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  7051. >"...yeah."
  7052. "Haha... twin-tails."
  7053. >"...what?"
  7054. "You're cute."
  7055. >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  7056. >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  7057. >It feels kind of... rapey
  7058. >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  7059. >"SEE?"
  7060. >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  7061. >"LOOK!"
  7062. >Smack, smack, smack
  7063. >"I'm EATING it!"
  7064. "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  7065. "Shut UP!"
  7066. >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  7067. >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  7068. >And another bite down
  7069. >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  7070. >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  7071. >"Ohh, Aria, sleep next to me! It's all warm and cozy and shit! Ohh Aria, eat this sandwich while she's not looking! Ohh here, just eat the whole thing in my creepy dungeon room!"
  7072. >Then, she takes that next bite
  7073. >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  7074. >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  7075. >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  7076. >And then, you bring out the coke
  7077. >"...ohhh, THANK you dear leader! You're s-so kind to me... I'm so happy... is that what you want me to say?"
  7078. >You smile
  7079. >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  7080. >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  7081. >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  7082. >She gulps down half of it at once
  7083. >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  7084. >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  7085. "Really?"
  7086. >"Yes, really."
  7087. "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  7088. >"What!? ...I mean..."
  7089. >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  7090. >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  7091. >"Oh. Those."
  7092. "Do you like them?"
  7093. >She shrugs
  7094. "You like them."
  7095. >The bag ruffles
  7096. >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  7097. >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  7098. >You raise it toward her
  7099. >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  7100. >...along with part of you
  7101. "Ack."
  7102. >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  7103. >Every inch of her face is moving
  7104. >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  7105. >"These are... pretty well made."
  7106. "Think so?"
  7107. >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  7108. >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  7109. >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  7110. >It's like feeding a deer or something
  7111. >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  7112. >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  7113. >She swallows
  7114. >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  7115. >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  7116. >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  7117. >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  7118. >She barely seems to mind
  7119. "Aria... maybe I don't want you to be a prisoner forever."
  7120. >"What..."
  7121. "Maybe I feel like I have to guide you toward the obvious best choice."
  7122. >She focuses on the bag of chips and keeps her mouth shut
  7123. "So?"
  7124. >"So what?"
  7125. "Do you want do finish off this bag, or not?"
  7126. >She frowns
  7127. >Then rolls her eyes
  7128. >And sighs
  7129. "Haha... okay then."
  7130. >You dig in for another handful
  7131. ___
  7132. >Having elected to draw out the trip upstairs, you casually stroll through the kitchen
  7133. >When you told her punishment had ended, Aria had nothing to say
  7134. >Didn't even make a face
  7135. >Kind of disappointing
  7136. >You creep up the stairs, one by one
  7137. >Listening for a reaction of any kind
  7138. >...halfway up now...
  7139. >Nothing?
  7140. >Three quarters
  7141. >There's the final step
  7142. >"Wait."
  7143. >Lo and behold
  7144. "Yeah?"
  7145. >".......uh."
  7146. >You wait patiently, but she delays for far too long
  7147. >She gets a bit heavy on your shoulder
  7148. >Once you feel an urge to set her down, you rush her
  7149. "Go ahead."
  7150. >"Just- ...ugh. Never mind."
  7151. "What were you going to say?"
  7152. >"Nothing."
  7153. "I think it was something."
  7154. >You pat her ass and she kicks her legs
  7155. >"Fuck you. Go hang yourself."
  7156. "Alright, alright."
  7157. >You carry her into the guest bedroom
  7158. >Adagio's fast asleep, her head hanging and hair obscuring her face
  7159. >After Aria is tied up properly again she flops right onto her side and closes her eyes
  7160. "Uhh."
  7161. >It's almost funny
  7162. "...sleep tight, twin-tails."
  7163. ___
  7164. >"Anon?"
  7165. >You jolt awake
  7166. >The white glow of your laptop screen hurts your eyes
  7167. >Sonata's hand rests on your knee
  7168. >Shit
  7169. >Why are you so tired?
  7170. "Hey."
  7171. >You rub your eyes and then sigh at the blinking cursor with nothing behind it
  7172. >Some brainstorming session that amounted to
  7173. "I thought you were going to go to sleep? That's why I turned the lights off."
  7174. >Sonata grabs the remote off the back of the couch and lowers the volume just a bit before answering:
  7175. >"I can't fall asleep."
  7176. "Since when are you too good for the couch? Am I spoiling you?"
  7177. >You absolutely are
  7178. >"Hee hee. It's not that. I'm just worried about why you're so worried."
  7179. "Er."
  7180. >She gets up and sits so close to you that she's forced to rest her arm on your lap
  7181. >If this is some kind of pressure tactic...
  7182. >It's working
  7183. >"You can tell me, you know."
  7184. "I..."
  7185. >Telling her couldn't possibly end well
  7186. >Going out to spend time with a girl she's already shown jealousy toward?
  7187. >She'd worry, she'd get angry
  7188. >Judging by that little outburst at Taco Bell, Sonata might even contact Twilight to set the record straight
  7189. >So, you can't
  7190. >Sorry Sonata, but...
  7191. "It's about the money."
  7192. >"Huh? ...oh! Oh no!"
  7193. "Wh-what?"
  7194. >She covers her mouth and distances herself from you
  7195. >"I knew it..."
  7196. "What?"
  7197. >"I'm so stupid..."
  7198. "What?! What's wrong?"
  7199. >She buries her face into a cushion
  7200. >Her legs flop out onto the floor
  7201. >"I spent all our money at Taco Bell!"
  7202. >...
  7203. "Not quite. I'm not exactly rich, but I'm far from poor. I mean, we're."
  7204. >"So I didn't waste the money?"
  7205. "No, silly."
  7206. >She perks up and sits down again
  7207. >"Good! Then what is the problem?"
  7208. "I uh. Uhhh. Well, this money was sent to us from another country. And the... government is suspicious, since it happens too often, and-"
  7209. >"The cops and judges!?"
  7210. "Yes? Sort of."
  7211. >"Are you going to jail?!"
  7212. >Jesus Christ
  7213. >This girl goes from calm to panic in an instant
  7214. >You ruffle her hair and shake your head
  7215. "The government is big. The cops and judges are only part of it. The part that's causing problems with me is just making sure I'm not a criminal."
  7216. >"Oh."
  7217. >She puts on an innocent smile
  7218. >Trusting your every word as you spew bullshit
  7219. >God damn it
  7220. "Yeah. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow and I'm just nervous about it."
  7221. >"You should have told me. I can help you."
  7222. "It's okay. I c-"
  7223. >"Anon!"
  7224. >She crawls into the floor in front of you and rests her head on your lap
  7225. >Very quickly you start to feel her warmth
  7226. >That, and her weight - this feeling of being trapped where you sit is oddly comforting
  7227. >Why is she so good at calming your mind?
  7228. >"I need to help you."
  7229. "Need to?"
  7230. >"Yeah... um."
  7231. >She slips her arms under her face and settles in
  7232. >"It's my job. You've been taking care of me, and you're so nice to me. And now, ever since T-Taco Bell we're-"
  7233. >She stuffs her face into your leg for a moment to quiet a squee
  7234. >"we're a couple."
  7235. >You are, aren't you?
  7236. >It still seems so surreal for this girl you met so recently, who was initially scared of you, to be with you
  7237. >"And a girlfriend is supposed to comfort her boyfriend. Especially when he's about to face a battle."
  7238. "Sonata..."
  7239. >'Battle' is a bit dramatic, but you let it slide
  7240. >A dog food commercial passes by on TV
  7241. >Thirty seconds of contemplation as she hums and gently rocks left and right on top of you
  7242. >Even though you aren't doing anything wrong, you feel guilty
  7243. >Lying so that you can spend the day with Twilight...
  7244. >Maybe it's best just to tell her?
  7245. "Sonata. There's something I need to-"
  7246. >The words escape you
  7247. >Her head shoots up
  7248. >"Uh, do you mean..."
  7249. >She sit sup straight and lets her eyelids sink down a bit
  7250. >"...that you need me?"
  7251. "Huh?"
  7252. >Her eyes revert as she studies your confused reaction
  7253. >"Is it what you need?"
  7254. "Uh."
  7255. >"Anon?"
  7256. >She runs her hand up and down your leg, very slowly
  7257. >Your face heats up
  7258. >Your mind draws a blank
  7259. >Where is this coming from?
  7260. >"I-Is it what you need or not?"
  7261. >Her hand stops moving
  7262. >Though it's hard to see her face with the laptop glowing behind her, you can tell she's nervous
  7263. >Time to force some words
  7264. "What's this all about?"
  7265. >"What do you mean..."
  7266. "Where did this come from?"
  7267. >She waits a while
  7268. >"I'm confused..."
  7269. "Me too?"
  7270. >"Don't you-"
  7271. >Her ponytail whips around as she looks away
  7272. >"Don't you want me, Anon?"
  7273. >Of course
  7274. >How could you not?
  7275. >But so soon, and with this investigation shit on your mind?
  7276. "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"
  7277. >"I don't know. Is it?"
  7278. "Maybe. We literally started dating today."
  7279. >You glance at the time
  7280. "Yesterday..."
  7281. >Sonata looks at your laptop, and then to you
  7282. >"Isn't this what boys want?"
  7283. "Well. Yes?"
  7284. >"They want to get really close with a pretty girl."
  7285. "Yeah."
  7286. >"So I'm not pretty? Is that it?"
  7287. >What?!
  7288. >"Is it my hair? I can do twin-tails like Aria. Is- is that it? Am I not tough enough? 'Cause I can be. Beating people up and, saying bad words. Or is it my hair color? I can get the wig. Just tell me. Tell me what to do..."
  7289. >The more she goes on, the faster she talks, and the faster she talks, the higher she climbs up your lap
  7290. >Once she's close to your face your stomach goes ice cold. Now you can clearly see the tears building in her eyes
  7291. >"I can be smart, too. I can... maybe not as much as that one girl. But I promise I can be smart."
  7292. >Her voice shakes with her unsteady breathing
  7293. "Sonata, why are you saying this stuff?"
  7294. >"Because."
  7295. >She runs her fingers over her eyes
  7296. >"I'm scared."
  7297. "Of what?"
  7298. >She shakes her head
  7299. >"You're more interested in all the other girls."
  7300. >That's not true...
  7301. >"Like how you wanted to see Aria naked, but not me."
  7302. >Where in the world did she get that impression?
  7303. >...
  7304. >Your jaw drops as a sentence from earlier on hits you with all of its meaning
  7305. >"And Applejack - you kept looking and, I know you said you were just nervous, but then you said she's pretty."
  7306. >It was kind of forced out of your mouth, though-
  7307. >"You didn't tell me what you talked to her about either."
  7308. >A bunch of bullshit is all-
  7309. >"When that smart girl came to the house, you wanted to be alone with her too!"
  7310. >She knows why that is-
  7311. >"And. And..."
  7312. >She's lightly sobbing at this point
  7313. >Talking so quickly you can't even think straight
  7314. >"You spent last night with Aria, huh?"
  7315. >...
  7316. >Well
  7317. >It's true
  7318. >"It's just so... scary having a boy leader."
  7319. "So that's what it is?"
  7320. >Her mouth shuts tight and she leans in a bit
  7321. >Apparently eager to hear your response
  7322. >You reach around and rub her back
  7323. "Sonata, you think I'm going to abandon you for other girls?"
  7324. >She shrugs her shoulders and sniffles
  7325. "Don't be crazy. Do you really think I'd trade you off?"
  7326. >"If they were prettier."
  7327. "Well I wouldn't. You're mine. No matter what happens you'll be by my side."
  7328. >"Anon..."
  7329. "Besides that, you're insane if you think you're not as pretty as those other girls. You're..."
  7330. >You caress the side of her face
  7331. "...the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
  7332. >"...Anonnn..."
  7333. "I don't want to hear about you being stupid, either."
  7334. >"But I am."
  7335. "You aren't. A bit naive maybe. But you're just saying this because Aria calls you stupid. Right?"
  7336. >"I don't know."
  7337. "I do."
  7338. >She presses into your hand and whimpers
  7339. >You'll have to do something about Aria...
  7340. "And about last night. I was punishing her and fell asleep. That's all there is to it."
  7341. >She looks perplexed for a moment, likely thinking back to her own punishment and wondering how one dozes off during a spanking
  7342. "Did you already forget what I told you?"
  7343. >"What?"
  7344. "You're special to me, Sonata."
  7345. >The faint sound of the TV is all you hear for some time
  7346. >You start to worry that she isn't convinced
  7347. >But then she lunges into a hug so hard you nearly lose your breath
  7348. >As soon as presses her face into your shirt, her quiet sobbing intensifies
  7349. "Sonata..."
  7350. >"Y-You mean it?"
  7351. >You hug her back
  7352. "Of course."
  7353. >"I'm... I'm s... I'm so happy..."
  7354. >You stay like this so long that your laptop's screen shuts off
  7355. >Resisting the urge to reach over and wake it up, you decide...
  7356. >Fuck it
  7357. >You'll just wing it tomorrow
  7358. >Right now, she needs you
  7359. ___
  7360. >You wake up to the intro theme of Sonata's favorite show
  7361. >The previously dark living room is lit partially through the windows and their closed curtains
  7362. >Morning already
  7363. "Your show is on~"
  7364. >She stirs a bit
  7365. "Don't you want to watch it?"
  7366. >"Mmm... tired."
  7367. "Come on~"
  7368. >Truthfully, you just need her to get off of you
  7369. >"tired..."
  7370. "I've got to pee."
  7371. >"Oh."
  7372. >She gets up, rubs her groggy eyes and falls into the vacant side of the couch
  7373. >Already fast asleep again
  7374. >Time to get ready for the investigation
  7375. >While making your way to your bedroom's bathroom, you strip off your shirt and pants
  7376. >After you've done what must be done you stand in the living room and stretch
  7377. >The fact that there's a girl in the room strikes you, and you feel a bit awkward
  7378. >Too used to living alone
  7379. >You start back to your bedroom to get changed and are stopped by three knocks on the door
  7380. "What the hell?"
  7381. >You glance at Sonata
  7382. >Still asleep, thank god
  7383. >You hop over to the door and look through the peephole
  7384. >As you thought... Twilight
  7385. >You can't let her inside with Sonata right there on the couch
  7386. >But you also don't want to have to tell Sonata to head off to the guest room so you can talk to someone she views as a rival
  7387. "Damn it."
  7388. >You stand up straight, and try not to panic
  7389. >She's going to knock again. What if Sonata wakes up?
  7390. >After adjusting your boxers a bit, you open the door, step outside and close it as quickly - and quietly - as possible
  7391. >"Hello Anoh my gosh..."
  7392. >She raises her notebook over her face
  7393. "Hey. Why're you here? You should've messaged me."
  7394. >"Ahh... I, uh, I did. Five times."
  7395. "Oh. Well it's so early. I just woke up. Please excuse me while I get dressed."
  7396. >"It's twelve-thirty..."
  7397. "Feel free to hop into the passenger seat of my car, I'll just be a minute."
  7398. >"Okay. I will."
  7399. >She scurries off
  7400. >Perfect
  7401. >You smile in victory and head back into the house
  7402. >After shaking her a bit, Sonata springs awake
  7403. >"Mmmmm. Anooon! You didn't tell me my show was on!"
  7404. "I did too, silly. Hey, you have to get up."
  7405. >"Noooo..."
  7406. >She watches as you pass by the couch
  7407. >"Anaawwwn~!"
  7408. "Huh?"
  7409. >"Oh my GOSH~!"
  7410. >Oh, right
  7411. >Almost naked
  7412. "Sorry, I was changing for my meeting."
  7413. >"Oh you don't have to apologize~"
  7414. >You feel your face heat up and your stomach get all tingly
  7415. >No time though
  7416. >Got to act fast
  7417. "No seducing your leader."
  7418. >"More like you're seducing me~"
  7419. "Oh boy."
  7420. >Now you really don't want to leave
  7421. >But you've got a girl waiting in your car
  7422. >Urk
  7423. "I've gotta get dressed, follow me!"
  7424. >You dash into your room and throw on a fresh t-shirt and jeans
  7425. >Your shoes are hiding under the edge of your bed, but you manage to find them
  7426. >Sonata jumps onto your side of the bed and starts to get cozy
  7427. "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake. I need you to feed the prisoners."
  7428. >"Awwww!"
  7429. "Listen close, this is important okay? Remember not t-"
  7430. >"to untie them, or listen to anything they say, EVEN if they say they're ready to be good. I'm not stupid, remember?"
  7431. >She smiles, and you do as well
  7432. "Sorry. I'm nervous because it's a bit different this time. I might be gone for a long time today."
  7433. >Hold it
  7434. >Taking them to use the restroom involves untying them
  7435. >You can't really leave that to Sonata
  7436. "Fuuuuck. I've gotta check on them. Aria has to pee."
  7437. >"What? How do you know?"
  7438. "I just know. Hey, I'm going to head out right after that, okay? I'll see you later."
  7439. >"Okay.... I'll miss you."
  7440. "You too! Go get their food ready!"
  7441. >"Arghhh!"
  7442. ___
  7443. >"Hey, asshole! I don't need your help!"
  7444. "You sure?"
  7445. >She shoves you, but you hold your position
  7446. >Twin-tails could just sprint off if you don't
  7447. >She stands there and glares at you
  7448. "Forgive me. You just seem so feeble and helpless after literally eating out of my hand."
  7449. >"I didn't have a choice."
  7450. "Oh, you enjoyed it."
  7451. >"Yeah, I just LOOOoove being at your mercy like that."
  7452. >...
  7453. >She groans and slams the door
  7454. "Make sure you wash your hands."
  7455. >"Don't be stupid!"
  7456. >Oh, why not check that off the list right now?
  7457. >Like an asshole, you wait a few moments before opening the door
  7458. >"...what the FUCK!"
  7459. >She's got her purple pants pulled down to her knees
  7460. >For a split second, anyway. She practically falls over pulling them back up
  7461. >"Get out!"
  7462. "Just a moment."
  7463. >"..Huh?"
  7464. >You shut the door behind you, and her eyes widen
  7465. >"...hey."
  7466. >She backpedals into the corner as you approach
  7467. >"Wh-what? Freak."
  7468. "I need to talk to you about something."
  7469. >You lean over her and pray she doesn't kick you in the balls
  7470. "Sonata, actually."
  7471. >Like a child told to clean her room, Aria lets out an exaggerated sigh
  7472. >"What is it now? You're the only one who's spitting on people lately."
  7473. "Still mad I didn't kiss you?"
  7474. >"I would've puked if you did."
  7475. "So unladylike..."
  7476. >You get closer and she mashes her face into the wall
  7477. "Pfft."
  7478. >"Just get out of here! Fucking creep!"
  7479. >She pushes a hand into your chest with impressive force, for a single arm
  7480. >You snatch up her wrist
  7481. "Aria."
  7482. >"Let! GO!"
  7483. >She throws her fist
  7484. >You raise your hand just in time to catch it, sending a sharp pain through your arm
  7485. "Man. You're pretty strong, twin-tails."
  7486. >With your leg firmly pressed into both of hers, you shift your weight onto her
  7487. >She groans and twists and turns as she tries to get away
  7488. "Anyway, about Sonata. You're going to st-"
  7489. >"Go! Go AWAY!"
  7490. "Aria. Calm down."
  7491. >"UGH!"
  7492. >She thrusts herself into the toilet tank and tries to squeeze by you, and you catch her by the waist
  7493. >Her grunts get increasingly pathetic
  7494. >She tries to climb over your arm
  7495. "Jesus. You're going to piss yourself if you keep it u-"
  7496. >"I can't even go to the fucking bathroom now? God!"
  7497. "Ari-"
  7498. >"You are the WORST!"
  7499. >Being interrupted by this girl is the most frustrating thing
  7500. >And after what you did last night?
  7501. >Maybe you're being too soft on twin-tails
  7502. "ARIA."
  7503. >She jumps
  7504. >And then like magic she's frozen in place, and completely silent
  7505. "Sit down."
  7506. >"...ugh..."
  7507. >Her head hangs low
  7508. >The toilet seat clunks under her ass
  7509. >That...
  7510. >Felt pretty good
  7511. "Okay. Now."
  7512. >You take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, facing the top of Aria's head
  7513. "I've got a problem with the way you talk to Sonata."
  7514. >"Okay?"
  7515. "Namely, you calling her stupid."
  7516. >"...well..."
  7517. "Well what?"
  7518. >She exhales sharply and lowers her head even more
  7519. >"Nothing..."
  7520. "Right. Anyway it's going to stop. From now on, you are forbidden to call her that."
  7521. >"Forbidden? Seriously?"
  7522. >She sits up straight again, you suppose to show off the irritation on her face
  7523. >You take note of the blush as well
  7524. "A prisoner doesn't get to exercise free speech, let alone use it to insult her superior."
  7525. >"...SuPERIO-"
  7526. >The tank's lid audibly shifts as the siren sits against it and grabs hold of her twin-tails
  7527. >She pulls on them, hard
  7528. >"FINE. I won't insult your PRINCESS. Happy?"
  7529. "Yeah."
  7530. >Every time you get Aria flustered, it gets even more exciting
  7531. >Her tough exterior just begs to be fucked with
  7532. >"Now let me piss in peace, will you?!"
  7533. "Not yet."
  7534. >You step up and raise out your hands
  7535. >Trying to move further into the tank doesn't work out for her
  7536. >Regardless, you freeze with your fingers grazing her sides
  7537. >Something curbs your excitement
  7538. >Guilt...
  7539. >A bawling Sonata, hiding her face in your chest
  7540. "...uh..."
  7541. >Twin-tails eyes you up and down
  7542. >"The fuck are you doing?"
  7543. >Well, now you feel silly
  7544. >You scratch the back of your head
  7545. >Maybe you can play it off
  7546. "You smell worse than usual. I don't want it on my hands."
  7547. >"What... ever."
  7548. >She relaxes a bit as you back off, then raises her hands in disbelief when you sit back down
  7549. >"SERIOUSLY? How long am I supposed to hold it in?"
  7550. >The urge to fuck with her rises
  7551. >But touching her is...
  7552. >As much as you enjoyed feeling her impressive body, you shouldn't
  7553. >With how much pain Sonata's already gone through you'll have to make some changes
  7554. >Aria raises an eyebrow at your sigh
  7555. >...what were you thinking when you kidnapped them?
  7556. >Why would it ever work out with all three?
  7557. >Those daydreams about having a trio of loving, affectionate companions?
  7558. >Sonata can't handle that...
  7559. >And you can hardly blame her
  7560. >It's depressing
  7561. "I've got an idea."
  7562. >You're fine with one wife and two servants
  7563. >Right?
  7564. >It can still work out
  7565. >You don't even need to touch Aria to humiliate her, either
  7566. >There are plenty of ways...
  7567. >Such as:
  7568. "Go ahead. Relieve yourself."
  7569. >"...WHAT?"
  7570. "You heard me."
  7571. >"You. Have. Got. To be. Kidding."
  7572. "Nope."
  7573. >Her mouth hangs open
  7574. >It seems she's waiting for you to laugh and tell her it was a joke
  7575. >You cross your arms and give her a stern look
  7576. "It wasn't a request. I have stuff to do, so get to it."
  7577. >"A-Are you... serious... oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You're an actual pervert."
  7578. >Never has flipping the bird been so energetic
  7579. >Her fist and extended middle finger are waved all around
  7580. >"I'm drawing the line. This is beyond disgusting. I refuse."
  7581. >She refuses
  7582. >Isn't that cute?
  7583. >Curious how her rude hand gesture disappears the moment you get on your feet
  7584. >"I'm serious. I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I've had enough."
  7585. "Garbage?"
  7586. >"...huh?"
  7587. "You'd be the luckiest girl in the world to be treated like garbage."
  7588. >"What do you mean by THAT?"
  7589. "That, as long as you're a prisoner, you're nothing."
  7590. >You hold on to her shoulders and get in her face
  7591. >Not eager to risk a kick to the dick, you step on her feet
  7592. "You have no freedom of speech. You are not entitled to privacy. Cold beans are wasted on you. You're at the very bottom of the hierarchy. You get me?"
  7593. >"...you-"
  7594. "And you've only got yourself to blame."
  7595. >"No, I'v-"
  7596. "Now hurry up."
  7597. >Her lip trembles
  7598. >She squeezes her fists
  7599. >"N-N-"
  7600. >With a stomp, she stands up and pulls her pants down to her ankles
  7601. >She brings her hands back up and hooks her fingers into the band of her panties
  7602. >As soon as they're far enough down falls back into the seat
  7603. >Her eyes are full of hate
  7604. >"Nothing. I'm 'nothing', huh?"
  7605. >All of a sudden, the situation sets in
  7606. >You're standing right in front of an angry tomboy who's about to take a piss
  7607. >Displaying your discomfort would be bad though, so you cross your arms and wait
  7608. >After ten seconds or so she mumbles something and you hear spattering against the bowl, alongside tiny splashes
  7609. "There you go."
  7610. >You give her two good pats on the head
  7611. "Was that so hard?"
  7612. >"...can't... believe... you."
  7613. >The sounds fade, and she slumps
  7614. "Good twin-tails. Okay, I've got other stuff to get to, so-"
  7615. >"Take me upstairs then."
  7616. >She stands and pulls her underwear and pants back on
  7617. >To your amusement she slams her fist into the flusher
  7618. >"I'm nothing, right? A f-fuck up. Go tie me up and leave me to die. I don't care anymore."
  7619. "Oh, Aria!"
  7620. >"...huh?"
  7621. >You take a step back
  7622. "Shouldn't you have uh."
  7623. >She follows your pointing finger to the toilet paper roll
  7624. >"Ugh! Whatever! It's your fault, standing over me like a sexual predator! Of course I forgot!"
  7625. "Man. You really are gross."
  7626. >With the doorknob in your hand, you motion her toward it
  7627. >She steps forward
  7628. "One thing though."
  7629. >"What?"
  7630. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I said you're nothing *so long as you're a prisoner*."
  7631. >"...so?"
  7632. "So, how about you spend the day thinking about it."
  7633. >"Just. Take me up."
  7634. >Ew
  7635. "I'm not carrying you this time. Start marching, I'll tie you up in the guest room..."
  7636. ___
  7637. >Standing out by your hedges, you pet your pocket
  7638. >An idea struck you after Aria was back in her place
  7639. >The bullshit lead you needed was right there in your house all along
  7640. >It took a while to find it, but at least now you have something
  7641. >You run your hand over your pocket one last time
  7642. >The fear of it creating a noticeable bulge seems inescapable, even after a test in front of the mirror showed just about nothing
  7643. "Okay. Here we go."
  7644. >You make your way out to your car
  7645. >Twilight jumps as the door clicks open
  7646. "Hey. Sorry I was in there so long."
  7647. >"Oh. It's... fine."
  7648. "Not very manager-like."
  7649. >You climb in, close the door and buckle up
  7650. >Twilight just sits there staring at the glovebox
  7651. "Gonna go without buckling? I mean, I won't force you. But I'm a pretty bad driver."
  7652. >"Oh! I'm sorry!"
  7653. >She frantically reaches over her shoulder and secures herself
  7654. >"I'd never go without it. It's the rules."
  7655. "Uh-huh..."
  7656. >Something's up
  7657. >She's not looking at you when she speaks
  7658. >Is it because you were in your underwear?
  7659. >It's not that big of a deal, is it?
  7660. "Um."
  7661. >Well this is embarrassing
  7662. "Sorry if I made it weird before. I'm not used to having visitors."
  7663. >"...it's okay, I wasn't even thinking about that."
  7664. "Oh."
  7665. >...
  7666. >Awkward silence
  7667. >She's fidgeting
  7668. >This is going badly
  7669. >Just start the car
  7670. >Wait, what if she's like this the whole drive?
  7671. >Or the whole day?
  7672. >Fuck
  7673. "You're acting kind of strange."
  7674. >"...oh."
  7675. "You alright?"
  7676. >"Uh."
  7677. >She rubs her face
  7678. >"Please don't lecture me."
  7679. >She looks over
  7680. >Her eyes are red and weary
  7681. >"I was up all night."
  7682. >Not terribly surprising
  7683. "What were you doing all night...? Reading? Because I was joking about two bo-"
  7684. >"I decided to go to the school."
  7685. >Your jaw drops
  7686. >But, you should have expected this
  7687. "Are you serious?"
  7688. >"Yes. I feel so stupid."
  7689. >She lays against the head rest and makes frustrated hand gestures
  7690. >"It was dark, so I couldn't even find it."
  7691. "You got lost?!"
  7692. >"Yes! Why are there so many buildings?!"
  7693. >How disappointing
  7694. >Giving Twilight that little speech yesterday about relaxing and having fun felt good
  7695. >Now you feel like an idiot for trusting the anxiety addict to not worry
  7696. "You really shouldn't be wandering around the city at night by yourself."
  7697. >"I didn't want to."
  7698. "How'd you find your way back to Rarity's house?"
  7699. >"P-Police officer..."
  7700. "Uh oh. You got arrested?"
  7701. >She looks genuinely insulted, at least a little bit
  7702. >"No, no. He asked me if I was alright. Anonymous, I'd never be arrested, because I'd never commit a crime."
  7703. "Of course. I know."
  7704. >You chuckle
  7705. "I'm glad you made it home okay."
  7706. >"Thanks... I'm sorry."
  7707. "For not doing what I said? You should be sorry."
  7708. >"I know! That's why I apologized!"
  7709. >Didn't expect her to snap at you
  7710. >You back into the window and raise your hands defensively
  7711. "It was a joke. Spare my life."
  7712. >She looks confused, then apologetic, and then stifles a laugh
  7713. >"Sorry. I wasn't mad. Last night was just so stressful."
  7714. "That's why I told you."
  7715. >Something bothers you
  7716. "Couldn't you have pestered Rarity to drive you there?"
  7717. >"No."
  7718. "Why not?"
  7719. >Twilight runs her fingers over the stacked pages of her closed notebook
  7720. >"Besides the fact that she was already asleep... they don't know that I'm having so much trouble finding information. Mostly I've been talking to everyone on the Personal Computer in the living room. Rarity's suspicious, but I told her I've just got a lot on my mind about my home."
  7721. "I see."
  7722. >"Please don't mention it to them."
  7723. "Don't worry. I probably won't even talk to them."
  7724. >"Thank you. Thank you, Anonymous."
  7725. >Her worries influence everything about her, from her restless posture to her antsy tone
  7726. >She looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a while
  7727. >It almost feels that, by capturing the sirens, you've also imprisoned Twilight
  7728. >That's not what you wanted
  7729. >"Now then, to the school. We have a very thorough search to conduct."
  7730. "...About that. What do you say we hold off? For just a little bit."
  7731. >"WHAT?"
  7732. >She seems to shock herself with her own volume
  7733. >"Sorry- what do you mean?"
  7734. "That. Exactly that. You are unbelievably high strung right now."
  7735. >"That's not true! I'm just focused, Anonymous!"
  7736. ___
  7737. >Giving in to the shaking hand guiding it, the spoon presses into the corner of Adagio's mouth
  7738. >Not good, Sonata whispers in her mind
  7739. >When she sees that her former leader's stare has become cold, her mind starts to yell
  7740. >Not good, not good, not good...
  7741. >"S-Sorry Adagio."
  7742. >Sonata pulls back the spoon, takes a deep breath, and goes to try again
  7743. >"Stop."
  7744. >As commanded, her hand freezes in place and her fingers tighten
  7745. >"What's wrong?"
  7746. >" 'What's wrong' ? Do you really need to ask?"
  7747. >Sonata shrugs her shoulders and looks away
  7748. >Only for a moment
  7749. >"Look at me."
  7750. >"S-Sorry."
  7751. >She snaps back to Adagio's face
  7752. >Her droopy, exhausted, yet terrifying face
  7753. >There's a bit of refried beans on her. Must be what the problem is
  7754. >Sonata takes a finger and scrapes it off
  7755. >"Same as always, Sonata."
  7756. >"...what does that mean?"
  7757. >"You know exactly what it means."
  7758. >Sonata's heart was already beating fast
  7759. >But now she feels a strong urge to either raise her voice, or run away
  7760. >With no clue which to choose, she elects to look at the floor
  7761. >"...SONATA."
  7762. >"Ye-yes! Oh, okay! Sorry Ada... gio..."
  7763. >What is she doing, she thinks, bending so easily to her?
  7764. >For some time, Sonata rubs the spoon handle and studies Adagio's figure
  7765. >She's sitting with her knees against her chest
  7766. >Her head hanging a bit to the side
  7767. >Rope around her foot, and rope binding her hands
  7768. >What can she do?
  7769. >"Adag..."
  7770. >In an effort to muster up extra courage, Sonata thinks of you
  7771. >Being so afraid of Dagi is a betrayal
  7772. >Sounds crazy, but it's not, she asserts to herself
  7773. >If Dagi can't do anything right now...
  7774. >Being afraid of her is like admitting that she'll win someday, or that you won't be able to make her be good...
  7775. >"Adagio."
  7776. >"Yes?"
  7777. >"...p-pr-"
  7778. >Sonata scoops up some refried beans and holds it up to Adagio's face
  7779. >Using every ounce of her willpower, she frowns and speaks up
  7780. >"Prisoners will be quiet as they're fed. Even with beans on their faces!"
  7781. >She said it!
  7782. >Excitement and mortal terror bubble up in Sonata's stomach
  7783. >Signals run to her legs telling her to stand and run
  7784. >But she keeps her butt planted on the wooden floor
  7785. >Adagio can't do anything
  7786. >And yet Sonata's skin crawls as she sees her mouth open up
  7787. >"So. The brainwashing has been going well?"
  7788. >"Brainwashing? You mean like what we used to do...?"
  7789. >Adagio laughs softly
  7790. >"Oh, Sonata. I'm referring to something much more simple, and a victim who is far more pathetic."
  7791. >Adagio shakes her head
  7792. >After it's dropped, the spoon dings into the rim of the bowl
  7793. >"Are you calling me a victim?"
  7794. >"Do you think otherwise?"
  7795. >"I'm not a victim... and he didn't brainwash me. He doesn't even have magic, so-"
  7796. >"Exactly why this is so pathetic. This isn't a matter of magical intervention. Instead, this is about a naive fool who trades her friends, her companions - her family - for hollow promises of a comfortable life."
  7797. >"Wh-what are you talking about?! I didn't 'trade' you..."
  7798. >"Have you forgotten your agreement with that human?"
  7799. >"Well..."
  7800. >"He is your new leader. Your loyalties have shifted. You, are a traitor."
  7801. >Sonata shakes her head and clenches her fists
  7802. >However, no proper counter argument springs into her mind
  7803. >"It amazes me that you would even try to down-play what you've done to the person who's taken care of you for so long."
  7804. >"Uhh..."
  7805. >"So tell me. Are you going to admit that you've whored yourself out to him?"
  7806. >It's not
  7807. >LIKE that
  7808. >Sonata's vision blurs and she runs her arm over her watery eyes
  7809. >Is Aria hearing this, she wonders?
  7810. >To her relief she finds twin-tails still laying on her side, arms over her head, with tightly shut eyes and slow, rhythmic breathing
  7811. >"What do you see happening to you in ten years?"
  7812. >"...I'll be here. With Anon."
  7813. >"Will you be happy?"
  7814. >"Yeah..."
  7815. >"No you will not be. After ten years, you'll spend your free time daydreaming. Reliving the days when you were your own person. And those daydreams will be interrupted by a bitter man's orders."
  7816. >"...what...?"
  7817. >" 'Clean the toilet, Sonata.' 'Sonata, cook my dinner.' 'And don't burn it this time, idiot.' After he's told you what you get to do for him, he'll go off on his own."
  7818. >"That's stupid... what are you even saying?"
  7819. >"That he will grow tired of you. You are his Equestrian trophy - mildly attractive, but untalented. Clumsy. Slow. Untrustworthy. Annoying. A handful. He'll groan at the sound of your voice and think, 'how did they tolerate this girl before I got her?' After he's grown bored of your body, and you're little more than a maid who sleeps in the floor beside his bed, you'll understand how grave this decision you've made is."
  7820. >Sonata squeezes tight around her wrist, wincing at each insult
  7821. >She's wrong, Sonata knows she is... but she can't help but visualize you saying each and every heartbreaking word
  7822. >Your face angry and impatient
  7823. >Just like Adagio's
  7824. >"Y-Yo-You're wrong."
  7825. >"Am I?"
  7826. >"Y-Yes!"
  7827. >"I suppose those tears are joyful, and that you've reassured yourself that Anon cares about you."
  7828. >Sonata quickly wipes her eyes and stands, sending the bowl of beans tumbling into the floor by Adagio's foot
  7829. >"A-Anon WON'T get tired of me! He WON'T be mean!"
  7830. >After glancing at the slumbering Aria and quieting herself, Sonata reaches over and grips her own arm again
  7831. >"Anon is nice. The kind of nice where, if I'm upset, he doesn't get annoyed. He comforts me, and makes me feel better, and he. He-"
  7832. >She shouldn't, and she's aware of it. But the words come so easily
  7833. >"He loves me. He told me that I'm special to him."
  7834. >Adagio's eyebrows raise, just a little. Interpreting this as surprise, Sonata continues confidently
  7835. >"He doesn't want to rush into S-E-X, because we're doing things proper. Like, dating. He's my boyfriend now."
  7836. >Sonata smiles
  7837. >"We haven't even kissed. He doesn't just want me for my body. He wants me to be by his side. Forever."
  7838. >Her finger pushes painfully into her arm as anxiety builds. Every word she speaks at this point is surely a bad idea
  7839. >Best to stop here, she decides
  7840. >She releases her arm and rests her hands on her hips
  7841. >"...Special?"
  7842. >Adagio slowly turns her head toward Aria
  7843. >When she looks back, the smile she's adopted sends a chill down Sonata's spine
  7844. >"...mhm."
  7845. >"You think this human is in love with you?"
  7846. >"I think he is. No, I KNOW he is."
  7847. >Her eerie smile strengthens
  7848. >"Very, very interesting."
  7849. >Scooting her foot around the bowl of beans, Adagio stretches out her legs and yawns
  7850. >"Sonata, you've just given me something to think about."
  7851. >"What?"
  7852. >"Let's just say I'm going to have to re-evaluate Anon after hearing that."
  7853. >"Wait. Really? Are, are you serious?!"
  7854. >She bounces and clasps her hands together, which is enough to send Adagio right back into that irritated state
  7855. >"Calm down."
  7856. >"Yeah, yeah..."
  7857. >"Listen. I'm not very hungry."
  7858. >"Are you sure? You barely ate any."
  7859. >"If I tell you that I'm not hungry, it means I'm not hungry."
  7860. >Sonata nods and takes the bowl in her hands
  7861. >The beans have slid up to the edge, but it's still fine
  7862. >Trying to contain the excitement of her victory, she hums and kneels in front of Aria
  7863. >"Don't worry about that. Just go down stairs."
  7864. >"But, she'll be mad!"
  7865. >"Being like this, eating as little as we do..."
  7866. >Adagio cracks her neck, to the left, and then to the right
  7867. >"...shrinks your stomach. Do you understand me?"
  7868. >"Yeah. I do."
  7869. >"So, go downstairs, Sonata."
  7870. >She pokes at the side of the bowl for a while
  7871. >Then she sighs and stands by the doorway
  7872. >"You don't have to have a small stomach. If you jus-"
  7873. >Adagio's face is hidden again by her hair as she stares at the wall
  7874. >But that's okay
  7875. >This conversation was a success, Sonata tells herself
  7876. >With a big smile she dashes out of the guest room and down the stairs
  7877. >If only Anon were here right now...
  7878. ___
  7879. "I swear. You'll be thanking me."
  7880. >"No! It's inappropriate!"
  7881. "It's not about what's... 'appropriate,' for crying out loud. It's about enjoying yourself."
  7882. >"Anonymous, I respectfully decline."
  7883. "No you don't."
  7884. >"WH- you can't consent for me!"
  7885. "I so can. I'm gonna do it right now."
  7886. >You reach out your hand and Twilight grunts
  7887. >"I'll feel guilty. Just, please stop it already..."
  7888. >The glovebox's little weight becomes apparent the moment its handle is pulled, and you let it fall open
  7889. >You take your wallet and wag it in the air
  7890. "It's nothing. Seriously."
  7891. >Facing the speaker again, you clear your throat and try to talk loud and clear
  7892. "We changed our mind, she'll take the deluxe ice cream sundae after all."
  7893. >The passenger buckle clicks and the belt zips up and over
  7894. >A palm presses into your leg
  7895. >Hair fills your vision
  7896. >"DISREGARD! Please, strike that from the record, I did NOT consent!"
  7897. "Twilight. Come on..."
  7898. >You push her back into her seat
  7899. >"Unhand me, Anonymous!"
  7900. "Alright."
  7901. >You hold her down with your foot the best you can
  7902. "Ignore her, she's just trying to be funny."
  7903. >Twilight shoves on your leg, barely budging it, and the speaker fuzzes
  7904. >"...okay sir, please check the screen and confirm your order..."
  7905. "That's right. ESPECIALLY the last bit, with the deluxe ice cream sundae."
  7906. >"Anonymous!"
  7907. ___
  7908. >Twenty minutes later you sit across from an irritated Twilight, at the tables outside a fancy book store
  7909. >You've finished eating, but Twilight's pretty slow
  7910. >Something has been making you feel a childish excitement since you got here:
  7911. >She hasn't noticed where you are
  7912. "So. Once you're done with your fries, and the sundae, I have another idea."
  7913. >Her mouth shuts hard, mashing a fry in half
  7914. >Through gritted teeth, she asks,
  7915. >"Anonymous. Don't tell me we aren't going to the school next?"
  7916. "Nope."
  7917. >"Are you KIDDING ME?!"
  7918. "Uh. Twilight?"
  7919. >"I was only keeping my mouth shut because I knew it was almost time to go!"
  7920. >She seems to notice the worry on your face
  7921. >Twilight shuts her eyes, and while gesturing toward her chest, breathes in
  7922. >Then while gesturing away, breathes out
  7923. >"Ahhh... alright. Alright. I'm sorry for yelling."
  7924. "It's fine."
  7925. >"What do you have in mind, manager?"
  7926. "I'll tell you right after you finish your sundae."
  7927. >"...to be honest, I'm already full. Why don't you eat the sundae?"
  7928. "Come on. I've come to expect girls to eat three times as much as you just did."
  7929. >"What?"
  7930. "Nothing, just enjoy the sundae. I want you to have it."
  7931. >"I don't... want it."
  7932. >Why's she being so adamant about this ice cream?
  7933. "What is there to feel guilty about if I happily bought it for you?"
  7934. >"I... don't deserve it. After what I did to y-"
  7935. "Stop. Seriously. I'm not upset."
  7936. >"Maybe because you don't know how big a deal this could be. In fact, judging by your attitude about this investigation I KNOW you don't understand."
  7937. >Don't... understand?
  7938. "I understand just fine."
  7939. >"You don't."
  7940. "Being responsible is one thing. Worrying yourself into the ground is another. Just eat the sundae, Twilight."
  7941. >"No, Anonymous!"
  7942. "Come on!"
  7943. >"I decline! I'm FULL!"
  7944. "No you're not!"
  7945. >"First you consent for me, then you consent for my stomach?!"
  7946. "I-"
  7947. >You realize you've stood up
  7948. >Twilight's glare doesn't soften, even after you smile and scratch your chin in embarrassment
  7949. "Sorry."
  7950. >"Yeah."
  7951. >Uh oh
  7952. >Sleep deprivation and stress are not pretty on this girl. Not pretty at all
  7953. >Not that they'd be pretty on anybody
  7954. "Tell you what. Forget about the sundae."
  7955. >"Gladly. I didn't want it in the first place."
  7956. "Eheh. Okay. Uh, about that idea."
  7957. >Pointing off to the side, you drop down into your chair
  7958. >You feel better the moment her eyes are on the hanging sign
  7959. >"Oh. A book store?"
  7960. "Yeah. You like books. Right?"
  7961. >"I love books."
  7962. "How about we look around? I bet you've never been in a human book store before."
  7963. >"I haven't."
  7964. >Twilight looks back with a faint smile, which disappears immediately after she sees the sundae again
  7965. >She shoves it to your side of the table and continues
  7966. >"But I don't have money to buy books, or the time to read them - I'm very busy when I'm in this world."
  7967. "Exactly."
  7968. >She frowns
  7969. >"No thank you."
  7970. "What?"
  7971. >"I'm not going to let you buy me a bunch of books."
  7972. "Really? Don't you wish you could amass a human literature collection, and bring it back to your world?"
  7973. >"I d-... um."
  7974. "You could build a whole library just for the stuff, back home. Our species has written so much that you'd need far more than just one library to contain it all though. Imagine taking books through the portal, studying them, and returning as a human expert..."
  7975. >Her lips move as if to say something, but she just ponders
  7976. "To start out, you could buy an encyclopedia. A few novels to get a better grasp on human to human interactions too. I bet you have a lot of questions about our biology..."
  7977. >Her eyes widen a bit
  7978. >"...there are books that cover each and every last detail about the human body. Isn't that the kind of stuff you're into?"
  7979. >"Uhhhh."
  7980. >It seems as though she's trying to be angry, and just can't
  7981. >A potent curiosity is painted on her face
  7982. >"They have those books here for sure?"
  7983. "Yeah!"
  7984. >That's how you catch a nerd
  7985. >"Well. I guess a few minutes of looking around wouldn't hurt."
  7986. "Damn right they wouldn't. Let's go."
  7987. ___
  7988. >For the past ten minutes, she's been moving from section to section, gawking at the many different genres on display
  7989. >"The art. There's so many beautiful covers."
  7990. "That's a weird thing to notice."
  7991. >"Well, I mean-"
  7992. >She holds up a romance novel with a beautifully painted forest in Fall
  7993. >As she swoons she rubs its side
  7994. >"Art on the cover of a book is less common in Equestria."
  7995. "Ah."
  7996. >"I think it's fantastic. Imagine how many children it could lure in."
  7997. >Creepy way to phrase it, but who can disagree?
  7998. >She continues moving from shelf to shelf, reading summaries and noting which ones she's interested in
  7999. >Eventually she stumbles upon a section with a big banner advertising pre-owned study material
  8000. >Textbooks lay side by side on a few tables with reduced prices
  8001. "Ah, we found it. Math, Science, Literature, Health-"
  8002. >Twilight snatches up a biology book and flips it open
  8003. >"Oh my gosh. There are so many pages..."
  8004. "Yeah! You can read all about our weird fingers and stuff."
  8005. >"Oh my gosh! A whole chapter on the human heart."
  8006. "Uh-huh. A good thing to learn about, I guess."
  8007. >She skips ahead
  8008. >"Oh my... gosh."
  8009. >She looks at you from beside it, apparently comparing you to an illustration, and quickly looks back to the book
  8010. "...Twilight?"
  8011. >Over the next ten seconds you watch a blush form on her face
  8012. >You grab it out of her hands and put it back on the table
  8013. "Alright, maybe you should start with another textbook."
  8014. >"Y-Yes."
  8015. >A little while later, you're looking around in embarrassment as the bookworm argues with you
  8016. >"I. Decline."
  8017. "Come on. It was the whole point of coming in here. I can afford it, so enjoy it."
  8018. >"Anonymous, I really don't feel comfortable. I'll acquire human books on my own."
  8019. "You're not even technically a student, right? Do you have your own textbooks?"
  8020. >"If I find time, I'll study Rarity's..."
  8021. "And then leave them behind?"
  8022. >She stamps her foot and shakes her head
  8023. >One by one she takes the books piled in your arms and places them back where they belong, in some instances sprinting across the store and coming right back
  8024. >"There! Now drop it, would you?"
  8025. "Twilight. You're... something else."
  8026. >"Uh-huh! I'm going back to the vehicle!"
  8027. "It's called a car you dork."
  8028. >"Uh-huh!"
  8029. >She stomps off
  8030. ___
  8031. >Back on the road
  8032. >Almost to Canterlot High
  8033. >Thankfully for your nerves, Twilight is too mad to say anything
  8034. >Her frustration is difficult for you to relate to
  8035. >Probably because you know so little about Equestria, or magical beings...
  8036. >...but you couldn't resist giving it one last shot
  8037. >You pull the shopping bag further up your lap so that it doesn't fall to the floor as you turn
  8038. >The Taco Bell you usually eat at passes by
  8039. "Okay. We're pretty much there now."
  8040. >A few minutes later you pull into the mostly empty High School parking lot
  8041. >Before the car has even come to a complete stop, Twilight unbuckles and goes for the door handle
  8042. "Wait a second."
  8043. >No response, she's just frozen in place
  8044. "I don't want you to be mad at me."
  8045. >You notice her shoulders rise and fall before she turns around
  8046. >"I just want to search for information."
  8047. "Yeah, I get it. But listen."
  8048. >"...Okay."
  8049. "Back in the book store, watching you look around like an excited little kid, was amazing. That's the only time I've actually seen you happy."
  8050. >"Oh, well I don't know about that."
  8051. >With how little time you've spent with Twilight, it's very true
  8052. "I know you feel guilty, but I have to insist. Because I want you to learn to balance your time."
  8053. >"Insist on wha-"
  8054. >She notices the shopping bag, and sighs
  8055. >"You said that you bought yourself a dictionary."
  8056. "Ha!"
  8057. >You pull the bag up from its bottom and catch the novel in your hand
  8058. >Staring up at Twilight is that same romance novel, with the Fall forest
  8059. >Upside down. Just as planned, right?
  8060. >"A-Anonymous..."
  8061. "Hundreds of pages of humans being humans."
  8062. >"But..."
  8063. >Her voice softens
  8064. "The protagonist is a dork, too. It's the perfect place to start. Just take it, in exchange for promising that you'll spend plenty of time unwinding while you read it."
  8065. >She carefully takes the book from your hand and places it in her lap
  8066. >Running her finger up and down the cover seems like a pretty positive reaction
  8067. >"...it is a beautiful book."
  8068. "Yeah."
  8069. >"And I know you're trying to help me."
  8070. >She picks up the shopping bag, places the novel inside and pushes it against your leg
  8071. >"But for the last time, I decline."
  8072. "...What?! I had you that time!"
  8073. >"Not even close actually."
  8074. "This is so damn stupid... just take it!"
  8075. >You drop the bag onto her
  8076. >"Hey!"
  8077. >She picks it up and drops it from slightly higher up
  8078. >You similarly raise the stakes and go just about as high as is possible in the car
  8079. >"ANONYMOUS!"
  8080. >Twilight grips it tight
  8081. >Smacks it into the ceiling
  8082. >And slams it into your crotch
  8083. "...FFF-"
  8084. >You grab the steering wheel and look away
  8085. >Judging by Twilight's immediate ranting, she doesn't realize what she did
  8086. >"There's something you REALLY need to learn Anonymous. And frankly, I can't believe I'm going to have to teach it to you!"
  8087. "Y-Yeah? What? How to treat a small mystery like a blooming World War?"
  8088. >"No, I'm going to teach you how to be a better friend!"
  8089. "Th-this entire day was about being a good friend to you."
  8090. >"Are you sure?"
  8091. >You groan and look at her
  8092. >She's crossing her arms and tapping her elbow
  8093. >"Are you sure this is being a good friend?"
  8094. "What are you saying?"
  8095. >"I told you I didn't want you to buy me food! I practically begged you not to buy the ice cream! And now you've spent even more money on me!"
  8096. "I wanted to-"
  8097. >"Did I look like I wanted you to?"
  8098. "...Twilight..."
  8099. >"You can't do this to people. If you force something on someone, even if you THINK it's for the best, deep down they'll RESENT you for it!"
  8100. >She hops out of the car and slams the door
  8101. >Though you're still suffering from an agonizing pain between your legs, her words seem to have struck you the hardest
  8102. >"Don't wait for me! Just tell me what room you overheard the girls talking in, and go home."
  8103. "...uh..."
  8104. >Which room
  8105. >Which fucking room?
  8106. >How are you going to do this?
  8107. "Uhhh..."
  8108. >"What? You forgot? Great. GREAT! I'll just search every room in entire school, Anonymous! Or maybe you're just holding out until we spend some time at the gas station?"
  8109. "Do you know where the art rooms are?"
  8110. >"Yes."
  8111. "It was in one of them. I don't remember which."
  8112. >Though Twilight's anger doesn't dissipate, you catch a hint of a smile
  8113. >"Good. Then I'll be off."
  8114. >She takes a few steps, and then returns to the passenger window
  8115. >"Um. Anonymous. Even though you're absolutely in the wrong... um..."
  8116. >After grabbing her notebook off of the seat, she forces a smile
  8117. >"...I know you were... trying to be good. So..."
  8118. >Twilight sighs, and takes off
  8119. >You slide into your door
  8120. >The warm window heats up the side of your face
  8121. >But you can't bring yourself to get off of it
  8122. >You just watch Twilight rush inside
  8123. "...fuck."
  8124. ___
  8125. >Dozens of channels surfed, and none have distracted you in the slightest
  8126. >Annoying commercials trying hard to be "random"
  8127. >The shopping channel feels pointless
  8128. >Cooking shows will just make you hungry
  8129. >Hey, your favorite movie's playing
  8130. >It seems like a perfect opportunity at first, but there's no way you'll commit to the runtime
  8131. "Ughh."
  8132. >It's not the first time TV has let you down. The internet will have to pick up the slack
  8133. >...though, if you're on your laptop, you probably won't be able to resist checking for messages from Twilight
  8134. >You sigh and fall onto your side
  8135. >Might as well just check if Sonata's show is on-
  8136. "Uggghhh."
  8137. >"Anon?"
  8138. >You sit up and find Sonata, standing behind the couch
  8139. "Hey."
  8140. >"They don't need to go to the bathroom."
  8141. "That's good."
  8142. >Sonata smiles, opens her mouth to speak, but stops, as if unsure of what to say or how to say it
  8143. >"...Aria wanted to talk to you."
  8144. "About what?"
  8145. >Once again she pauses
  8146. >Ever since you got home today you've noticed this behavior. This subtle discomfort she's hiding
  8147. >It makes you wonder: did it start today?
  8148. >Or has she been doing this the whole time, while you've been too naive to notice?
  8149. >"She wouldn't say. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
  8150. "Just tell her to give a reason, or I won't bother."
  8151. >Sonata nods and heads on out of the living room
  8152. >You lay back down
  8153. "Twin-tails... let me mope in peace..."
  8154. >Soon, Sonata's face is hovering over yours
  8155. >"She wants to know when you're going to punish her."
  8156. >Oh, right
  8157. >You'd forgotten about punishment completely
  8158. >The select button on the remote brings up the time
  8159. >11:24 PM
  8160. "I guess it is getting late."
  8161. >"...You don't have to punish her, do you?"
  8162. "Still worrying about them?"
  8163. >"Well, yeah."
  8164. "Hmm. I don't really feel like punishing her. I'm pretty tired."
  8165. >"Great! Then I'll tell her!"
  8166. "W-Wait."
  8167. >You sit up and rest a hand on Sonata's shoulder
  8168. >She jumps
  8169. >Though it catches your attention, you try to stay focused
  8170. "It's fine. I'll do it. I guess I have to."
  8171. >"Why?"
  8172. "You know. Intimidation. I don't want to look like a slacker."
  8173. >"Don't worry Anon. You're intimidating anyway."
  8174. >It's like a knife through the heart
  8175. >Your suspicions seem to materialize as ice packed into your stomach
  8176. >You let yourself slide backwards off the couch
  8177. >"Anon!?"
  8178. >Her bare feet appear upside down before your eyes
  8179. >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  8180. >She gets down on one knee
  8181. >She doesn't seem aware, but her panties are in clear view
  8182. >You can't muster up any excitement over it
  8183. >"Are you sick?"
  8184. "Nah... don't worry, Sonata. I'm just exhausted after today."
  8185. >"Turning into a snake isn't going to help, silly."
  8186. "Yeah, but it gives me an excuse to have you pick me up."
  8187. >Sonata smiles
  8188. >At least you hope she does
  8189. >All you see is her legs straightening out
  8190. >"You're a boy, so."
  8191. "You calling me heavy?"
  8192. >She takes both of your hands and pulls as hard as she can
  8193. >Your back rubs against the cushion and your head meets the carpet
  8194. "Are you picking me up or pulling me into the floor?"
  8195. >"Uh! You're a BOY, so!"
  8196. "That's no excuse."
  8197. >You lift your legs
  8198. >Sonata grabs them and tugs
  8199. >It works much better this time, flipping you onto your stomach
  8200. "There we go."
  8201. >"You look like you're really, really tired. Just punish her tomo-another day, okay?"
  8202. "No, no... I went and said it would be an everyday thing."
  8203. >You pull yourself up by the arm of the couch
  8204. "Just prepare for relentless hugging once I'm done."
  8205. ___
  8206. >"Why are you going so slow?"
  8207. >Aria's voice is practically a growl already
  8208. >The microwave on the kitchen counter catches your eye
  8209. >You hum and poke at the buttons
  8210. "This thing's so old. I should buy a new one."
  8211. >"I don't even know what you're talking about."
  8212. "Oh."
  8213. >You spin around. Aria's ass joins you in staring at the doorway for a moment before you turn back
  8214. >"Well what is it?"
  8215. "A microwave. It warms up your beans."
  8216. >"Yeah, used to maybe."
  8217. "Still mad about that?"
  8218. >She wiggles around on your shoulder
  8219. >"Just keep going."
  8220. "I don't know... maybe I should google some good modern microwaves first?"
  8221. >"The hell does google mean? I- I don't even care. Why do you keep stopping?"
  8222. "Because you keep complaining."
  8223. >"Well GO! I need to talk to you about something very, VERY important!"
  8224. >Something important?
  8225. >Maybe something along the lines of, 'I want to be your slave'?
  8226. "Well, well, well."
  8227. >She settles as you head into the hallway
  8228. >Rather than kicking the black door open, you walk into it. Just as lazily, you lean your back into it to shut it
  8229. >"OW?"
  8230. "Oh. Sorry."
  8231. >You drop Aria into the chair and cross your arms
  8232. >"What's up with you? You're being even weirder than usual."
  8233. "Don't worry about that. Just go ahead."
  8234. >"Uh..."
  8235. >She looks down at her lap
  8236. >Given that it's probably a humiliating thing for her to say, you give her some time
  8237. >About fifteen seconds
  8238. >Then you lose patience
  8239. "All that complaining and you didn't even want to tell me what's on your mind?"
  8240. >"I want to. It's just. Ugh..."
  8241. "Get it over with. You'll feel better."
  8242. >"Okay..."
  8243. >Twin-tails takes a deep breath, and exhales very slowly
  8244. >"Will you... fuckin'..."
  8245. >She extends her arms as well as she can, pushes her bound hands into the floor and crawls onto her knees
  8246. >"Talk to Adagio, and make things okay between her and I?"
  8247. >Wait
  8248. >This again? Seriously?
  8249. >Before you can get a word in, Aria gets down on her arms and lowers her face into the smelly carpet
  8250. >"PLEASE."
  8251. "...Are you really begging on your hands and knees?"
  8252. >She maintains the position in complete silence
  8253. "Wow, Aria. I don't know what to say."
  8254. >You sit down in front of her
  8255. "What happened to make you do this?"
  8256. >A cute little muffled groan can be heard
  8257. >She really doesn't want to say
  8258. >Even prodding the side of her head doesn't get it out of her
  8259. "Come on. Tell me. I'm not going to stop poking until you tell m-"
  8260. >Her head pushes your hand away as she shoots back up
  8261. >"SHE GAVE UP on me, like you said. She told me I should just do what Sonata did and join you. Can you fuckin' believe that? How could someone as stupid as you be right? I can't fuckin' believe this..."
  8262. >Her face is already beet red
  8263. >"You have to do something. She's only doing this because of what you said. If you take it back, she'll change her mind. So, please. Do something nice for me for once. I'll owe you a favor or something."
  8264. "For once? Didn't that sandwich count?"
  8265. >"Wh-whatever. Two favors?"
  8266. "Don't forget about the chips and the soda."
  8267. >"...Four favors. Okay?"
  8268. "Man. Four favors for my prisoner. I'm awfully nice."
  8269. >"Just agree already."
  8270. "Aria..."
  8271. >Remembering the reality check to the balls from earlier today, you decide that forcing Aria to accept the realities of her own situation is the best course of action
  8272. "Let's say I go up there, and take all of it back. Adagio's happy with you again."
  8273. >"Yeah. Will you?"
  8274. "So you go back to being tied up alongside her for another two weeks. Or a month. Or a year. Or longer? Is that your plan?"
  8275. >"N-No."
  8276. "You escape, right? Slip right out of the rope or something. Now what? You get your necklaces?"
  8277. >"..."
  8278. "That's not going to happen. Those things are gone. Search the city for the rest of your life and you'll never find them. In other words you'll be out on the streets without your magic."
  8279. >She frowns
  8280. >Time to lay it on thick
  8281. "Maybe right after you escape you decide to get some food. Well, good luck. That costs money. And how much money do you have?"
  8282. >She rolls her eyes
  8283. "How much, Aria?"
  8284. >"None. Obviously."
  8285. "So you go hungry. At least you can get a hotel room and think over your options after a good night's sleep. Except you can't. Those cost money too. That leaves you with very few options. How do you like park benches?"
  8286. >"You must think we're idiots. Maybe I'll find work?"
  8287. "No one's going to hire a girl who can't prove her identity."
  8288. >"Why would I need to prove my identity?"
  8289. >You shake your head
  8290. "This is what I mean. You're not stupid, but you have no idea how this world works. At the same time you've got this hubris. It's a recipe for disaster."
  8291. >"So you're trying to say that my ONLY option is to stay with you."
  8292. "Well-"
  8293. >"Why do you want this so fuckin' badly? Why do you NEED me to stay here with you? If you really think this is a good option for me, then tell me why you're so willing to take me in."
  8294. >Ouch
  8295. >Parried her reality check, and brought yours right back into focus
  8296. >Judging from her suspicious stare she probably expects the answer to be that you're just a pervert
  8297. "I'm... not sure anymore."
  8298. >She raises an eyebrow
  8299. >Punishing the sirens seemed like a necessary step
  8300. >They're criminals, after all. But more importantly...
  8301. >If you break them down, and turn them into slaves...
  8302. >They'll have to depend on you
  8303. >They CAN'T leave you
  8304. >And the guilt you feel in doing this to them can be pushed away by just remembering:
  8305. >They're monsters
  8306. >They're not even people
  8307. "I guess I was just trying to fill a hole in my life. But, it was a bad idea."
  8308. >"What?"
  8309. "All of this. I didn't think it through."
  8310. >You pull Aria into the chair
  8311. "I mean, fuck. I spray painted that door a few minutes before I left to kidnap you three. I don't even know why I did that. It looks goofy."
  8312. >"Uh. That still doesn't tell me WHY you kidnapped me. What do you mean, hole in your life?"
  8313. "You wouldn't believe my motives anyway. I'll just be a pervert to you. Hey, tell me something: you hate my guts, don't you?"
  8314. >"Yes."
  8315. >No hesitation...
  8316. "You mean it when you tell me to hang myself, right?"
  8317. >"Uhh."
  8318. "See? I don't know why I ever thought this would work out."
  8319. >"What are you saying?"
  8320. "This was all... a mistake. That's what I'm saying. I should never have kidnapped you."
  8321. >"M-Mistake? But you said-"
  8322. >She slowly pulls her legs up to her chest
  8323. "I said what?"
  8324. >"You said... you said I was-"
  8325. >Her face scrunches up
  8326. >She lets out a quiet, exhausted whine and rocks around in the chair
  8327. >"Wo-would you just hit me already?"
  8328. "What?"
  8329. >"Hit me! Like you did Sonata! No, worse than Sonata! Punch me in the stomach until I can't breath!"
  8330. >On instinct alone, you take a step away from her
  8331. >"Do it! You're fuckin' AWFUL at this. Maybe you can REDEEM yourself. Kick me until my teeth fall out!"
  8332. "Twin-tails? You uh, you feeling alright?"
  8333. >"NO! I'm feeling bored, because you're the worst wannabe 'master' ever. Saying I smell bad? Feeling me up? Cute! And that sandwich thing was just sad. At this rate you're gonna do more nice things than MEAN THINGS!"
  8334. "Aria, are you... about to cry?"
  8335. >"NO!"
  8336. >She throws herself off of the chair
  8337. >Her twin-tails spiral around her as she rolls to the wall and back, ranting all the while
  8338. >"Kick my ass! 'You might be tough for a girl but I'm a guy' THEN PROVE IT! Hit me! Throw me into the floor! Step on my face!"
  8339. "You're creeping me out."
  8340. >"I'M CREEPY, RIGHT?"
  8341. "Right now... yes..."
  8342. >"I smell bad, I'm not pretty, I'm stupid, I'm NOTHING, and I was all a MISTAKE!"
  8343. >Is she having some kind of meltdown?
  8344. >The discomfort building in your gut makes it clear that you're not equipped to deal with this
  8345. >Her rolling picks up in speed
  8346. >The chair has officially tipped over
  8347. >Aria's shirt rides up her stomach, and her hair is a wild mess
  8348. >"HIT! ME! IDIOT! GIVE ME A REASON! HIT! ME! HIT! MEE!"
  8349. >She comes to a sudden stop against your raised foot
  8350. >Her face is so scrunched up that you can't even tell if her eyes are closed
  8351. "I'm not going to hit you."
  8352. >"Right. Fuckin' coward..."
  8353. "Aria."
  8354. >"H-Huh?"
  8355. "I think punishment is over."
  8356. >"Whatever. Gonna be thirty seconds long every night or what?"
  8357. "No, I mean, I think punishment is over... forever."
  8358. ___
  8359. >She's been standing against the kitchen table for a few minutes now
  8360. >By your choice. Since you refused to patch things up between her and Adagio, taking her back upstairs is probably a bad idea
  8361. >You lean over and try and gauge her mood, but her face is...
  8362. >Blank
  8363. "What do you think of sleeping in here?"
  8364. >"The kitchen...?"
  8365. "Yeah. For now, anyway."
  8366. >"...for now?"
  8367. >You nod and tap on the table
  8368. "Yeah. For now."
  8369. >She shrugs her shoulders as slowly as a person possibly could
  8370. "Hmm. Alright. I'm going to get a pillow and a blanket or something, I guess."
  8371. >"Uh-huh..."
  8372. >You take a step past her, and her bound hands come flying into your chest
  8373. >"Wait."
  8374. "What?"
  8375. >"Uh... I... uhhh... I, I need to go to the bathroom."
  8376. >A loud, dramatic stinger plays on the TV in the living room
  8377. >She doesn't find it nearly as amusing as you do
  8378. "Ha... what, were you lying before?"
  8379. >"No. Just wanted to talk to you."
  8380. "Oh?"
  8381. >You throw her over your shoulder and make your way into your bedroom
  8382. "Are you feeling better now?"
  8383. >"Uh-huh..."
  8384. "Are you lying?"
  8385. >"Uh-h-nno..."
  8386. "Hmmm."
  8387. >After getting the ropes off of her, you gesture toward the bathroom
  8388. >She drags her feet on the way in
  8389. >As if watching that freakout wasn't a big enough guilt trip...
  8390. >"What are you doing? Are you not going to come in?"
  8391. "I told you. We're not doing punishment anymore."
  8392. >She shrugs her shoulders again, leans against the door frame and rubs her wrists
  8393. >"Are you really going to give up? Kinda makes you a quitter, huh?"
  8394. "Aria. Go to the bathroom."
  8395. >"Anyway, there's no paper on the roll. I don't know how to put more on there, so."
  8396. "What? There should be some."
  8397. >"I just saw it, dude."
  8398. >She steps in and points
  8399. >Did Sonata play with the-
  8400. >No, come on
  8401. >She's not a puppy
  8402. "Okay. I'll show you how to put more on. Pay attention, okay?"
  8403. >Once inside, you reach down for the cabinet, but stop yourself
  8404. "Aria. There's definitely still paper on-"
  8405. >In an instant, you're staring at the clean, white ceiling
  8406. >One rim of the bathtub slams into the top of your head, and the other jabs into your back
  8407. >You hear a gasp, a few stomps and a slam
  8408. "What. The fuck..."
  8409. >As you sit up, you notice a jingling of the door knob that is impossibly far away
  8410. >And when stand you nearly fall
  8411. "Holy shit."
  8412. >You take a moment
  8413. >Breathing slowly and waiting...
  8414. >The dizziness starts to fade
  8415. >The throbbing pain, however, intensifies
  8416. "Aria..."
  8417. >Sliding your hand on the wall helps keep your balance to the door
  8418. >The knob won't budge
  8419. >Not one bit
  8420. "Aria. Aria!"
  8421. >She's not there, is she?
  8422. >Yeah
  8423. >She's gone
  8424. >You flip the lock both ways a few times, and obviously it makes no difference
  8425. >Looks like you taught her a new trick
  8426. "S-"
  8427. >You ball your fist, and hit the door a few times
  8428. "SONATA!"
  8429. >And then you wait
  8430. >You repeat this, two more times
  8431. >Nothing
  8432. "SONATA!"
  8433. >Probably asleep
  8434. >Or distracted by the TV?
  8435. "SO... NAATA...aaaa."
  8436. >The knob turns, and the door opens up slowly
  8437. >On the other side is a terrified Sonata holding a chair up to her chest
  8438. >"Anon! What happened!?"
  8439. >The chair tumbles to the floor
  8440. >She puts a hand on your shoulder and gets as far up on her tiptoes as she can
  8441. >"Are you hurt?"
  8442. "Did you see Aria?"
  8443. >"Uhh. I."
  8444. >Feeling your balance fully return, you let go of the wall and walk through your bedroom
  8445. >The living room's empty
  8446. >"I heard the front door slam, and I woke up. I thought it was you."
  8447. >So, she really did it
  8448. "I didn't think she had it in her."
  8449. >"Anon! Why are you rubbing your head? What happened?"
  8450. "I fell. It's nothing. Come on."
  8451. >You open a nearby drawer and take a flashlight
  8452. "There's another behind the TV. Go get it, okay?"
  8453. >"Wait. Is Aria outside?!"
  8454. >You dash through the living room
  8455. >The doormat slides under your feet
  8456. >If you hadn't grabbed the knob you'd be on the floor
  8457. "Yeesh."
  8458. >The chilly night air hits you
  8459. >No time to get a jacket
  8460. >You flip the flashlight's switch
  8461. >Nothing
  8462. "Seriously?"
  8463. >You raise it up and slap its back end into the palm of your hand, over and over
  8464. >"Are y-you mad, Anon?"
  8465. "No, this is how you get it to work."
  8466. >"I didn't have to do that. Look!"
  8467. >Bright light invades your eyes
  8468. "SONATA."
  8469. >Should have grabbed that one to begin with
  8470. >You spin around and groan
  8471. >This piece of shit never works when you need it to
  8472. >"See? Just flip the switch Anon."
  8473. "I have to do this!"
  8474. >"You don't! Watch!"
  8475. >She circles around you and points hers into your eyes as she flips it on and off
  8476. "SONATA!"
  8477. >"What!?"
  8478. >Fuck it
  8479. >You get to just beyond the hedges, wind up, and pitch the dollar store flashlight into the trees
  8480. >Leaves shake and branches shift before you hear a quiet thud in the distance
  8481. >"Why did you do that? I told you how to turn it on."
  8482. >You reach for her flashlight and she raises it up above her head
  8483. >"You threw yours away! I'm not giving you mine!"
  8484. "They're both mi- oh man. Just follow me and point it around!"
  8485. >She gasps, seeing you take off into the dark
  8486. >You stop just before the first row of trees and point down the dirt road
  8487. "Shine it this way! Quick!"
  8488. >Stumbling around on the road she could have been lighting up, she makes it to you and grips the bottom of your shirt
  8489. >The light reaches far down the road and shows you nothing but dirt with trees on either side
  8490. "This way too."
  8491. >You turn Sonata around and once again stare down an empty road
  8492. >She couldn't have gotten very far in either direction
  8493. >So unless she's just hid herself in the back yard...
  8494. "Fuuuck."
  8495. >You take Sonata's hand and guide her around the side of the house
  8496. "Aria! You out here?!"
  8497. >Empty
  8498. >In the back yard, Sonata tries to search thoroughly, but is distracted by the empty pool she had yet to see
  8499. >"Arrriiaaaa! Aria out here!?"
  8500. "Shit."
  8501. >The two of you go by the other side of the house as well
  8502. "Okay, we're heading into the woods."
  8503. >"WHAT?! At night time?"
  8504. "She ran through there. We have to go after her."
  8505. >"But!"
  8506. "If you're scared you can stay here."
  8507. >You reach for the flashlight and she pulls it away
  8508. >"No. No, I'll help..."
  8509. "Then hurry up!"
  8510. >You head on
  8511. >She yelps and points the flashlight at your back
  8512. >"Don't leave me behind, Anon!"
  8513. ___
  8514. "Twin-taaaaails!"
  8515. >The echoes are loud and clear
  8516. >After they fade you can hear your own heavy breathing, as well as pants and snapping twigs behind you
  8517. >"Anon!"
  8518. "Hurry!"
  8519. >Sonata groans
  8520. >The hand slapped onto your back tells you she's finally caught up
  8521. >She shines the light all around
  8522. >This far into the woods, it's much easier to see since the trees are spaced apart
  8523. >In fact you're almost to the other side
  8524. >She goes from row to row, starting in front of you two and working her way up as far as the light will reach
  8525. >Once she's ended up searching the direction you two came from, you decide to move on
  8526. "Let's go."
  8527. >"Waaait!"
  8528. "Huh?!"
  8529. >You freeze in the middle of a take-off, balancing on one foot
  8530. "If she's not out here hiding, it means crossed the other side and is- Well, she could be anywhere."
  8531. >"I'm... I'm tired."
  8532. >The light zooms across the ground and stops right beside her feet
  8533. >She's resting her hands on her knees and panting a bit too much to be believed
  8534. "I know you're not THAT tired."
  8535. >"What do you mean!?"
  8536. "You're gasping for air harder than when you'd just finished running."
  8537. >"Well I'm still tired!"
  8538. >Now she's straight up whining
  8539. "Do I have to carry you?"
  8540. >You flinch seeing her shadowy figure rush past you
  8541. >Her arms wrap around your neck
  8542. "Whoa."
  8543. >Her thigh presses against your hip
  8544. >"I thought you'd never ask!"
  8545. >Once your hand is supporting her leg, she lifts the other
  8546. >Sonata is heavier than she looks
  8547. >But at least you get two constant handfuls and a hug from behind
  8548. >Plus the light is now guiding you much more consistently
  8549. >The only true annoyance here is that you have to be extra careful about walking straight into branches
  8550. >It takes you a while to reach the other side of the woods
  8551. >Once the trees are behind you and a line of houses stands in front of you, Sonata sighs in relief
  8552. >"I'm never touching another stupid tree again."
  8553. "We're going through there to get home, of course."
  8554. >You smile at her gasp, and point around for her to direct the flash light
  8555. >"She's not here either. This is so annoying. Hey! Look, Anon!"
  8556. >She's pointing it straight into someone's bedroom window
  8557. "Sonata! Don't! That's rude!"
  8558. >She points it into outer space
  8559. >"Oops. Shining it at houses is bad?"
  8560. "Especially into windows. Anyway, yell for Aria. I think she'll panic and give herself away if she hears us."
  8561. >"She's not heeeere!"
  8562. >You roll your eyes
  8563. "Twiiin-taaaaaails!"
  8564. >She's got to be here
  8565. "TWIN-TAAAAAAAILS!"
  8566. >Or at least, you want her to be here
  8567. >You're very familiar with this area and the people who live here
  8568. >But the city is a different story
  8569. >You breathe deep, ready to yell again and are interrupted by someone shouting from a window across the street
  8570. >"Shut the fuck up will you Anonymous?"
  8571. "TWww-fuck off Kent!"
  8572. >"ME fuck off?"
  8573. "What are you doing, recording let's plays?"
  8574. >"You know my mic is broken!"
  8575. "It should stay broken!"
  8576. >"You don't even live on this side! ...Wait, is someone on your back?"
  8577. >He sticks his head out of the window
  8578. >"Whoa! There's a guy on your back, dude!"
  8579. >Sonata's arms tighten up a little and she whispers into your ear
  8580. >"I'm not a guy..."
  8581. >You make your way across the asphalt road, taking note of the houses to your left and right
  8582. >Everybody's probably asleep at this time of night
  8583. >Embarrassment sets in
  8584. "She's not a guy. You hurt her feelings."
  8585. >"Whoooa! Where did you find a chick?! Did you kidnap her or something?"
  8586. "Er."
  8587. >"Wh-why are you yelling at each other Anon? Are you enemies?"
  8588. >"...What's she saying? Anonymous, what's she saying man? Don't keep me in the dark."
  8589. >Kent backs away and you peer into his window
  8590. >It's as though a garbage bag blew up in his living room. That, and a clothes hamper
  8591. >Cup of noodles are stacked on about every flat surface in sight as well
  8592. >His computer desk is positioned right beside this window
  8593. >With how well sound travels out here, you've got to ask
  8594. "Hey, we're looking for a friend. If you can help we'd really appreciate it."
  8595. >"Oooh! Of course I'll help!"
  8596. >His voice goes a bit higher and adopts touch of try-hard
  8597. "Yeah, because it's for a girl, right?"
  8598. >"I'd help anyone in need. But especially pretty women. Like yourself, miss."
  8599. >"Hee hee. Hee."
  8600. "...We followed the path through, and she probably did too. Did you see or hear anything before we showed up?"
  8601. >He taps his chin for far too long before making an exaggerated "ah-ha" gesture
  8602. >"That I did!"
  8603. "Well tell us."
  8604. >"I delightfully agree to that earnest request."
  8605. >He bows
  8606. >"But first, one request of my own?"
  8607. "Huh?"
  8608. >"The name of the maiden on your back."
  8609. >Is he fucking serious?
  8610. >You open your mouth to give him a straight answer, but is it a bad idea?
  8611. >Even if he has no connection to the school since his graduation, will it bite you on the ass?
  8612. >In fact maybe him seeing her at all was a mistake
  8613. "For fuck's sake. Kent. No time for this..."
  8614. >"Hmmmmmmmmmmm?"
  8615. >Every 'mmm' brings his beady eyes, ear-to-ear smile and raised eyebrows closer to the girl clinging to you from behind
  8616. >"Surely it can wait long enough to say a name?"
  8617. "Our friend could be in danger. She's not from here, or the city. It's the middle of the night, and she's in... distress..."
  8618. >"Distress?"
  8619. "She's. Uh... she's..."
  8620. >Your legs feel a bit weak
  8621. "...really upset. She got put through a lot recently. A... a lot. I've never seen someone so upset."
  8622. >"Hold it, hold it, excuse me! Please, pardon."
  8623. >This fucking guy
  8624. >"You're going to have to back that up with a short explanation, because I'm lost."
  8625. "Are you... fucking with me?"
  8626. >You bounce Sonata up to get a better grip on her legs, then kick the dirt
  8627. "She's VERY UPSET, because someone put her through a bunch of shit. For weeks. That's ALL you need to know!"
  8628. >Sonata's arms tighten a bit more, and Kent raises his
  8629. >"Whoa. Please, calm down, dude. If you can't even tell me what's wrong, it surely isn't that morbid of an ordeal."
  8630. >You hold your breath for a little while, staring him down
  8631. "It'd take too long to explain. Just tell us."
  8632. >"Certainly. Of course, by the time I finish this sentence you'll be aggravated, and thus I will point out in advance that it is your own fault for being tight-lipped, but may I know the name of that maiden firs-"
  8633. "It's BELLA! Holy SHIT! What's wrong with you?!"
  8634. >You're so shaken up that you have to bounce Sonata again
  8635. >Drop her and she'll probably complain about it for days
  8636. >Kent rubs his fuzzy chin and hums
  8637. >"Now then... your reward. I thought I'd heard a wild dog emerge from the tall grass a few houses down, but on further mental inspection, I have proper evidence to determine that the sound MAY have indeed come from across the road."
  8638. >That doesn't really tell you anything you didn't assume, but for some reason it makes you feel better
  8639. >"Perhaps you'd like to know which direction she ran? It was to the left! Her footsteps were loud and clear, and definitely followed the road."
  8640. "Wait. Are you making this up? You said you thought it was a dog."
  8641. >"I did."
  8642. "If you heard foot steps, surely you could tell it was a person. The weight difference, running on two legs-"
  8643. >"Look, when I play video games, I aim to fully immerse myself. Minute worldly details are distractions I do my best to-"
  8644. "Okay, tell me if you're ABSOLUTELY sure she ran..."
  8645. >You cock your head to his left; your right
  8646. "...this way. It's really important."
  8647. >"Yes! Anonymous, I simply did not think about it until I discovered that the footsteps I heard belonged to a dear friend of this beautiful girl."
  8648. >Eyeing Kent down doesn't reveal any suspicious nervous ticks, and your Magatama doesn't go off
  8649. >He's just acting weird because of Sonata
  8650. >You carry her over to the road
  8651. "So she's in the city."
  8652. >"Well yes, that would be a reasonable deduction, to be certain. I bet you can see street lights from where you stand!"
  8653. "Yeah. Barely, but yeah."
  8654. >Aria, running around in the city after that breakdown
  8655. >There are no good ways for that to end
  8656. "Alright. Thanks Kent."
  8657. >"Hey, I was thinking. If you're going to look for the runner, why not leave the lady on your back with me?"
  8658. >She tightens her arms even more
  8659. "That's... okay, Kent. She wants to help search, so."
  8660. >"Well then I could come wi-"
  8661. "We're really in a rush, so!"
  8662. >Sonata bounces on your back as you walk energetically across the road
  8663. >"I'm ready right now! No time loss!"
  8664. >Unconsciously, you speed up
  8665. >"Anonymous! Bella! I'm serious! I can climb through the window!"
  8666. >And now your speeding up is extremely conscious
  8667. >Soon you're hidden by several rows of trees
  8668. "Sonata, press your face into my neck or something. I'm gonna run straight through."
  8669. ___
  8670. >She's fallen onto the couch before you even walk through the wide open front door
  8671. >"Ahhhh. This is where I belong. I've been through so, so much."
  8672. "Oh yeah, carrying a flashlight and walking through the woods I played in as a kid... I feel for you."
  8673. >"Well, I wasn't prepared."
  8674. "Plus I carried you on the return trip."
  8675. >While laying on her back, she tries to stick her nose up at you
  8676. >The top of her head rubs into the couch arm
  8677. >"Hmph!"
  8678. >After taking the flashlight from the floor beside her, you head around
  8679. "I'm going to talk to Cousin Itt and then head out."
  8680. >"Wait!"
  8681. >She pops up
  8682. >"Do you mean Dagi?"
  8683. "Yeah. I need to ask her where Aria might be."
  8684. >"Uh, don't you think that's a bad idea? She might think that you're a bad leader, you know?"
  8685. >Immediately, you think, 'I don't care anymore'
  8686. >Yet you can't deny that the thought of losing any ounce of Adagio's respect you may have is frustrating
  8687. >"You definitely shouldn't talk to her. Besides, I know where she might be."
  8688. "What!? Why didn't you tell me?"
  8689. >She grips the back of the couch
  8690. >"Because! I was taken into a nightmare of darkness, stupid trees and Kent!"
  8691. >A light bulb shines above her head
  8692. >"Oh! I wanted to know. Who was that guy?"
  8693. >You groan
  8694. "He used to be my best friend. I don't want to talk about that - please just tell me where you think Aria is."
  8695. >"Oh. Well..."
  8696. >She smiles
  8697. >Almost mischievously
  8698. >"I'm not used to being the one who gets to say the obvious thing and embarrass the other person."
  8699. "Sonataaaa."
  8700. >"Okay, okay. She's probably at the school. We stayed there like, all the time."
  8701. "Oh?!"
  8702. >"Duh! Everyone leaves at night! You can even sleep on the teacher's desk and she'll never know! But the nurse's office is a better choice."
  8703. ___
  8704. >Canterlot High's parking lot was empty when you pulled in
  8705. >Still, you close your car's door very slowly
  8706. >It's difficult to escape the feeling that you're about to get lectured for trespassing, even on break
  8707. >The entire walk down the path you can only think of Aria
  8708. >Rolling around the floor like a lunatic...
  8709. "Oh."
  8710. >The door has been left cracked
  8711. >Sonata's going to get Taco Bell for being so right
  8712. "Twin-tails?"
  8713. >You push it open and start down the hallway
  8714. >The rows of green lockers at your sides go from barely visible to glowing in moonlight as you pass each window
  8715. "Twin-tails?"
  8716. >Bringing the flashlight only to leave it in the car?
  8717. >Not your smartest move
  8718. "Twiiin-taaaails!"
  8719. >You turn the corner, pass a trophy case, and start down a familiar hallway
  8720. >Even in this darkness you can spot your locker
  8721. "See you soon, you son of a bitch."
  8722. >A few good pats after that mumble, and you continue on
  8723. "Twin-tails! You're here, right?"
  8724. >Math room is clear
  8725. >As is science
  8726. "If you can hear me, please, talk to me!"
  8727. >Literature is empty
  8728. >Business is dead
  8729. >It seemed like a good bet that she'd be in the music room
  8730. "Twin-taa-nope."
  8731. >Sonata's definitely right. There's a couple of beds in the nurse's office after all
  8732. >You've only ever had to see the nurse once
  8733. >Tripped over your own backpack and hit your head on a garbage can
  8734. >No one even saw it, but you cringe as you walk anyway
  8735. "Alright. I know you're in there."
  8736. >You fling the door open and step inside
  8737. >It's a lot easier to see in here thanks to the rather large window
  8738. >An eye chart, medicine cabinet, empty pill bottles, drawers, and two large privacy curtains - only one of them covering a bed
  8739. >This is it
  8740. "Okay. I'm going to approach the bed."
  8741. >Your voice is practically a whisper and your footsteps are cautious
  8742. "I know you're pissed, and I deserve to get hit, but please don't attack me when I slide this thing open."
  8743. >You grip the edge of the curtain and hold out a hand, ready to catch a potential punch or kick
  8744. "...I don't know why I'm so nervous."
  8745. >Silence
  8746. "Probably because I've been hit in the balls and on the head in one day."
  8747. >If she's there, she's not going to respond
  8748. >Might as well just do it
  8749. >You pull the thing open and enter a defensive Karate stance you invented on the spot
  8750. "Ah-HAAAaaa..."
  8751. >Well
  8752. >There's still other class rooms to check
  8753. >All you've found here is a mattress and a rather stiff looking pillow
  8754. >Probably the most uncomfortable one you've seen in your life
  8755. >Doesn't even have a case
  8756. >And yet
  8757. >It's attractive after running through the woods, then running straight back with a girl hanging off of you
  8758. "Ahhh."
  8759. >Your face mashes into the pillow and the rest of your body slides onto the mattress
  8760. >Not too bad
  8761. >...
  8762. >Nah, it's terrible
  8763. >Sort of smells like bile
  8764. "Oh god."
  8765. >"Anonymous."
  8766. "OH GOD!"
  8767. >You push yourself up off the bed, wide-eyed
  8768. >After a bit straining you make out the figure of a girl with crossed arms and a low-hanging head
  8769. >"What are you doing."
  8770. "I'm-"
  8771. >Sitting up and crossing your arms like a cool guy will surely remove your little scare from her memory, right?
  8772. "I came here to..."
  8773. >You sit in silence for a while, and then she walks straight out of the room
  8774. "Twilight?"
  8775. >Down the hall and to the right, you follow her into another office
  8776. >The principle's
  8777. "Have you been here since this afternoon?"
  8778. >She walks very slowly, dragging her fingers along the wall until her hand reaches the edge of Celestia's book case
  8779. >It's mostly empty
  8780. >You look around the room, and sure enough...
  8781. "What are you doing? Why did you throw all of her stuff into the floor?"
  8782. >"Because..."
  8783. >Twilight sinks down onto her knees and pulls one of the few books remaining on the bottom shelf up to her face
  8784. >There's a window on the other side of the room she could take advantage of
  8785. >But she just sits there in the dark little corner, squinting
  8786. "Twilight, what the hell is going on? And why are you reading in the dark?"
  8787. >"Light won't turn on."
  8788. >She opens up to the first page, and skips a few into what you guess would be the table of contents
  8789. "I asked you: have you been here since this afternoon?"
  8790. >She lingers, pinches around for the corner a while and as she turns the page, nods her head
  8791. "Do you know what time it is?"
  8792. >"...Night."
  8793. "Yeah. It's so late that it's actually morning."
  8794. >"Hm."
  8795. "You've just been searching here, this entire time?"
  8796. >She doesn't respond
  8797. >Feeling impatient and anxious, you repeat her name a couple times
  8798. >She lowers the book and sighs
  8799. >"Yes, I have."
  8800. "That's..."
  8801. >"What? What is it, Anonymous? Crazy?"
  8802. "Yeah, kind of."
  8803. >She shakes her head, very slowly and consistently
  8804. >"No, no no. It's really not."
  8805. "Twilight..."
  8806. >"It's not crazy. It's my duty."
  8807. >The pile of Celestia's property extends around the edge of the desk and almost surrounds Twilight, so you walk around
  8808. >Sitting behind her and the pile, you notice a large bag stuffed into a swivel chair
  8809. >There aren't just books inside
  8810. >Rulers, a globe, binders, shoes, papers, some magnets and much more are packed in
  8811. "Okay. Seriously. Why did you throw everything in the floor, and why did you stuff a bunch of crap in a bag?"
  8812. >"It's not just 'in the floor'. It's being inspected. Spell books, or books that hide their true contents, have tell-tale signs such as... oh, why even tell you this? You'll just write it off as unimportant, right?"
  8813. >The hostility in her voice is more than you thought she was capable of
  8814. "I..."
  8815. >So she's looking for books written by Equestrians?
  8816. >Maybe one written by the girls?
  8817. >Twilight's not wrong. Your first instinct is to reassure her that she doesn't need to worry
  8818. "I won't say that. You're right. I don't really understand."
  8819. >The book snaps shut and drops into the pile
  8820. >"Well. How about that."
  8821. "...What's up with the bag?"
  8822. >"The gym bag?"
  8823. "Yeah."
  8824. >Another book leaves the shelf
  8825. >Soon it too is discarded
  8826. >"I threw anything that was suspicious into it, as well as the contents of lost and found, and of some desks. I haven't reviewed any of it yet."
  8827. "Twilight. That's called stealing."
  8828. >"Stealing? What!?"
  8829. >She turns to face you and stands up
  8830. >It'd be intimidating if she hadn't nearly lost her balance
  8831. >"I am NOT a THIEF, Anonymous!"
  8832. "I know!"
  8833. >"How dare you call me a thief!?"
  8834. "I didn't. I mean, what you're doing is stealing, but-"
  8835. >"It's NOT!"
  8836. >She steps forward, accidentally knocking some books over
  8837. >"This is an INVESTIGATION! I am securing evidence that will identify those girls, which will allow me to bring them back to Equestria, have them prosecuted, and SAVE you! I am not a THIEF! I might be a failure, but I AM NOT A THIEF!"
  8838. >Her cracking voice echoes through this section of the empty school
  8839. >She falls backwards
  8840. >The book case slams into the wall, and she slides down to the floor
  8841. >Watching a second breakdown tonight is something you'd really like to avoid
  8842. "I get it. It's not stealing. You're investigating. Like a detective."
  8843. >No response
  8844. "And that other world. It's dangerous. Really dangerous? I guess I've assumed a lot about Equestria... I don't understand what exactly makes this situation such a big deal, so will you explain it to me?"
  8845. >Run through the motions of why she believes this world is in grave danger?
  8846. >Brilliant suggestion
  8847. >You go to take it back, but she cuts you off
  8848. >"I'm supposed to be careful with what information I share with humans."
  8849. "Oh."
  8850. >"But I don't think it really matters anymore. Ha... if you'll actually listen to me, I'll tell you."
  8851. >While Twilight explains, she slowly stacks the scattered books into nice, even piles by the wall
  8852. >"First, remember what you said you overheard outside the art room. Those girls arguing, discussing some kind of plot."
  8853. "Yeah. They were pretty vague."
  8854. >"You said that you heard one say, 'The humans won't know what hit them'."
  8855. >That was Adagio
  8856. >"Considering those girls appear to be humans, we can be sure that this means they are not in their true form. Much like me."
  8857. >It really weirds you out, so you do your best to avoid thinking of Twilight being anything other than a young woman
  8858. >"To say 'won't know what hit them' is decidedly hostile. It suggests a sneak attack, meaning they are likely preparing."
  8859. >You just nod your head and watch the books stack higher
  8860. >"These are the obvious things. There are not many. But uncertain things are in abundance. I know so little about them, Anonymous... they could be an unruly group of friends, or scouts from a large gang. They could attack on the day of the festival, or tomorrow. They might not be willing to commit murder to achieve their goals... but then again, they might."
  8861. >Fighting the urge to clarify these points to Twilight is a challenge
  8862. >Especially since you realize that you don't know the answers to all of them
  8863. >"And I must stress the possibility of murder. This world has little respect for magic. You all view it as a joke, some kind of fairy tale it seems. While it is currently difficult to use Equestrian magic here, trust me, it won't always be. The scary part isn't Equestrian magic becoming more accessible here, though."
  8864. "What is the scary part?"
  8865. >"This world has zero defenses against magic. None at all. If a single Unicorn crossed through to this side and maintained free use of her spells, she could reduce the population of this city to zero in one day."
  8866. "That's... that seems so-"
  8867. >"There are so, so many ways magic can be used for violence, Anonymous. Even the most simple spells, like telekinesis. Taking hold of a human's head and sn-snapping their neck. It wouldn't take much effort. So imagine more advanced spells, like teleportation on others. Intentionally botching a teleportation is easy and fatal."
  8868. "I-"
  8869. >"It doesn't even have to be so straightforward. A more stealthy approach would be to cast a spell on the humans that removes their urge to eat and drink, or gives them a craving to ingest dangerous objects. Manipulation of the vehi- ...cars on the road would also be relatively inconspicuous. Those kinds of accidents happen every day, you know."
  8870. >She sets the final book down on the final stack
  8871. >"These are just a few examples and any one of them could lead to mass murder. There are more spells in Equestrian magic than you could ever count. I... I know it's crude, but you need to understand. With no authorities to stop a magic-wielding criminal in this world, their rampage would be devastating. By the time my own government responded... you could be dead."
  8872. >On that note, she stops
  8873. >You sit in the darkness with racing thoughts
  8874. >About the sirens
  8875. >About resting your head on Sonata's chest
  8876. >And Aria scrunching up her face to hide her emotions
  8877. >Adagio's still a bit of a mystery, but regardless: are those girls capable of what Twilight just described?
  8878. >Given the chance, would they commit murder?
  8879. >You rub the spot on the top of your head that's still glowing with dull pain
  8880. >"...I'm sorry. I feel awful for saying such things. But maybe now you see why I would stay here all day, and worry endlessly. Keeping you all safe is my responsibility. I take it seriously."
  8881. >Twilight takes her time placing the books back on the shelf
  8882. >Maybe she's bothering to return them to their original order
  8883. >Or maybe she's just exhausted
  8884. >In any case you're staring at her back when you remember your failed plan from earlier
  8885. "...Would it be possible to put magic into an object, and use it later?"
  8886. >"Huh?"
  8887. >You rub your hand over the lump in your left pocket
  8888. "I've seen it in books and video games and stuff. Enchanting a weapon or piece of armor with a spell. Would that be possible?"
  8889. >"Absolutely. Why do you ask?"
  8890. "The girls. Do you remember their necklaces? They all wore necklaces that looked alike."
  8891. >"Oh. Yes, I do remember. That's a possibility."
  8892. "Have you found anything like that?"
  8893. >She pauses, holding a book in the air
  8894. >"I wish I had. But no."
  8895. "Ah."
  8896. >She goes back to it
  8897. >You're not sure if this will ease Twilight's suffering or not
  8898. >But you have to try something
  8899. >Quickly, you slip a hand into your pocket and take its contents
  8900. >As quietly as you can, you stuff your fist into the bag and leave the necklace at the bottom
  8901. "Well, I'm not sure what to say, Twilight. Other than..."
  8902. >Your knees go weak once again
  8903. >"Hm?"
  8904. "There's a lot more to the situation than I realized, so... I'll back off. Trying so hard to distract you from your investigation was wrong."
  8905. >"That's not- ...I mean. Uh."
  8906. >She turns around
  8907. >You can't quite make out her face, but your gut tells you she's smiling
  8908. >"Well, I'm sorry too."
  8909. >Without any hesitation she kneels down in front of you and pulls open Celestia's desk drawer
  8910. >Folders and stacks of paper pile up on the desk top
  8911. >This feels shady
  8912. >"Anonymous? Why were you calling me twin-tails?"
  8913. >Oh fuck
  8914. "It's. Um. Slang for a lost person. Or someone who you just happen to be looking for."
  8915. >"Ah, I see."
  8916. "I guess I'm going to head out. I don't think I can really help with your investigation."
  8917. >"Wait, Anonymous. Why did you come looking for me at this time? I don't really want to ask, but, did Rarity speak to you?"
  8918. "No. I came here on my own, out of curiosity."
  8919. >"Oh. Okay."
  8920. "Are you going to need a ride or anything?"
  8921. >"I can manage. I'll contact Rarity when she's awake."
  8922. >You stop by the door and frown
  8923. >She's still pulling things up to her face and squinting
  8924. >Mere feet from the moonlight
  8925. "Uh. Hold on, I'll lend you my flashlight. I'll be right back."
  8926. ___
  8927. >"Ahhh, lahhh, la, la, la, la laaaah, laaah, laaaah, laaah!"
  8928. >She stands confidently behind the coffee table
  8929. >From where you sit, her voice is mostly drowned out by an orchestra blasting beside your head
  8930. >You're snuggled up to your laptop
  8931. >Normally you wouldn't be so selfish in a session
  8932. >She'll probably understand, since you've been out until sunrise
  8933. >Her arms move with her as the music builds itself up
  8934. >On the high notes, she gets on her tiptoes
  8935. >You smile and shut your eyes
  8936. >She may frequently drift off-key and time some notes wrong but damn it, she's really trying
  8937. >Compared to the first session you'd say she's improved at least a bit
  8938. >But you're no music teacher...
  8939. >And probably aren't capable of giving her the voice she wants
  8940. >Especially since her goals are unclear. You never heard her sing with her neckla-
  8941. "Ugh."
  8942. >Like a foot jammed right up your mood's ass
  8943. >Thoughts come flooding into your head, about the sirens, Twilight, and Equestria
  8944. >If only you could... sleep
  8945. >Yeah... sleep...
  8946. >With a deep breath held in your lungs you settle into your arm
  8947. >A few seconds later, you sigh
  8948. >This is the answer
  8949. >You can't be anxious if you're asleep
  8950. >Unless you have a nightmare
  8951. >About horrendous murder using a force you can't begin to comprehend, for example
  8952. >...
  8953. >You raise your head as the triumphant song comes to a close
  8954. >Sonata's enthusiasm has been curbed
  8955. >Her arms cross, her feet stay still
  8956. >With frustration on her face she stares into your eyes and sings the final notes
  8957. "Uhhh. I'm sorry."
  8958. >"Yeah."
  8959. "I just shut my eyes for a second."
  8960. >"Mmmmm-hm."
  8961. "...Come on. You're not mad, are you?"
  8962. >"Oh, no, no."
  8963. >She taps her foot and stares off toward the kitchen
  8964. >"My boyfriend just doesn't even want to hear me sing is all, why would I be mad?"
  8965. "I do. I want to help you get better."
  8966. >"Yeah."
  8967. >Uh oh
  8968. >Her foot tapping speed has almost doubled
  8969. "Honey. I'm just exhausted from looking for Aria all night."
  8970. >Her shoulders sink and her jaw drops
  8971. >"Do-don-that's cheating!"
  8972. >There's almost no sound from her feeble little foot stamp
  8973. >"You can't just make me un-mad by calling me that!"
  8974. "It's not my fault you're so sensitive to a word, honey."
  8975. >"Stop!"
  8976. "Or what... honey?"
  8977. >"Stop stop stop! This is serious!"
  8978. >For unclear reasons, Sonata climbs onto the coffee table
  8979. >You reach over and hold the laptop after it's grazed by her foot
  8980. >Then she sits up on her knees
  8981. >"I think we need to have a talk about last night."
  8982. "What about it?"
  8983. >"You're just a bit too worried about seeing Aria again."
  8984. >Is she... serious?
  8985. "Are you... serious?"
  8986. >"What do you mean?"
  8987. "I want to see Aria because she disappeared, not because I like her more or something."
  8988. >"Oh, so you like her?"
  8989. "What?!"
  8990. >"You like her, at least a little?"
  8991. "...Yes?"
  8992. >She raises one eyebrow at a time to give emphasis to the world's slowest eye roll
  8993. >"Okay then."
  8994. "I mean, sure. I like all of you enough to worry about your safety. I'd even worry about Kent if he went missing."
  8995. >"Don't change the subject to scary stuff! This is about how much you like Aria!"
  8996. "I just... want t-"
  8997. >"To see her naked again?"
  8998. "Oh geez."
  8999. >You rest your back against a couch cushion
  9000. >"I'm just saying, ever since you came home you've been going on and on about Aria. And now you're falling asleep during my singing practice."
  9001. "You of all people should understand a person's need to sleep, you know? Waking you up is nearly impossible."
  9002. >"Fine. Let's sleep."
  9003. "Didn't you, last night?"
  9004. >"Well you can sleep on top of me."
  9005. >She nods her head
  9006. >"You can't think of Aria with my boobs in your face."
  9007. >A devious smile appears
  9008. >"Aria's are really small."
  9009. "I noticed."
  9010. >Your eyes snap to Sonata's chest as she rests her hands on the sides
  9011. >"Just thought I'd mention~"
  9012. >As usual, she felt above wearing a bra today
  9013. "Oh no. They're stealing my thoughts."
  9014. >"Ha!"
  9015. "Do Adagio's give memories back?"
  9016. >"Ha- ...ha... ha..."
  9017. "Speaking of which, I should check on her soon I guess. If we're all going to live together "forever", I need to make some changes."
  9018. >Sonata slides her hands off of herself and hangs them in the air
  9019. >"...Heh."
  9020. >After glancing away for a moment, she brings them down awkwardly into the table
  9021. >There's that behavior again
  9022. >Because you mentioned living together, forever?
  9023. "Something wrong?"
  9024. >"Huh?"
  9025. "You seem uncomfortable."
  9026. >"Well, I'm on a table..."
  9027. "I mean that you look socially uncomfortable."
  9028. >Her raised eyebrows and complete silence cue your explanation
  9029. "How should I say this... remember when Kent was hitting on you?"
  9030. >"Ohhhh! I don't feel like that at all, Anon."
  9031. >Mid-sentence, there's a beep, and Sonata takes it upon herself to climb off the far end of the table and spin the laptop around
  9032. "Sonata-"
  9033. >"When I was looking for songs I figured out how to open the beeping website. Can I check it?"
  9034. >Click
  9035. "I don't think that's a good... idea... hey-"
  9036. >"Okay, it looks like you got a message fro-"
  9037. >She goes wide-eyed and covers her mouth
  9038. >You pull yourself up onto the couch, rest the side of your head on your fist and sigh
  9039. >Why not? Might as well get this explanation over with
  9040. >After all, there's no ACTUAL reason for her to be jealous over Twilight
  9041. >"Pu-purpl-purple girl called you d-DARLING."
  9042. "What?!"
  9043. >She spins the laptop around and glares at you, her eyes barely reaching over the screen
  9044. >"D-A-R-L-I-N-G!"
  9045. >Sure enough, Twilight's sent you a message
  9046. >It reads...
  9047. >9:46 AM: We have to talk. Soon. This is very important, darling. Video chat me as soon as you see this.
  9048. "I uh, uhhh."
  9049. >"UhhhHHH?"
  9050. >Sonata presses further into the laptop screen during her sarcastic echo, tilting it
  9051. "Sh-she's just excited."
  9052. >"Oh I bet she's excited, mister."
  9053. "I can explain."
  9054. >Deep breath
  9055. >This is fine
  9056. >Besides, what kind of leader gets intimidated by someone who used to be his slave?
  9057. "Okay. Look, Twilight messages me sometimes. It's always business-type stuff."
  9058. >"D, A, R..."
  9059. "She's investigating you guys, and I'm pretending to help her..."
  9060. >"L, I, N..."
  9061. "...but instead I misdirect her. I gave her a false lead recently, and she's excited over it is all."
  9062. >"G!"
  9063. "Are you even listening!?"
  9064. >She huffs
  9065. >"So when did you give her this lead, huh?"
  9066. "Uh."
  9067. >She turns the laptop back around
  9068. "Whoa whoa!"
  9069. >"I'm just going to say something!"
  9070. >You slide around the table
  9071. >She's hunted down and pecked a single key: "s"
  9072. >With the help of backspace, it's erased
  9073. >"Stop! Just let me say it!"
  9074. "Say what?"
  9075. >Each time she jabs the s key you quickly clear it
  9076. >"Stop it, Anon!"
  9077. "Just tell me what you're trying to type!"
  9078. >"Ugh. Forget it!"
  9079. >She throws up her arms and falls backwards into the carpet
  9080. >"Why don't you ask her to marry you?"
  9081. >Too tired for this
  9082. >Hopefully Twilight didn't see a sporadic "Anonymous is typing" message
  9083. "She doesn't really like me..."
  9084. >Sonata silently rolls onto her face
  9085. >Even after that talk, she's still worried about this?
  9086. "Oh boy."
  9087. >Even if she knows she won't be abandoned, seeing other girls as competition is probably just in her nature
  9088. "You're jealous to the core, huh?"
  9089. >"I'm not jealous!"
  9090. "Haha... How about this? I'll prove it to you."
  9091. >She takes her sweet time rolling back over
  9092. >Clearly upset, but intrigued
  9093. "Video chat means that we're going to be able to see and hear each other. If you listen to us talk, I promise you'll understand. But first you have to promise me that you'll stay quiet."
  9094. >"Call her right now!"
  9095. >She's already up, bouncing and pressing her fists together
  9096. >"I'm gonna settle this!"
  9097. "You dork. I just said you have to be quiet."
  9098. >"Huh?"
  9099. "We can't let her see or hear you, because she can't know you're here."
  9100. >"Oh. Well... okay."
  9101. "I'm gonna repeat that: you can't make any noise. At all. You can only listen."
  9102. >"Okay."
  9103. "If she hears you, it's game over."
  9104. >"Okay."
  9105. "It's seriously a big deal."
  9106. >The more you talk, the more you realize this was a bad idea
  9107. >"Mmm!"
  9108. >Sonata's already on board
  9109. >With her index finger and thumb she's got her lips squeezed shut
  9110. >Out of the corner of your eye you see something shift on the screen
  9111. >A new message:
  9112. >9:48 AM: I know you're there. I can see you typing.
  9113. >Fuck
  9114. "Sonata, I think I know the answer to this, but I want to make sure."
  9115. >"Mmmm?"
  9116. "Do you remem- you can talk for now. Do you remember the lyrics to the first song we practiced?"
  9117. >"Yes! They were about love and looking at people in bars!"
  9118. "I want you to run upstairs, go inside the guest bedroom and shut the door, then sing those lyrics as LOUD as you can. Okay?"
  9119. >She flinches
  9120. >"Why?"
  9121. "Please hurry and do it, okay? Remember to shut the door."
  9122. >She goes on ahead
  9123. >It'll probably be embarrassing to sing in front of Adagio
  9124. >Fuck it though, she's sitting tied up in the floor, not to mention her singing voice probably isn't any better
  9125. >She's got no room to mock anyone
  9126. >You go into your laptop's sound settings and make sure there won't be any complications during the call
  9127. >The desktop PC in your room has a proper mic and camera, but the laptop will do
  9128. "Test?"
  9129. >"Test?"
  9130. >Sounds fine
  9131. >The camera shows up, adjusts its brightness and gets up to a reasonable speed
  9132. "Good, good."
  9133. >When you hear Sonata's singing voice from upstairs you're relieved to find that you barely can
  9134. >Concentrating and knowing the lyrics in advance, you're still unable to understand any of her words
  9135. >Thankfully she cuts it short and is soon rushing down the stairs
  9136. >Beep
  9137. >9:49 AM: I have to leave the house very soon. Please hurry.
  9138. "Sonata, quick!"
  9139. >"I am!"
  9140. >She comes to a sliding stop beside the couch and holds out her arms
  9141. >There's a bit of a blush on her face
  9142. >"Are you gonna tell me why I did that?"
  9143. "No time! Get behind the coffee table!"
  9144. >"Wait, I want to sit on the couch."
  9145. "Don't you think it'd be weird if I was facing away from my TV?"
  9146. >"Why?"
  9147. >She makes a move for the couch, so you hold her hand and guide her to the entertainment center
  9148. "Besides, she could see your reflection or something."
  9149. >"Aww."
  9150. >When you're on the couch and Sonata's pinching her lips shut again, you put on the most serious voice you can manage
  9151. "She's going to say something to me, about a necklace. Don't be surprised by it. You know, don't gasp or anything."
  9152. >"Mmmhhmmm."
  9153. "Uh, I didn't mean to insult you. I know you won't make any noise."
  9154. >"Mmmmmmhhhmmmmm."
  9155. "I'm just being careful. It's, you know. Important."
  9156. >She cocks her head and beckons you in impatience
  9157. "Okay. Here we go."
  9158. >Click
  9159. >A notification pops up while it's connecting:
  9160. >** A Friendly Reminder **
  9161. >** Your video call is being provided by your school group [Canterlot High School]! While your privacy is 100% guaranteed, please remember to keep things family appropriate. **
  9162. >It fades out to reveal a large box of messy pixels, as well as your camera preview in the top right corner
  9163. "Twilight? Can you hear me yet?"
  9164. >No response
  9165. "I think it always does this, give it a second."
  9166. >In an instant the pixelation is gone
  9167. >A girl with big, looping hair, wearing pajamas with fancy swirling patterns appears
  9168. >The large swivel chair she sits in blocks most of your view of the dim room
  9169. >"Good morning, Mister Anonymous."
  9170. >A TV can be heard faintly over the rumble of a swamp cooler
  9171. >The fluttering curtain in the corner of the screen catches your eye
  9172. "Uh."
  9173. >You move your mouth, but no words come
  9174. >She rolls her chair a bit closer to the desk, obscuring the curtain and the light it's holding back
  9175. >"A simple hello would be fine."
  9176. "...Hello."
  9177. >"My name is Rarity. I do hope you remember me."
  9178. "Yeah. I saw you once before."
  9179. >She hums
  9180. >"Let me cut to the chase, as they say. I am a very, very good friend of Twilight Sparkle's. I believe you two have... met?"
  9181. "Yeah?"
  9182. >"I am aware of who you are, and who your parents are."
  9183. "O-Okay?"
  9184. >"You seem like a nice man. I know this is risky, for multiple reasons, but I have to know."
  9185. >Rarity pauses
  9186. "What are you talking about?"
  9187. >She looks over her shoulder for just a moment
  9188. >"I'd like you to know that when you told us about those girls, and the others dismissed you, I stood up for you."
  9189. "Oh yeah?"
  9190. >"Yes, they had written you off very quickly, but I reminded them of your family's accomplishments, and your overall good behavior at school."
  9191. >How would she know how you behave at school?
  9192. "Are you an old family friend or something?"
  9193. >"I'm afraid I've never so much as met your family. Not that I would be opposed, of course! I-In fact, I'd be quite honored. As for how I know of your family, well, respectable people draw the attention of the self-respecting!"
  9194. "Okay..."
  9195. >She displays a friendly smile
  9196. >"By the way, I think it's an inspiration that you've become the man of your house. Very, very mature of you. Most boys at our school wouldn't be capable."
  9197. "Ha, it's nothing."
  9198. >You don't even take care of your yard
  9199. >"Oh but it is something! I thought it was an impossible rumor until the news story."
  9200. >It was just the local news, they'd do hour-long coverage of a balloon's ascent into the atmosphere...
  9201. >Besides, you thought only Kent watched that
  9202. "Saw the interview, huh? How embarrassing."
  9203. >"I didn't think so."
  9204. >She looks up and down, examining the little bit of you she can with her limited view
  9205. >"You were much shorter then. I didn't notice until you were standing so close to me a couple of weeks ago, but you're quite tall."
  9206. >Hopefully you're not blushing
  9207. >Confusion aside, a pretty girl is ruthlessly complimenting you
  9208. >"I wonder... are you seeing anyone?"
  9209. >Is this just a way to ask you out?
  9210. >Couldn't be, right?
  9211. >You recall your moment with that cashier woman at Taco Bell
  9212. >Much of your focus is spent in an effort to avoid that same embarrassment
  9213. "No. I am not."
  9214. >Perfect
  9215. >Talk like a robot, that's the trick
  9216. "I'm. I'm not. I mean."
  9217. >She sighs in relief and smiles
  9218. >"I'm glad!"
  9219. >Uh oh
  9220. >"I'm so, so happy to hear that!"
  9221. >Let her down gently, stud
  9222. "Why are you glad?"
  9223. >Rarity rolls even closer to the desk and clasps her hands together
  9224. >"Never mind that."
  9225. >You blink
  9226. >"Now, about Twilight."
  9227. "...What about her?"
  9228. >"Twilight is one of my best friends, so I must look out for her. I've been very worried recently. Something's been bothering her, and I wasn't sure what it was... it pains me to say this but I've realized it all. This is your chance to come clean."
  9229. "Wait, what!? Come clean about what?"
  9230. >"What you've done."
  9231. >You look over to your front door, and then up to Sonata
  9232. >She's lost
  9233. >That makes two of you
  9234. "What specifically have I done?"
  9235. >Rarity's hand hangs limp as she covers her mouth with her arm
  9236. >"Ohhh, you wouldn't make a lady repeat such things, would you?"
  9237. "I have no idea what you're talking about, so you'll have to."
  9238. >"Please. Your words are safe with me. We can keep this all between us."
  9239. "I don't have any secrets..."
  9240. >"Anonymous, Anonymous, I understand. Men have certain needs. N-Not that it makes what you did okay-"
  9241. >She waves her hands back and forth
  9242. >"-but it was just a mistake, right? We can move past it."
  9243. "I'm... going to end the call."
  9244. >"What? Wait!"
  9245. "Bye."
  9246. >"Stop! Please! I'll say it if I must!"
  9247. >Her hand shoots up to her webcam
  9248. >The intensity of her stare makes it feel as though she could snatch your arm through the screen
  9249. >Your cursor rests on the end call button
  9250. >In that moment of internal debate on whether or not to click, Rarity's quiet, anxious groan can be heard
  9251. >So, she's suffering too, huh?
  9252. "...If you stop being vague, I'll listen."
  9253. >"Yes, yes, of course!"
  9254. >Once again she peeks over her shoulder, and rolls closer to the desk
  9255. >Her stomach's probably making contact with it
  9256. >"I believe you and Twilight have entered into some kind of a relationship."
  9257. >Oh damn it
  9258. >"How much you've done, I'm scared to ask. But you are seeing her, for sure."
  9259. "I-I barely know Twilight. What makes you think this?"
  9260. >"You were with her all night, weren't you?"
  9261. "No."
  9262. >Not all night
  9263. >"Anonymous, I understand that you have desires. You can be honest."
  9264. "I AM being honest!"
  9265. >She raises her hands, lays them flat, and pats down the air
  9266. >"There's no need to shout."
  9267. "N-No need to... no need... to-"
  9268. >"Just admit it. I can talk to Twilight and make sure you two break it off gently."
  9269. "There's nothing to break off! Where did you get this?"
  9270. >"I-"
  9271. "Don't just say you know! If you accuse me of something, at least give me evidence."
  9272. >Her eyebrows sink a little
  9273. >She reaches to the left, off camera, and brings out something gray
  9274. >On second thought, presenting evidence is unnecessary
  9275. >Totally and completely unnecessary
  9276. >"Twilight had this when she got home a couple of hours ago. It's not ours. She didn't buy it. And what do we have here?"
  9277. >The camera's lighting shifts as she searches for a spot that's close enough to see what's written without it blurring
  9278. >And there they are
  9279. >Your father's initials
  9280. >"See?"
  9281. "What about it?"
  9282. >"Anonymous, this is proof!"
  9283. >She sets it down and adjusts her webcam
  9284. >"That you're the one who she's been seeing! For a while now Twilight has been very anxious. She looks sick all the time, goes without eating, leaves the house without saying anything... I've been worried to tears!"
  9285. "I-"
  9286. >"When I first saw the flashlight I was confused. Then I remembered the time you approached her."
  9287. "I don't-"
  9288. >"You told her that story for a reason, didn't you?"
  9289. "Stop..."
  9290. >The urge to swear and slam the laptop shut rises, so you close your eyes and rub your forehead
  9291. "I didn't tell her a story. I told her the truth."
  9292. >"Well, I'm not so sure."
  9293. "Excuse me?"
  9294. >Rarity clears her throat
  9295. >"Now, again Anonymous, I understand that you're a man and-"
  9296. "Get to the point."
  9297. >"Okay. Alright. Okay. Fine. I'll say it! You must have heard through the grapevines that Twilight becomes very emotional and vulnerable when faced with uncertainty. Not to mention how she's unfamiliar with our world's social norms."
  9298. >You shrug
  9299. >"So you got an idea, to make Twilight all riled up, and then..."
  9300. >She hugs herself
  9301. >"You-"
  9302. >A sharp breath
  9303. >"Y-You-"
  9304. >Another
  9305. >"Offered her the kind of comfort that only a man can provide a lady!"
  9306. >And an exhale
  9307. >"Oh my goodness. I actually said it."
  9308. >Your mind goes blank
  9309. >For fifteen seconds, all you can think about is the dog food commercial playing on Rarity's TV
  9310. >With her eyes shut she gently spins her chair a bit to the left and a bit to the right
  9311. >What all has she just accused you of?
  9312. "Hold on. Let's summarize here."
  9313. >Something moves in your peripheral vision
  9314. >You look up to see Sonata spin around and sit with her back against the coffee table
  9315. >When she's settled, she slumps
  9316. "...Damn it."
  9317. >Rarity's eyes open and her spinning stops
  9318. >"No need for swearing, Anonymous."
  9319. "Shut up."
  9320. >"Wh-huh?!"
  9321. "Do you realize what you've just accused me of?"
  9322. >As an excuse for a moment of time to sort your thoughts, you scoot forward and tilt the laptop screen back up to its proper position
  9323. >Now you have an even clearer view of Rarity's dumbfounded face
  9324. "You're saying I told Twilight a lie about those girls to get her worried, just so I could comfort her? That 'I don't know what all you two have done' shit you said makes it sound like I took advantage of her for sex. That's bad enough, but you were asking me if I'm single to see if I was cheating on Twilight, or cheating on someone with Twilight... right?"
  9325. >"...Excuse me for being cautious."
  9326. "That's not being cautious. That's jumping to conclusions."
  9327. >"Anonymous!"
  9328. >She raises up the flashlight and you swat at the air in frustration
  9329. "Yeah. It means I met Twilight at some point in the past and let her borrow my flashlight. So what?"
  9330. >"Sh-she didn't HAVE it before last night, and she was GONE all night!"
  9331. "How do you know she didn't have it?"
  9332. >She maintains her scowl in silence
  9333. "Do you think that little of Twilight's privacy? Snooping around in her belongings, messaging me on her account-"
  9334. >A thought hits you and you tense up
  9335. >Then you relax
  9336. >Rarity can't have read Twilight's past private messages. This site doesn't archive them
  9337. "...Besides. What sense does me telling her a false story about those girls make? Didn't she sort that situation out?"
  9338. >"Yeah! And she won't tell me anything about it! So clearly something strange happened and I think it's very obvious, in hindsight!"
  9339. "Then go ahead and lay it on me!"
  9340. >"F-Fine! I, I will lay it on you!"
  9341. >She sits up a bit more and straightens out her pajamas collar
  9342. >"You and those girls were working together. The day you told Twilight about their fake plans, you had them go into hiding. Then when you made your move on Twilight you told her to tell ME that she sorted the whole thing out, that there's nothing to worry about! But the TRUTH is that Twilight is still worried! You're still comforting her!"
  9343. >You scoff
  9344. "Who the hell do you think those girls are, to be doing that for me?"
  9345. >"Hired, probably!"
  9346. "I don't have as much money as you think I do. Besides, why pull off such a trick when I could just pay the girls to sleep with me instead?"
  9347. >Rarity cringes
  9348. >"Anonymous, that's... repulsive."
  9349. "But taking advantage of Twilight isn't? Is that why you're so quick to do it?"
  9350. >"F-F-FI-FIRST OF ALL! I am Twilight Sparkle's BEST FRIEND in the entire WORLD! A f-friendship between girls is dif-different from boys, okay?! I'm looking out for her!"
  9351. >She's full on yelling at this point
  9352. >"Second! Paying three women to have relations with you is OBVIOUSLY worse than doing whatever it takes to date the girl you love!"
  9353. "I don't love Twilight. We're barely even friends."
  9354. >"Stop lying!"
  9355. >As she becomes more angry, you become more calm
  9356. >Sensing that you now have the upper hand, you cross your arms and smirk
  9357. "All you're doing is exposing yourself."
  9358. >She gasps and crosses her arms, grabbing her shoulders
  9359. >"I wear something underneath..."
  9360. "Not that. I meant exposing the inconsiderate things you've done to Twilight."
  9361. >"I've been nothing but a good friend."
  9362. "So you'd be perfectly fine if Twilight went through your phone's text messages?"
  9363. >Again, she scowls in silence
  9364. "Well?"
  9365. >"You're just trying to change the subject. I already told you-"
  9366. >There's that flashlight again
  9367. >"-I have proof."
  9368. "Alright, look! I saw Twilight for all of five minutes last night. The reasons were not even remotely romantic. I realized she needed a flashlight and gave her mine. End of story."
  9369. >"Where did you meet her? Your house?" >It's been an everyday thing
  9370. >And so far it seems to have worked
  9371. >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  9372. >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  9373. >Sonata is bent over your lap
  9374. >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  9375. >Half of her rear end is exposed
  9376. >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  9377. "You're squirming again."
  9378. >"Huh?"
  9379. >She stiffens up
  9380. >"I wasn't..."
  9381. "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  9382. >"...I'm sorry."
  9383. >You press your hand against her
  9384. >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  9385. >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  9386. >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  9387. >THWACK
  9388. >"AHH! Anon!"
  9389. >THWACK
  9390. >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  9391. >THWACK
  9392. >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  9393. >THWACK
  9394. >"Anooooooooon!"
  9395. >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  9396. "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  9397. >She gasps
  9398. >Looks at you with a pout
  9399. "Well?"
  9400. >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  9401. >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  9402. >"I'm yo...I'm your Equestrian sla-ave and I'll never try to c-control humans with m-magic ever again."
  9403. >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  9404. "That's a good Sonata."
  9405. >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  9406. "You promise with all of your heart?"
  9407. >Sniff
  9408. >"I p-promise. But..."
  9409. "But what?"
  9410. >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  9411. >You pat her head
  9412. "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  9413. >Sniff
  9414. >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  9415. "Sonata."
  9416. >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  9417. "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  9418. >"Really?"
  9419. "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  9420. >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  9421. "It's okay. Just trust me. Be a good Equestrian slave and I'll make your voice even prettier than that magic did."
  9422. >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  9423. >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  9424. ___
  9425. >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  9426. >One week since Sonata gave in
  9427. >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  9428. >They scowl all through out
  9429. >"He's sooo nice to me. I get to eat Mexican food, and watch TV, and play video games. And if I keep being a good slave, I get to move from the couch to his big, comfy bed!"
  9430. >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  9431. >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  9432. >"Shut. Up."
  9433. >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  9434. >Sonata frowns
  9435. >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  9436. >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  9437. >"He told me to tell you that your punishment starts tomorrow. But if you agree to be good like I did he won't d-"
  9438. >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  9439. >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  9440. >"He, he does..."
  9441. >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  9442. >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  9443. >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  9444. >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  9445. >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  9446. >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  9447. >"But... but! Adagio!"
  9448. >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  9449. >"Yes, traitor?"
  9450. >Sonata's heart sinks
  9451. >She backs away
  9452. >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  9453. >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  9454. >Sonata runs out of the room
  9455. >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  9456. ___
  9457. >You're downstairs, watching TV
  9458. >Some dull documentary
  9459. >"...Anonnnnn..."
  9460. >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  9461. "How'd it go?"
  9462. >"Annnoooon!"
  9463. >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  9464. "Bad?"
  9465. >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  9466. >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  9467. "What about Aria?"
  9468. >"She spit in my eye."
  9469. "What?"
  9470. >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  9471. >Some specks of spit are still there
  9472. >How dare Aria?
  9473. >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  9474. "There."
  9475. >"You got it?"
  9476. "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  9477. >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  9478. >"Anon?"
  9479. "Yeah?"
  9480. >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  9481. "What makes you ask that?"
  9482. >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  9483. >You wonder
  9484. >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  9485. >Waiting it out isn't such a crazy idea when you can have her wear them down with all the fun she's having
  9486. >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  9487. >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  9488. "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  9489. >"Oh....."
  9490. "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  9491. >"What?"
  9492. "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  9493. >You poke her nose
  9494. "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  9495. >She nods
  9496. >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  9497. ___
  9498. >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  9499. >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  9500. >The former doesn't look at you
  9501. >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  9502. "Hello, Aria."
  9503. >She sticks her tongue out at you
  9504. >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  9505. >This one's just asking for it
  9506. "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  9507. >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  9508. >You smirk
  9509. "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  9510. >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  9511. "Whoa!"
  9512. >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  9513. >You take a moment to admire her body
  9514. >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  9515. >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  9516. >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  9517. "I'm really impressed."
  9518. >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  9519. "Calm down."
  9520. >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  9521. >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  9522. >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  9523. "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  9524. >"...Fuck you."
  9525. >Her spirit excites you
  9526. "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  9527. >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  9528. >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  9529. >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  9530. "I'm going to remind you - both of you - that all you have to do is agree to be good. And you can start living a more comfortable life."
  9531. >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  9532. >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  9533. >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  9534. >You turn to Adagio
  9535. >She's just staring at the wall
  9536. >Not the most sympathetic leader
  9537. "Let's go."
  9538. ___
  9539. >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  9540. >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  9541. "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  9542. >"I know~"
  9543. >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  9544. >"It's a new ep-"
  9545. >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  9546. >"Aria...."
  9547. >"..Yeah?!"
  9548. >They're quiet
  9549. >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  9550. "Sonata's going to sit here on the comfy couch and watch TV, enjoying junk food. And you know what she'll be doing after that?"
  9551. >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  9552. "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  9553. >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  9554. >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  9555. >You smile and nod your head
  9556. >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  9557. >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  9558. "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  9559. >"Oh. Yeah!"
  9560. >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  9561. >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  9562. ___
  9563. "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  9564. >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  9565. "Then what's it about?"
  9566. >You make your way through the kitchen
  9567. >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  9568. >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  9569. >The entrance to the punishment room
  9570. "Ready?"
  9571. >"Fuck off."
  9572. >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  9573. >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  9574. >You approach it and stand Aria up
  9575. >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  9576. >Fair
  9577. >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  9578. >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  9579. >"What, is the chair for me?"
  9580. "No."
  9581. >You sit down
  9582. >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  9583. >Not quite
  9584. >You pull her down onto your lap
  9585. >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  9586. "Shut up."
  9587. >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  9588. >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  9589. >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  9590. >"....What are you doing?"
  9591. >She's pretty fit
  9592. >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  9593. >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  9594. >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  9595. >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  9596. >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  9597. >"Are you... a pervert?"
  9598. >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  9599. "You need to wash your hair better."
  9600. >"What?!"
  9601. "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  9602. >In reality, it smells alright
  9603. >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  9604. "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  9605. >"..."
  9606. >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  9607. "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  9608. >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  9609. >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  9610. >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  9611. >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  9612. "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  9613. >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  9614. "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  9615. >"..."
  9616. >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  9617. >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  9618. "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  9619. >"Wh-"
  9620. "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  9621. >You slap her legs together
  9622. "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  9623. >She's quiet
  9624. "Well?"
  9625. >You feel around her thighs for some time
  9626. >No response
  9627. "I'm not surprised."
  9628. >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  9629. >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  9630. "You're the perfect weight though."
  9631. >"...What?"
  9632. "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  9633. >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  9634. >"...Whatever."
  9635. >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  9636. >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  9637. "Hey."
  9638. >"...Hm?"
  9639. "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  9640. >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  9641. >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  9642. >"Anything's better than that."
  9643. "Why settle for anything?"
  9644. >"Hm?"
  9645. "My bed's pretty big. There's more than enough room. Imagine, waking up after eight hours of blissful sleep. Then rolling over and going back to sleep. Fluffy pillows, warm blanket."
  9646. >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  9647. "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  9648. >Her eyes go straight to yours
  9649. >And she just stares
  9650. >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  9651. >And says
  9652. >"Hang yourself."
  9653. >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  9654. "Interesting."
  9655. >"...What?"
  9656. "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  9657. >"The hell are you talking about?"
  9658. "You were thinking about it."
  9659. >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  9660. >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  9661. "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  9662. >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  9663. >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  9664. >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  9665. "Come on, Aria."
  9666. >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  9667. >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  9668. >"Dude. Back off."
  9669. "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  9670. >"...And it is?"
  9671. "Close your eyes."
  9672. >"N-No."
  9673. >She does it anyway
  9674. >"Don't."
  9675. >She quietly groans
  9676. >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  9677. >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  9678. >You lower her just a bit further
  9679. >Tighten your grip
  9680. >And spit in her face
  9681. ___
  9682. >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  9683. >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  9684. >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  9685. "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  9686. >She responds by kicking the wall
  9687. >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  9688. >"Anon?"
  9689. "Hey. What's up?"
  9690. >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  9691. >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  9692. "I'm afraid not."
  9693. >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  9694. "It keeps the door locked."
  9695. >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  9696. "Go ahead, try to open it."
  9697. >"Okay."
  9698. >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  9699. >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  9700. "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  9701. >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  9702. "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  9703. >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  9704. "You can choose. I have no preference."
  9705. >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  9706. >As soon as you realized you might be able to convince one of the sirens to sleep beside you, it felt obligatory to buy more pillows
  9707. >Now there's a pile of them
  9708. >It's fine, though
  9709. >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  9710. >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  9711. >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  9712. >Adorable
  9713. >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  9714. >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  9715. >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  9716. >It was like caging a wild animal
  9717. >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  9718. "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  9719. >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  9720. >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  9721. >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  9722. >But instead you swing it wide open
  9723. >"W-What the HELL!"
  9724. >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  9725. >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  9726. "Don't flatter yourself."
  9727. >You hold the towel out toward her
  9728. >"...just put it on the counter!"
  9729. "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  9730. >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  9731. >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  9732. >"Fucking. Creep."
  9733. >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  9734. >"...Anon?"
  9735. "Huh?"
  9736. >"I finished the bed."
  9737. "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  9738. >You pat Sonata's head
  9739. >"Anon?"
  9740. "Yeah?"
  9741. >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  9742. >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  9743. "Oh. I did..."
  9744. >She looks deeply bothered
  9745. "What's wrong?"
  9746. >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  9747. >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  9748. "Uh."
  9749. >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  9750. >So innocent
  9751. >So cute
  9752. >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  9753. "Is someone getting jealous?"
  9754. >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  9755. >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  9756. >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  9757. >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  9758. >Probably just her demeanor
  9759. "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  9760. >"Why not?"
  9761. "Because. You're special to me."
  9762. >"...special to you..."
  9763. >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  9764. >You're getting eager to go to bed
  9765. >It's about that time now
  9766. >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  9767. >The door opens up
  9768. >Oh fuck
  9769. >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  9770. >"Wow."
  9771. >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  9772. >"Hi Aria."
  9773. >"Hi, slut."
  9774. "...Aria."
  9775. >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  9776. >"I'm out of here."
  9777. "Haha, what?"
  9778. >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  9779. "Don't be so stupid."
  9780. >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  9781. >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  9782. "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  9783. >"Well-"
  9784. "You wouldn't last a week on your own, without your magic. You have no idea how this world even works. You're broke. You have no home. You have nothing without me."
  9785. >"...where are our necklaces?"
  9786. "So you admit it."
  9787. >"What? No."
  9788. "Go ask a stranger to buy you a meal without your powers. He'll laugh in your face. You'll go hungry, sleep on a park bench and miss my wooden floor. At least it stays warm in here."
  9789. >"Fuck! You!"
  9790. >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  9791. >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  9792. >"LET GO!"
  9793. "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  9794. >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  9795. "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  9796. >"NO!"
  9797. >Well
  9798. >Alright then
  9799. "Time to go back up."
  9800. >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  9801. >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  9802. >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  9803. "Oh calm down..."
  9804. >"Aria!"
  9805. >You stop in the doorway
  9806. >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  9807. >You hear Sonata sniffling
  9808. >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  9809. >"Behave? BEHAVE? Sonata, you are the stupidest girl I've ever met. Your voice is annoying, you s-smell bad, and you're ugly. You're REALLY ugly, and heavy too! OW!"
  9810. >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  9811. >"OW! Stop!"
  9812. "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  9813. >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  9814. ___
  9815. >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  9816. >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  9817. >As you slice up an apple to go with eggs and toast, you try to imagine how Adagio might react to being abandoned by both girls
  9818. >But your mind draws a blank
  9819. >She's barely said a word since her capture
  9820. >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  9821. "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  9822. >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  9823. >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  9824. "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  9825. >"Hmm?"
  9826. >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  9827. "You need to wake up now."
  9828. >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  9829. "Didn't sleep well?"
  9830. >"I slept great. You were really..."
  9831. >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  9832. >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  9833. >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  9834. >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  9835. >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  9836. "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  9837. >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  9838. >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  9839. >It's hard not to baby her
  9840. "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  9841. >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  9842. >You were right to start with Sonata
  9843. >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  9844. >You even considered releasing them
  9845. >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  9846. >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  9847. >"This is really, really delicio-"
  9848. >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  9849. "...who the..."
  9850. >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  9851. "NO- No no no. Sonata, go upstairs. Make sure the guest bedroom door is closed. Then stay there until I come get you."
  9852. >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  9853. >"Uhh, but-"
  9854. "Please, go."
  9855. >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  9856. ___
  9857. >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  9858. >Twilight Sparkle
  9859. >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  9860. >Thankfully, she's alone
  9861. >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  9862. >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  9863. >Please
  9864. >Just go
  9865. >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  9866. >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  9867. "Good morning, Twilight."
  9868. >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  9869. >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  9870. "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  9871. >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  9872. >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  9873. "What's this about?"
  9874. >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  9875. "What for?"
  9876. >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  9877. "Yes..."
  9878. >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  9879. "Yes."
  9880. >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  9881. >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  9882. >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  9883. "Gone?!"
  9884. >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  9885. "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  9886. >"That's the thing. I tried to contact their parents, but couldn't get their information. In fact I couldn't get any information on those girls at ALL."
  9887. "Really?"
  9888. >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  9889. >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  9890. >After she originally dismissed you, her friend Rainbow Dash came and asked you not to waste their time about this kind of thing
  9891. >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  9892. >Now you'll do it your way
  9893. "So what do you think it means?"
  9894. >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  9895. >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  9896. >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  9897. "Hm."
  9898. >"That's... all I have. My investigation has been a disaster. I have so little to go off of. If I could just find them-"
  9899. "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  9900. >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  9901. >She closes her notebook and looks away
  9902. >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  9903. >You exhale slowly
  9904. "There's not much I can do now. I assure you, I wasn't after attention, and I didn't appreciate being lectured by your friend Rainbow as if I was."
  9905. >"...I-"
  9906. >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  9907. "Uh, hey. It's fine. All I had was my word anyway. I guess I can't blame you. I want you to find them... there's something that might be of some hel-"
  9908. >"What is it?!"
  9909. >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  9910. "....Uh."
  9911. >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  9912. "Aria, you know, the boyish one, mentioned that she's 'getting sick of the mall'. At the time I didn't notice - since there were far stranger things being said - but that kind of sounds like-"
  9913. >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  9914. >You nod
  9915. "It could be anything, really..."
  9916. >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  9917. >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  9918. >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  9919. >Is she about to cry?
  9920. >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  9921. >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  9922. >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  9923. "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  9924. >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  9925. >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  9926. >You consider offering her a ride
  9927. >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  9928. ___
  9929. >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  9930. >"Anon, who was it?"
  9931. "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  9932. >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  9933. >She stands up with defensive posture
  9934. >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  9935. >But she just stares
  9936. >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  9937. "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  9938. >"What?"
  9939. >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  9940. >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  9941. "Hmm."
  9942. >"Why?"
  9943. >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  9944. "I was hoping maybe someone there would recognize you. Or at least recognize the mountain-sized head of hair in the corner there."
  9945. >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  9946. >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  9947. "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  9948. >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  9949. >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  9950. >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  9951. >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  9952. >"Hey."
  9953. "...what, Aria?"
  9954. >"You're too close."
  9955. >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  9956. >"H-Hey!"
  9957. "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  9958. >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  9959. >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  9960. "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  9961. >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  9962. >"...you told someone?"
  9963. "Nope."
  9964. >"Then how could-"
  9965. >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  9966. >She was the one who told you to begin with
  9967. "No, it wasn't her this time. You guys are just naive, and seem to think you can pull anything off in this world."
  9968. >"How much do they know?"
  9969. >Aria looks on edge
  9970. >You just smile
  9971. "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  9972. >Sonata gasps
  9973. >"But it sounded so fun!"
  9974. "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  9975. >Maybe a disguise or something
  9976. >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  9977. "Anything it takes! Haha."
  9978. >"W-what?"
  9979. "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  9980. >She frowns
  9981. "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  9982. >Aria glares
  9983. >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  9984. "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  9985. >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  9986. "She just stood there and gawked."
  9987. >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  9988. "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  9989. >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  9990. >Gotta admit, it hurts
  9991. >"He's lying. There wasn't an opening at all. Th-the door was locked, he did that thing with the chair, and-"
  9992. >"Aria."
  9993. >".....huh?"
  9994. >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  9995. >Aria's mouth hangs open
  9996. >"But I... he's lyi..."
  9997. "Hey."
  9998. >You whisper into her ear
  9999. "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  10000. >"...what?"
  10001. "Your hair."
  10002. >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  10003. "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  10004. >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  10005. "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  10006. ___
  10007. >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  10008. >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  10009. >She'll be fine though, right?
  10010. >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  10011. "Ughh..."
  10012. >Time for another distraction
  10013. "Sonata, where are you?"
  10014. >"TV~!"
  10015. >You head into the living room
  10016. >Some cartoon is on
  10017. "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  10018. >"Okay~"
  10019. "Can you do me a favor?"
  10020. >"Of course!"
  10021. >She hops off of the couch and beams
  10022. >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  10023. "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  10024. >"Uh-huh."
  10025. "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  10026. >You head outside
  10027. >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  10028. >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  10029. >Hiring somebody is probably a good idea - you were told to after all - but bringing anybody to your parent's house right now...
  10030. >It's asking for trouble
  10031. "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  10032. >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  10033. >A phone call would be better, but...
  10034. >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  10035. "Wait..."
  10036. >There's something in your peripheral vision
  10037. >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  10038. >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  10039. "Oh for fuck's sake."
  10040. >A shovel
  10041. >THE shovel
  10042. >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  10043. "Talk about a give-away."
  10044. >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  10045. >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  10046. ___
  10047. "We have more magazines!"
  10048. >"OOH!"
  10049. >Sonata snatches them up
  10050. >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  10051. >"It's a fashion one!"
  10052. >Her eyes narrow
  10053. >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  10054. "I think you misunderstand. They just send these to me because we've bought a lot of stuff from them. I don't even look at them, really."
  10055. >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  10056. >"Good."
  10057. >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  10058. >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  10059. >You're both in the school's social networking group, so maybe she won't bother coming to the house if she needs you
  10060. "Oh, Sonata."
  10061. >You hold up the envelope
  10062. "We're going to have some money again."
  10063. >"Someone sent you money?"
  10064. "Yeah, my parents."
  10065. >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  10066. >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  10067. >"Hello son."
  10068. >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  10069. >Yeah...
  10070. >You know...
  10071. >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  10072. >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  10073. >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  10074. >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  10075. "Ughh..."
  10076. >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  10077. >"There should be money in the account by the time you get this letter. Since it's summer, we included a little something extra. Try to have fun. But remember that school will be back in your life before you know it."
  10078. >That's it...?
  10079. >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  10080. "..."
  10081. >It's fine
  10082. >They're busy, right?
  10083. >Probably have a lot on their mind
  10084. "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  10085. >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  10086. "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  10087. >"OOH!"
  10088. "Got something in mind already?"
  10089. >"I DO!"
  10090. >You chuckle
  10091. "What is it?"
  10092. >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  10093. "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  10094. >"T-T-T-"
  10095. >She grabs hold of your arms
  10096. >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  10097. >Taco...
  10098. >Bell?
  10099. >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  10100. "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  10101. >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  10102. "Why not?"
  10103. >She scoffs
  10104. >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  10105. "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  10106. >"Anon. Please!"
  10107. >She hugs your arm
  10108. >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  10109. >Maybe it's better this way
  10110. "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  10111. >"Go get it?"
  10112. "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  10113. >She backs away
  10114. >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  10115. >She looks upset...
  10116. >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  10117. >...oh
  10118. "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  10119. >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  10120. "It's-"
  10121. >She pulls away
  10122. >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  10123. "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  10124. >"This isn't what?"
  10125. "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  10126. >"Why? You're just making us good."
  10127. "The thing is, I can't really prove that you were evil to begin with. I can't prove that you're not exactly humans, either."
  10128. >"So?"
  10129. >Sonata
  10130. >Please...
  10131. "If people find out about this, it'd be over. I'd be in trouble. We wouldn't be together anymore. You three would probably be... who knows what."
  10132. >Your heart starts to race
  10133. >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  10134. >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  10135. "I-"
  10136. >You feel light-headed
  10137. "I'm g-"
  10138. >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  10139. >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  10140. >It's too risky
  10141. "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  10142. >"It's okay. Never mind."
  10143. >She's there, beside you
  10144. >"I don't want..."
  10145. >She wraps her arms around your waist
  10146. >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  10147. "Sonata..."
  10148. >You stand there quietly with her
  10149. >Soon, you feel at ease...
  10150. >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  10151. "Sonata."
  10152. >A fast food trip
  10153. >What could happen on a fast food trip
  10154. "Let's..."
  10155. >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  10156. "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  10157. >"...Really?"
  10158. "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  10159. >"Anon, are you sure?"
  10160. "Definitely."
  10161. >This will be fine
  10162. >Just have to be careful
  10163. >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  10164. "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  10165. >"ANYTHING?!"
  10166. "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  10167. >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  10168. "Haha, of course!"
  10169. >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  10170. >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  10171. >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  10172. >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  10173. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  10174. >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  10175. "Well I'm a little on edge."
  10176. >"Can't have that~"
  10177. >She wraps her legs around you
  10178. >It feels awkward... but secure
  10179. >Very secure
  10180. >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  10181. "Okay."
  10182. >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  10183. >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  10184. >Always...
  10185. >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  10186. >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  10187. >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  10188. ___
  10189. >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  10190. >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  10191. >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  10192. "Because this is all gonna work out."
  10193. >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  10194. >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  10195. "Yeah?"
  10196. >You drop her in the chair
  10197. >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  10198. >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  10199. "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  10200. >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  10201. >She rolls her eyes
  10202. "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  10203. >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  10204. "What do you mean?"
  10205. >"She's really pissed off at me. It's not even fair... I was going to escape. It's not right. Just tell her that you were lying as part of my punishment. Please?"
  10206. >Aria looks pretty worried
  10207. >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  10208. "Not gonna happen."
  10209. >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  10210. "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  10211. >She waits for you to elaborate
  10212. "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  10213. >"You don't know anything..."
  10214. "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  10215. >"What about us?"
  10216. "You've been nothing but a fuck-up since I brought you here, but I'm not about to give up on you."
  10217. >"Oh yeah, thanks soooo much for perving out on me and shit. I'm soooo ready to swear my devotion to yo-aghh, don't..."
  10218. "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  10219. >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  10220. >Up her sides
  10221. >And press into her arm pits
  10222. >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  10223. >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  10224. >"Knock it off."
  10225. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  10226. >"Obviously. Idiot."
  10227. "Well."
  10228. >You back off and stand
  10229. "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  10230. >"Huh?"
  10231. "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  10232. >"....shut up..."
  10233. "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  10234. >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  10235. "Have you always been so filthy?"
  10236. >"I'm not. Filthy."
  10237. "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  10238. >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  10239. >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  10240. "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  10241. >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  10242. >You can't help but laugh in her face
  10243. "Once again, you prove my point."
  10244. >"What?!"
  10245. "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  10246. >"....just."
  10247. >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  10248. >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  10249. >She's become quiet
  10250. >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  10251. "Well..."
  10252. >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  10253. "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  10254. >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  10255. "Maybe!"
  10256. >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  10257. >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  10258. "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  10259. >"I wasn't even scared!"
  10260. "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  10261. >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  10262. >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  10263. >"What?"
  10264. "You look terrible."
  10265. >"Kill yourself."
  10266. "Er, I mean,"
  10267. >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  10268. >She's trembling a bit
  10269. "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  10270. >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  10271. "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  10272. >Er, maybe too soon
  10273. "...I just want you to remember that life would be a whole lot more comfortable if you'd give up on Adagio. After all, she apparently gave up on you."
  10274. >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  10275. >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  10276. "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  10277. >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  10278. >You yawn and hold her tight
  10279. >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  10280. >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  10281. >Poor girl
  10282. >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  10283. >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  10284. "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  10285. >She sighs
  10286. >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  10287. "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  10288. >"So it's dumb if I want to know why you treat me like crap for no reason, but Sonata has you wrapped around her finger?"
  10289. >You wouldn't say that
  10290. >...
  10291. >Yes you would
  10292. "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  10293. >"Yeah right. She told you to spit on me and you did it. You're her bitch, huh? You take her orders, not the other way around."
  10294. >Alright, that struck a nerve
  10295. "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  10296. >"Then why'd you do it?"
  10297. "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  10298. >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  10299. >You do your best not to laugh
  10300. "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  10301. >"Ugh!"
  10302. >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  10303. >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  10304. "Come on, twin-tails."
  10305. >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  10306. >She flops around like a fish out of water
  10307. >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  10308. "Uh."
  10309. >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  10310. "Uh-huh?"
  10311. >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  10312. "...Go on..."
  10313. >She looks ready to explode
  10314. >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  10315. "Oh."
  10316. >You let her anger fester a bit
  10317. >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  10318. >Part of you really wants to know
  10319. >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  10320. >Yeah, probably strangling
  10321. "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  10322. >"Fu-wha?"
  10323. >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  10324. >It seems to have been effective
  10325. >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  10326. "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  10327. >"...yeah...?"
  10328. "Right off the bat she asked me not to punish you or Adagio. Poor Sonata is called a traitor, and even then she still cares about you two."
  10329. >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  10330. >She just listens, so you keep going
  10331. "She didn't betray you, either. She got out of a shitty situation. You and Adagio are criminals. Believe me, this is the best you could hope for in my world."
  10332. >"...but..."
  10333. >You cover her mouth
  10334. "And yeah, I've been really friendly with you. You might be gross and disgusting, but you're mine. Unlike your current leader, I hold on to my people. No matter what."
  10335. >It seems like a good moment, so you pull her right up next to you so that she's sharing the pillow, and rest your arm around her
  10336. "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  10337. >You shut your eyes
  10338. >The good mood you had has evaporated
  10339. >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  10340. >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  10341. ___
  10342. >Your back kind of hurts
  10343. >Too used to your fancy bed
  10344. >What time is it?
  10345. >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  10346. >Has it been a couple of hours?
  10347. >Feels like longer
  10348. "Hey, Aria-"
  10349. >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  10350. >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  10351. >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  10352. "Oh boy."
  10353. >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  10354. >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  10355. "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  10356. >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  10357. "Fuck."
  10358. >9:14 A.M.
  10359. "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  10360. >"..nnnghh.."
  10361. >You shake her a bit
  10362. "You're going back upstairs now."
  10363. >"..ghhnn-no!"
  10364. >Her eyes shoot open
  10365. >"Huh?"
  10366. "How are you feeling?"
  10367. >She looks around and confirms her location
  10368. >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  10369. >You rub her head as you sit up
  10370. "I'm glad."
  10371. >"Psh..."
  10372. >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  10373. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  10374. >....
  10375. >No comeback?
  10376. >Nothing?
  10377. "You know, this floor feels like garbage compared to my bed. And of course, all those fluffy pillows. And it doesn't have the weird smell this room does."
  10378. >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  10379. "Okay."
  10380. >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  10381. >"Wait!"
  10382. "What?"
  10383. >"Can you just wait?"
  10384. "Uh."
  10385. >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  10386. >Much more than a nap, actually
  10387. "You're adorable."
  10388. >"...wha?"
  10389. "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  10390. >Her face turns red and she frowns
  10391. >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  10392. "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  10393. >Her eye twitches
  10394. "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  10395. >"...so..."
  10396. "So?"
  10397. >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  10398. >Too cute
  10399. "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  10400. >"No."
  10401. "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  10402. >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  10403. >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  10404. ___
  10405. >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  10406. >Did she...
  10407. "Sonata?"
  10408. >Yup
  10409. >Fell asleep watching TV again
  10410. >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  10411. >"Hey. The day has started."
  10412. >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  10413. "We've got a trip to m-"
  10414. >A message
  10415. >From...
  10416. >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  10417. >How could she possibly-
  10418. "That's crazy, Twilight"
  10419. >In no time, she responds
  10420. >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  10421. "Didn't find anything?"
  10422. >"Nothing..."
  10423. >"Anonymous"
  10424. >"I don't know what to do"
  10425. >You feel nauseated
  10426. >Maybe you can work something out?
  10427. >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  10428. >But that wouldn't be very believable
  10429. >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  10430. "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  10431. >"Yeah..."
  10432. >"Thank you Anonymous"
  10433. >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  10434. >"I must have made a mistake"
  10435. >No
  10436. >You didn't...
  10437. "Good luck."
  10438. >You sigh and close your laptop
  10439. "Sonata. Wake up."
  10440. >"Ghnnn..."
  10441. >You gently scratch her forehead
  10442. "Come onnnn."
  10443. >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  10444. "It's morning."
  10445. >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  10446. >Really?
  10447. >She's got to be making that up, right?
  10448. >You smile and ruffle her hair
  10449. "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  10450. >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  10451. >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  10452. "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  10453. >"What do we gotta do?!"
  10454. "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  10455. >She pouts
  10456. >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  10457. >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  10458. >It's not long before she gives in
  10459. >"Will you feed them, then?"
  10460. "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  10461. >"Okay~"
  10462. >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  10463. >"Anon..."
  10464. "Yeah?"
  10465. >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  10466. >Uh...?
  10467. "Just grab one right now?"
  10468. >"....wh... um. Okay."
  10469. >She looks at you with a blank face
  10470. >And then continues on
  10471. >Anyway
  10472. >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  10473. >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  10474. >Which is a pretty good punishment on its own, but it could be much better with a reminder of what they're missing out on
  10475. >You scratch your chin and hum
  10476. >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  10477. "So then, clothes."
  10478. ___
  10479. >This room is... uncomfortable
  10480. >You were never allowed inside
  10481. >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  10482. >So you've been rushing through the closet, throwing piles of clothes into the floor, digging through boxes and avoiding your mom's underwear
  10483. >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  10484. >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  10485. >As a result, she has a few-
  10486. "Bingo."
  10487. >A super curly blond wig
  10488. >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  10489. >That's good enough, you think
  10490. >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  10491. >"Anon! Where are you!"
  10492. "In here."
  10493. >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  10494. >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  10495. >"Who lives in here?"
  10496. "My parents used to."
  10497. >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  10498. >She points around at the mess you've made
  10499. "Yeah."
  10500. >"It's one of these!"
  10501. >Oh god
  10502. >Sonata
  10503. >Don't
  10504. "What about it?"
  10505. >"A, uh, b-something."
  10506. "Bra."
  10507. >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  10508. >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  10509. "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  10510. >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  10511. "You know you have to wear it today."
  10512. >"...but I don't like it."
  10513. >You shrug
  10514. "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  10515. >"But Anon."
  10516. >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  10517. >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  10518. >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  10519. >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  10520. >But you fail
  10521. >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  10522. "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  10523. >"As if!"
  10524. "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  10525. >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  10526. >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  10527. >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  10528. "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  10529. >"Really?!"
  10530. "But first, here!"
  10531. >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  10532. >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  10533. >"Heeeeeey..."
  10534. "There."
  10535. >You step back and admire your creation
  10536. >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  10537. >lumpy hair
  10538. >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  10539. >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  10540. "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  10541. >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  10542. >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  10543. >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  10544. >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  10545. "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  10546. >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  10547. >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  10548. >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  10549. "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  10550. >"We can go already?!"
  10551. "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  10552. >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  10553. >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  10554. >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  10555. >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  10556. "Oh. By the way. I'm pretty new to driving, and it stresses me out. So please don't talk to me until we get there, alright?"
  10557. >"Sure!"
  10558. ___
  10559. Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  10560. >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  10561. >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  10562. "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  10563. >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  10564. >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  10565. "Try to have a little patience."
  10566. >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  10567. >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  10568. >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  10569. >She huffs and crosses her arms
  10570. >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  10571. "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  10572. >"Then whyyyy?"
  10573. "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  10574. >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  10575. >This is really starting to piss you off
  10576. "I'm worried about you."
  10577. >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  10578. "...Sona-"
  10579. >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  10580. >Aria's words from last night
  10581. >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  10582. "Sonata. This needs to-"
  10583. >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  10584. >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  10585. "Fuck!"
  10586. >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  10587. >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  10588. >and a truck passes by you from the right
  10589. >Holy shit
  10590. "...Sonata."
  10591. >"Huh?"
  10592. "You need to stop."
  10593. >"What?"
  10594. >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  10595. "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  10596. >"Oh..."
  10597. >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  10598. >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  10599. "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  10600. >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  10601. >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  10602. >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  10603. >...you didn't almost crash
  10604. >Right?
  10605. >You would have stopped no matter what
  10606. >...
  10607. >No
  10608. >Don't kid yourself
  10609. >This is important
  10610. "Oh thank God."
  10611. >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  10612. >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  10613. >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  10614. >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  10615. "Do you understand what just happened?"
  10616. >"Um..."
  10617. "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  10618. >"Not really."
  10619. "We could have died."
  10620. >"Wh-what?!"
  10621. >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  10622. "You saw how fast we were going. If we had hit that truck we could have died, or killed whoever was driving it."
  10623. >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  10624. "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  10625. >She suddenly looks very upset
  10626. >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  10627. >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  10628. >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  10629. "Sonata..."
  10630. >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  10631. "...you did. Just let it be a lesson. If I ask you to be quiet, or to do anything for that matter, you do it."
  10632. >"Uhhh... I-"
  10633. "Understood?"
  10634. >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  10635. >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  10636. >Stiff as a board
  10637. >This... feels shitty
  10638. >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  10639. >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  10640. >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  10641. >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  10642. >Nobody here cares
  10643. >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  10644. "Are you ready?"
  10645. >"Um... uh-huh."
  10646. >She's practically hiding behind the car
  10647. >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  10648. "Come here, Sonata."
  10649. >She slowly walks over to your side
  10650. >God damn it
  10651. >This isn't what you wanted today
  10652. "Stop... please."
  10653. >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  10654. "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  10655. >"...s-sorry."
  10656. >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  10657. >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  10658. "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  10659. >"...uh-huh?"
  10660. "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  10661. >"Okay."
  10662. >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  10663. >She smiles back
  10664. >That's more like it
  10665. >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  10666. "Whoa!"
  10667. >A guy almost hits her with the door
  10668. >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  10669. >"C'mon!"
  10670. "Okay, okay!"
  10671. ___
  10672. >The air conditioning
  10673. >That pop music
  10674. >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  10675. >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  10676. >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  10677. >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  10678. >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  10679. >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  10680. "So. Any ideas?"
  10681. >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  10682. "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  10683. >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  10684. "Crazy, right?"
  10685. >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  10686. "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  10687. >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  10688. "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  10689. >"The whuh?"
  10690. >You point her up to the left
  10691. "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  10692. >"b-bacon!?"
  10693. "And it comes with a drink of course."
  10694. >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  10695. "Are you sure?"
  10696. >"WAIT."
  10697. >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  10698. >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  10699. "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  10700. >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  10701. >"YES!"
  10702. >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  10703. >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  10704. "We're ready. I think."
  10705. >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  10706. "Honey, you can just get both."
  10707. >"Ho...ney...?"
  10708. >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  10709. "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  10710. >You go through the motions of paying
  10711. >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  10712. >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  10713. >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  10714. "I know~"
  10715. >She runs over to the soda machines
  10716. >"You two are adorable."
  10717. "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  10718. >The cashier giggles
  10719. >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  10720. >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  10721. >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  10722. >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  10723. "...you too."
  10724. >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  10725. >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  10726. >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  10727. "Here."
  10728. >You snap it on
  10729. >"Thank yoooou~"
  10730. >There's a lot of flavors these days
  10731. >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  10732. >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  10733. >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  10734. >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  10735. "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  10736. >"Ohhh. Neato."
  10737. >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  10738. "Do you like it hot?"
  10739. >"I like it... I... like it..."
  10740. >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  10741. >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  10742. "Do you want some? Or-"
  10743. >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  10744. >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  10745. "Uhh."
  10746. >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  10747. >"Anon."
  10748. "Yeah?"
  10749. >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  10750. ___
  10751. >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  10752. >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  10753. "Don't choke!"
  10754. >"Ih woghn't!"
  10755. >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  10756. >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  10757. >And kind of turn you on
  10758. >Oh boy
  10759. >"Anaghn?"
  10760. >She swallows
  10761. >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  10762. "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  10763. >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  10764. >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  10765. "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  10766. >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  10767. >You take the moment in
  10768. >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  10769. >It feels amazing
  10770. >"Oh. And Anon?"
  10771. "Yeah?"
  10772. >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  10773. >Dizzy?
  10774. >Is that good or bad?
  10775. >"You should call me it more often~"
  10776. >Oh, it's good
  10777. >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  10778. "Okay, honey."
  10779. >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  10780. >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  10781. >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  10782. >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  10783. >It's blissful
  10784. >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  10785. "...oh God."
  10786. >"Hm?"
  10787. >The side door to the right opens up
  10788. >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  10789. >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  10790. "Oh man."
  10791. >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  10792. "What?"
  10793. >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  10794. >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  10795. "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  10796. >"Uh-huh."
  10797. >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  10798. >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  10799. >She's right
  10800. >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  10801. >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  10802. >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  10803. >In a half-assed attempt at being proper, she wraps one around her index finger and prods at the edges of her mouth
  10804. >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  10805. >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  10806. >"Susanne - their daughter - goes to a hot dog stand with her new boyfriend. And he's suuuper nervous, 'cause Susanne is SMOKIN' hot..."
  10807. >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  10808. >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  10809. >They gave her a cup
  10810. >She's about to circle around
  10811. >Why did you have to sit here?
  10812. >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  10813. "Uhh."
  10814. >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  10815. >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  10816. "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  10817. >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  10818. >Here she comes
  10819. >Don't look at her
  10820. >Look at Sonata
  10821. >There we go
  10822. >Just let her pass
  10823. >Better hold still, too
  10824. >"...go back to his house to get her a new t-shirt to wear home, and she's impressed he has such fancy clothes and..."
  10825. >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  10826. >She's as close as she can get
  10827. >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  10828. >Time seems to slow down
  10829. >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  10830. >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  10831. >Slide under the table?
  10832. >Run for it?
  10833. >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  10834. >You cover your mouth and groan
  10835. >"Anonymous?"
  10836. >...
  10837. >"Is that you?"
  10838. >You look up
  10839. >Her offense seems to have faded
  10840. >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  10841. "That's me, yeah."
  10842. >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  10843. >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  10844. "Oh?"
  10845. >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  10846. "That's not necessary."
  10847. >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  10848. >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  10849. "Ehheh."
  10850. >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  10851. >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  10852. >As soon as she's in range you get as close to her ear as her hood and wig will allow and whisper:
  10853. "Not a word."
  10854. >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  10855. "...feel free."
  10856. >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  10857. "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  10858. >"Applejack."
  10859. "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  10860. >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  10861. "Really?"
  10862. >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  10863. >"Just got back in town an' decided to stop here. Not a big fan of fast food, but ah ain't had a bite to eat in a full twenny four hours."
  10864. "Oh."
  10865. >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  10866. >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  10867. >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  10868. "Did she?"
  10869. >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  10870. "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  10871. >She nods
  10872. >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  10873. "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  10874. >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  10875. >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  10876. >Maybe you can end this quickly
  10877. "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  10878. >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  10879. >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  10880. >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  10881. >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  10882. >All goes well for a few minutes
  10883. >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  10884. >"You're pretty."
  10885. >AJ's eyes open wide
  10886. >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  10887. >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  10888. >Good lord
  10889. >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  10890. >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  10891. >So you just smile and shrug
  10892. >"Yes or no, silly~"
  10893. >Urk
  10894. "Sure, she's pretty."
  10895. >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  10896. >What was she expecting?
  10897. >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  10898. "She's. My... cousin."
  10899. >"Oh really?"
  10900. "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  10901. >She tugs even harder
  10902. >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  10903. >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  10904. "Hey..."
  10905. >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  10906. "...her name is Bella."
  10907. >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  10908. >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  10909. "She's visiting right now."
  10910. >"Ah..."
  10911. >The table falls silent
  10912. >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  10913. >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  10914. >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  10915. >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  10916. >"I'm not just visiting."
  10917. >"...excuse me?"
  10918. >"I live with Anon."
  10919. >Sonata
  10920. >What the fuck
  10921. >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  10922. >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  10923. >"...uh-huh?"
  10924. >"In fact. We share the same-"
  10925. "Bella."
  10926. >"...we-"
  10927. >She hugs your arm
  10928. >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  10929. "BELLA."
  10930. >Both girls jump
  10931. >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  10932. >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  10933. >Your heart's about to beat out of your chest as you stare at the back of her hood, unable to face AJ
  10934. >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  10935. >Finally, she speaks
  10936. >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  10937. ___
  10938. >She knows
  10939. >She's not stupid
  10940. >Just southern
  10941. >Wait, that's fucked up
  10942. >Can't control racing thoughts
  10943. >She's not even looking at you
  10944. >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  10945. >"So."
  10946. "So!?"
  10947. >Too loud, calm down
  10948. >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  10949. "Uh."
  10950. >Can't really deny it now
  10951. "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  10952. >"Because yer livin' together."
  10953. "Y-Yeah?"
  10954. >"Alone."
  10955. "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  10956. >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  10957. >"An' will be for a while."
  10958. "...yeah?"
  10959. >She shakes her head
  10960. >Wait
  10961. >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  10962. "Is that a problem?"
  10963. >She spits into gutter
  10964. >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  10965. >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  10966. "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  10967. >"She pregnant?"
  10968. >Your jaw drops
  10969. "Does she... look pregnant?"
  10970. >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  10971. >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  10972. >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  10973. "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  10974. >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  10975. "That's not quite-"
  10976. >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  10977. "Well."
  10978. >"An' that jacket's just embarrassin'. Talk about an over-correction. She's probably barely showin'. This ain't even mentioning that weird clingy behavior."
  10979. "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  10980. >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  10981. >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  10982. >"Ah'm right."
  10983. "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  10984. >She smiles
  10985. >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  10986. "Get to the point."
  10987. >"Alright, alright."
  10988. >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  10989. >"Ah've seen this four times in my family. It's real obvious at this point. Ah know ya probably think it rude of me ta git in yer business, but ah've seen first-hand how destructive teenage pregnancies can be."
  10990. "Go on."
  10991. >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  10992. "True..."
  10993. >"Ya gotta be mentally prepared for all that. Ah bet ya ain't given a moment's thought to the most critical events."
  10994. "Like?"
  10995. >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  10996. >It's as if her voice moves further away
  10997. >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  10998. >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  10999. >But she keeps going and going
  11000. >Like some kind of after school special
  11001. >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  11002. >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  11003. >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  11004. >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  11005. >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  11006. >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  11007. >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  11008. >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  11009. "Uh-huh."
  11010. >You extend your hand
  11011. >She takes it, and you pull her up
  11012. >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  11013. "I will."
  11014. >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  11015. >It makes your stomach turn
  11016. >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  11017. >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  11018. >Then, she stares at you
  11019. >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  11020. >"Anon."
  11021. "Yeah?"
  11022. >She takes one little step forward
  11023. >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  11024. "Just-"
  11025. >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  11026. >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  11027. >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  11028. >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  11029. >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  11030. >But fuck Aria
  11031. "Come here."
  11032. >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  11033. >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  11034. "I'm not mad."
  11035. >"Y-You aren't?"
  11036. "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  11037. >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  11038. "I think you do, Sonata."
  11039. >"...well, I was bothered because you called me your cousin. I don't want to be your cousin. Or anything else. I want..."
  11040. >She goes quiet
  11041. >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  11042. "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  11043. >"Huh?!"
  11044. "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  11045. >"Anon?"
  11046. "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  11047. >Urgh
  11048. >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  11049. >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  11050. >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  11051. >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  11052. >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  11053. >"Anon! I-"
  11054. >It gets tighter
  11055. >And tighter
  11056. >It's sort of hard to breathe
  11057. >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  11058. >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  11059. "Me too. But hey."
  11060. >"Yeah?"
  11061. "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  11062. >"I can't tell them?"
  11063. "It could mess up their punishment."
  11064. >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  11065. >"I won't tell them!"
  11066. "Good. I mean... thank you."
  11067. >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  11068. >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  11069. >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  11070. >...Yeah
  11071. >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  11072. "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  11073. >"...Sorry!"
  11074. "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  11075. >"Where are we going?"
  11076. >You lead her back inside
  11077. "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  11078. >"You don't know that!"
  11079. "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  11080. ___
  11081. >Your mood could not be any better
  11082. >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  11083. >Going on about the things she likes about you
  11084. >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  11085. >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  11086. >Can't stop smiling
  11087. >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  11088. "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  11089. >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  11090. >Adagio just stares
  11091. "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  11092. >Aria sighs
  11093. >"Took you long enough."
  11094. "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  11095. >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  11096. >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  11097. "Eat up."
  11098. >"...was that a joke?"
  11099. >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  11100. "Haha. Who's first today?"
  11101. >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  11102. >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  11103. >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  11104. >"I'm not hungry."
  11105. "Uh. Are you sure?"
  11106. >No response
  11107. "I guess I won't force you."
  11108. >That was disappointing
  11109. >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  11110. "Well. I guess that's that."
  11111. >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  11112. >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  11113. "Hm?"
  11114. >"Forget something?!"
  11115. "No?"
  11116. >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  11117. >You rub your chin and look around the room
  11118. "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  11119. >"Yo-You THINK?"
  11120. >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  11121. >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  11122. >That's... disgusting
  11123. >All the better
  11124. >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  11125. "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  11126. >"Shut up."
  11127. >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  11128. >Instantly she whines
  11129. >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  11130. >She forces herself to swallow
  11131. >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  11132. "Don't exaggerate."
  11133. >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  11134. "I think you are."
  11135. >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  11136. >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  11137. "How lewd."
  11138. >Her expression softens up
  11139. >"What are you talking about..."
  11140. "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  11141. >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  11142. "Right. Well."
  11143. >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  11144. >You're quick to swallow
  11145. "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  11146. >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  11147. "Haha!"
  11148. >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  11149. "Suit yourself."
  11150. >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  11151. >And inside that is a wrap containing two segments of a foot long submarine sandwich, packed to the brim with meat, cheese, lettuce, mustard and mayonnaise
  11152. >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  11153. >"...Seriously?"
  11154. "Mm?"
  11155. >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  11156. >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  11157. >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  11158. >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  11159. >The crunch of the lettuce
  11160. >The texture of the meat
  11161. >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  11162. >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  11163. >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  11164. "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  11165. >"So?"
  11166. "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  11167. >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  11168. "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  11169. >"SO?"
  11170. "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  11171. >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  11172. >Bingo
  11173. "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  11174. >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  11175. >If taking your time with your brunch weren't enough, this is what brings the fuming siren to let out a quiet growl
  11176. >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  11177. >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  11178. "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  11179. >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  11180. "You know that's not true."
  11181. >"What?!"
  11182. "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  11183. >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  11184. "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  11185. >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  11186. "...any time."
  11187. >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  11188. >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  11189. "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  11190. >"Huh?!"
  11191. "So eager to replace your leader..."
  11192. >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  11193. >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  11194. >There it is
  11195. >What Aria seems to care about most
  11196. >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  11197. >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  11198. "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  11199. >She looks past you
  11200. >Probably right at Adagio
  11201. >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  11202. >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  11203. >Her voice is somber and shaky
  11204. >You smile
  11205. >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  11206. >Not a word?
  11207. >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  11208. >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  11209. >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  11210. >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  11211. "...hmm."
  11212. >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  11213. >She looks at you in defeat
  11214. >Poor twin-tails
  11215. >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  11216. >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  11217. >Gently, you grab the top of her head and turn it back toward you, gesture to Adagio, and then press your index finger against your lips
  11218. >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  11219. >Oh come on twin-tails
  11220. >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  11221. >"..mpgh?!"
  11222. >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  11223. >At first she lets it sit there
  11224. >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  11225. >...there you go
  11226. >She chews slowly
  11227. >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  11228. >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  11229. >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  11230. >You smile at her
  11231. >She stares
  11232. >Your smile fades
  11233. >...and she keeps staring
  11234. >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  11235. >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  11236. >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  11237. >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  11238. >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  11239. >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  11240. "Anyway. If you're both sure you don't want to eat, I have better things to do than hang out with prisoners."
  11241. >You step outside
  11242. "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  11243. >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  11244. >Poor girl
  11245. >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  11246. ___
  11247. >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  11248. "Kitchen!"
  11249. >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  11250. >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  11251. >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  11252. >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  11253. >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  11254. "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  11255. >She hugs herself
  11256. >"Heehee~"
  11257. >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  11258. >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  11259. "Hm?"
  11260. >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  11261. "Oh!"
  11262. >A message
  11263. >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  11264. >Great
  11265. "Let's go see what it is."
  11266. >"Okay!"
  11267. >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  11268. ___
  11269. >You plop down onto the couch
  11270. >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  11271. >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  11272. >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  11273. >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  11274. >This picture always cracks you up
  11275. >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  11276. >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  11277. >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  11278. >...you're stalling
  11279. >Best get it over with
  11280. >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  11281. >"are you at your computer"
  11282. "I am now"
  11283. >"hello anonymous."
  11284. "What's up"
  11285. >"i went back to the mall"
  11286. "Didn't go well?"
  11287. >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  11288. "Oh"
  11289. "I'm sorry"
  11290. >"it's my fault"
  11291. "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  11292. >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  11293. >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  11294. >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  11295. "It's not your fault"
  11296. "Period"
  11297. >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  11298. "Who's they?"
  11299. >"my friends"
  11300. >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  11301. >"there are over seven billion of them"
  11302. >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  11303. "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  11304. >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  11305. "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  11306. >"they will"
  11307. >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  11308. >"they trusted me"
  11309. >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  11310. >Your chest hurts
  11311. >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  11312. >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  11313. >So what can you do?
  11314. >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  11315. >You start typing something
  11316. >Anything...
  11317. "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  11318. >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  11319. >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  11320. >She's... sorry
  11321. >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  11322. >God
  11323. >Damn it
  11324. >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  11325. >"you might be in the history books"
  11326. >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  11327. >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  11328. "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  11329. >You exhale sharply
  11330. >Here we go
  11331. >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  11332. "No"
  11333. "Stop typing"
  11334. "Just listen for a second"
  11335. >Sure enough, the message disappears
  11336. "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  11337. "From now on, I'm in charge"
  11338. "As your investigation manager"
  11339. "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  11340. "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  11341. "I just remembered"
  11342. >"what room is it"
  11343. >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  11344. "Nope"
  11345. "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  11346. "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  11347. "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  11348. "Your job today is to relax"
  11349. "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  11350. "Okay?"
  11351. >There's a long pause
  11352. >The typing notification brings anxiety
  11353. >"Anonymous..."
  11354. >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  11355. "I insist"
  11356. >"Okay..."
  11357. >"But."
  11358. >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  11359. "Don't worry, don't worry"
  11360. "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  11361. "I've got everything under control"
  11362. >"Okay..."
  11363. "Go relax"
  11364. >"Okay."
  11365. "Enjoy yourself"
  11366. >"ok"
  11367. >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  11368. >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  11369. >"Thank you Anonymous."
  11370. >Sonata bursts into laughter
  11371. >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  11372. >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  11373. >Feels kind of naughty
  11374. >"...excuuuuse me?"
  11375. "Huh?"
  11376. >She kicks at your shoulder
  11377. "Hey!"
  11378. >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  11379. >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  11380. >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  11381. >But what fun would that be
  11382. "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  11383. >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  11384. "I am."
  11385. >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  11386. "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  11387. >"Uuurgghh!"
  11388. >Her big toe twists into you
  11389. >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  11390. "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  11391. >"A-Anon!"
  11392. >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  11393. >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  11394. >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  11395. "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  11396. >"But you were looking!"
  11397. >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  11398. >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  11399. >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  11400. "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  11401. >"Yes. Yes you did."
  11402. ___
  11403. "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  11404. >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  11405. >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  11406. >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  11407. >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  11408. "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  11409. >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  11410. "Oh? Are you mad?"
  11411. >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  11412. "Let's play therapist."
  11413. >"Let's not."
  11414. "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  11415. >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  11416. >"Do you come from some crazy land where ty... tying girls up, being all pervy to them, calling them names and making fun of them and feeding them COLD BEANS, makes them HAPPY?"
  11417. "Interesting..."
  11418. >"It's NOT interesting!"
  11419. "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  11420. >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  11421. >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  11422. >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  11423. >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  11424. "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  11425. >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  11426. >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  11427. >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  11428. >...poor, poor twin-tails
  11429. >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  11430. >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  11431. >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  11432. "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  11433. >"What?"
  11434. "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  11435. >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  11436. >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  11437. >"N-No. I don't know. I don't even want to do it. I just thought you were going to make me."
  11438. "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  11439. >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  11440. >You lay down on your side in front of her
  11441. >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  11442. "Why?"
  11443. >"I don't have to tell you why."
  11444. "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  11445. >"Ugh. No."
  11446. "Then..."
  11447. >"I swear. Maybe you didn't notice, since you're a fucking idiot, but me and Adagio are kind of on bad terms. I mean, we were even before you pulled all this."
  11448. "Really?"
  11449. >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  11450. >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  11451. >"She won't even talk to me. I'm th-the new Sonata. I KNOW that's what she thinks. She thinks I'm a fucking idiot. You just..."
  11452. >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  11453. >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  11454. "Aria..."
  11455. >"And saying that upstairs? About how, 'ohh Aria just wants a new leader'! What the hell?! As if things weren't bad enough after the bus stop!"
  11456. "What happened at the bus stop?"
  11457. >Her breathing quickens
  11458. >And her eyebrows sink
  11459. >Oh boy
  11460. >"I just wanted to h... I just wanted. To show. Her. That I can be a leader too. I mean... help be the leader. We were trying to figure out where to eat. And I told her that, I thought I had a better idea, and told her we shouldn't go to the same places too many times, because it's suspicious. And..."
  11461. "...And?"
  11462. >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  11463. >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  11464. >You're not quite sure, but
  11465. >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  11466. >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  11467. >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  11468. >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  11469. "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  11470. >"Oh fuck off..."
  11471. "Seriously. You show yo-"
  11472. >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  11473. >You raise your voice a bit
  11474. "Quiet!"
  11475. >...
  11476. >Just like before, she stares
  11477. >Looking a bit surprised
  11478. >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  11479. >It's exciting
  11480. "As I was saying. Even you know Adagio was in the wrong. Getting upset over her own insecurity as leader? Ignoring your advice - which was very good by the way - she was definitely wrong."
  11481. >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  11482. "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  11483. >"How's it different?"
  11484. "...huh?"
  11485. >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  11486. >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  11487. "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  11488. >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  11489. >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  11490. >She smells...
  11491. >Er
  11492. >She actually does smell kind of bad
  11493. "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  11494. >"So...?"
  11495. "Aria, I'm not telling you this stuff to make you mad. I'm hoping you'll improve yourself. For your own sake - so maybe you don't embarrass yourself around people - and for my sake too."
  11496. >"Your sake?"
  11497. "Yes."
  11498. >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  11499. "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  11500. >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  11501. >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  11502. "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  11503. >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  11504. "Well that should be obvious."
  11505. >"It's not."
  11506. "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  11507. >You rub her cheek
  11508. >She just takes it
  11509. >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  11510. >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  11511. >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  11512. "Hey. You still hungry?"
  11513. >"Of course I am."
  11514. "Wait here."
  11515. >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  11516. ___
  11517. >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  11518. >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  11519. >Ah, what the hell?
  11520. >Might as well give her a full meal
  11521. >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  11522. >Perfect
  11523. ___
  11524. >"What the heck is all that?"
  11525. "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  11526. >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  11527. >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  11528. "Ohhh no no no."
  11529. >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  11530. "Don't get get too excited."
  11531. >"Huh?"
  11532. >It pops up into her view
  11533. >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  11534. "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  11535. >"...I don't want it."
  11536. >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  11537. "Buuuullshit."
  11538. >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  11539. >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  11540. "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  11541. >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  11542. >"...urmmpphh."
  11543. >At this point she stops responding
  11544. >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  11545. "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  11546. >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  11547. >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  11548. >Her chewing is full of sass
  11549. >You didn't even know that was possible
  11550. >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  11551. >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  11552. "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  11553. >"...yeah."
  11554. "Haha... twin-tails."
  11555. >"...what?"
  11556. "You're cute."
  11557. >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  11558. >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  11559. >It feels kind of... rapey
  11560. >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  11561. >"SEE?"
  11562. >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  11563. >"LOOK!"
  11564. >Smack, smack, smack
  11565. >"I'm EATING it!"
  11566. "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  11567. "Shut UP!"
  11568. >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  11569. >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  11570. >And another bite down
  11571. >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  11572. >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  11573. >"Ohh, Aria, sleep next to me! It's all warm and cozy and shit! Ohh Aria, eat this sandwich while she's not looking! Ohh here, just eat the whole thing in my creepy dungeon room!"
  11574. >Then, she takes that next bite
  11575. >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  11576. >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  11577. >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  11578. >And then, you bring out the coke
  11579. >"...ohhh, THANK you dear leader! You're s-so kind to me... I'm so happy... is that what you want me to say?"
  11580. >You smile
  11581. >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  11582. >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  11583. >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  11584. >She gulps down half of it at once
  11585. >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  11586. >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  11587. "Really?"
  11588. >"Yes, really."
  11589. "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  11590. >"What!? ...I mean..."
  11591. >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  11592. >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  11593. >"Oh. Those."
  11594. "Do you like them?"
  11595. >She shrugs
  11596. "You like them."
  11597. >The bag ruffles
  11598. >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  11599. >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  11600. >You raise it toward her
  11601. >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  11602. >...along with part of you
  11603. "Ack."
  11604. >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  11605. >Every inch of her face is moving
  11606. >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  11607. >"These are... pretty well made."
  11608. "Think so?"
  11609. >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  11610. >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  11611. >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  11612. >It's like feeding a deer or something
  11613. >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  11614. >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  11615. >She swallows
  11616. >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  11617. >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  11618. >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  11619. >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  11620. >She barely seems to mind
  11621. "Aria... maybe I don't want you to be a prisoner forever."
  11622. >"What..."
  11623. "Maybe I feel like I have to guide you toward the obvious best choice."
  11624. >She focuses on the bag of chips and keeps her mouth shut
  11625. "So?"
  11626. >"So what?"
  11627. "Do you want do finish off this bag, or not?"
  11628. >She frowns
  11629. >Then rolls her eyes
  11630. >And sighs
  11631. "Haha... okay then."
  11632. >You dig in for another handful
  11633. ___
  11634. >Having elected to draw out the trip upstairs, you casually stroll through the kitchen
  11635. >When you told her punishment had ended, Aria had nothing to say
  11636. >Didn't even make a face
  11637. >Kind of disappointing
  11638. >You creep up the stairs, one by one
  11639. >Listening for a reaction of any kind
  11640. >...halfway up now...
  11641. >Nothing?
  11642. >Three quarters
  11643. >There's the final step
  11644. >"Wait."
  11645. >Lo and behold
  11646. "Yeah?"
  11647. >".......uh."
  11648. >You wait patiently, but she delays for far too long
  11649. >She gets a bit heavy on your shoulder
  11650. >Once you feel an urge to set her down, you rush her
  11651. "Go ahead."
  11652. >"Just- ...ugh. Never mind."
  11653. "What were you going to say?"
  11654. >"Nothing."
  11655. "I think it was something."
  11656. >You pat her ass and she kicks her legs
  11657. >"Fuck you. Go hang yourself."
  11658. "Alright, alright."
  11659. >You carry her into the guest bedroom
  11660. >Adagio's fast asleep, her head hanging and hair obscuring her face
  11661. >After Aria is tied up properly again she flops right onto her side and closes her eyes
  11662. "Uhh."
  11663. >It's almost funny
  11664. "...sleep tight, twin-tails."
  11665. ___
  11666. >"Anon?"
  11667. >You jolt awake
  11668. >The white glow of your laptop screen hurts your eyes
  11669. >Sonata's hand rests on your knee
  11670. >Shit
  11671. >Why are you so tired?
  11672. "Hey."
  11673. >You rub your eyes and then sigh at the blinking cursor with nothing behind it
  11674. >Some brainstorming session that amounted to
  11675. "I thought you were going to go to sleep? That's why I turned the lights off."
  11676. >Sonata grabs the remote off the back of the couch and lowers the volume just a bit before answering:
  11677. >"I can't fall asleep."
  11678. "Since when are you too good for the couch? Am I spoiling you?"
  11679. >You absolutely are
  11680. >"Hee hee. It's not that. I'm just worried about why you're so worried."
  11681. "Er."
  11682. >She gets up and sits so close to you that she's forced to rest her arm on your lap
  11683. >If this is some kind of pressure tactic...
  11684. >It's working
  11685. >"You can tell me, you know."
  11686. "I..."
  11687. >Telling her couldn't possibly end well
  11688. >Going out to spend time with a girl she's already shown jealousy toward?
  11689. >She'd worry, she'd get angry
  11690. >Judging by that little outburst at Taco Bell, Sonata might even contact Twilight to set the record straight
  11691. >So, you can't
  11692. >Sorry Sonata, but...
  11693. "It's about the money."
  11694. >"Huh? ...oh! Oh no!"
  11695. "Wh-what?"
  11696. >She covers her mouth and distances herself from you
  11697. >"I knew it..."
  11698. "What?"
  11699. >"I'm so stupid..."
  11700. "What?! What's wrong?"
  11701. >She buries her face into a cushion
  11702. >Her legs flop out onto the floor
  11703. >"I spent all our money at Taco Bell!"
  11704. >...
  11705. "Not quite. I'm not exactly rich, but I'm far from poor. I mean, we're."
  11706. >"So I didn't waste the money?"
  11707. "No, silly."
  11708. >She perks up and sits down again
  11709. >"Good! Then what is the problem?"
  11710. "I uh. Uhhh. Well, this money was sent to us from another country. And the... government is suspicious, since it happens too often, and-"
  11711. >"The cops and judges!?"
  11712. "Yes? Sort of."
  11713. >"Are you going to jail?!"
  11714. >Jesus Christ
  11715. >This girl goes from calm to panic in an instant
  11716. >You ruffle her hair and shake your head
  11717. "The government is big. The cops and judges are only part of it. The part that's causing problems with me is just making sure I'm not a criminal."
  11718. >"Oh."
  11719. >She puts on an innocent smile
  11720. >Trusting your every word as you spew bullshit
  11721. >God damn it
  11722. "Yeah. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow and I'm just nervous about it."
  11723. >"You should have told me. I can help you."
  11724. "It's okay. I c-"
  11725. >"Anon!"
  11726. >She crawls into the floor in front of you and rests her head on your lap
  11727. >Very quickly you start to feel her warmth
  11728. >That, and her weight - this feeling of being trapped where you sit is oddly comforting
  11729. >Why is she so good at calming your mind?
  11730. >"I need to help you."
  11731. "Need to?"
  11732. >"Yeah... um."
  11733. >She slips her arms under her face and settles in
  11734. >"It's my job. You've been taking care of me, and you're so nice to me. And now, ever since T-Taco Bell we're-"
  11735. >She stuffs her face into your leg for a moment to quiet a squee
  11736. >"we're a couple."
  11737. >You are, aren't you?
  11738. >It still seems so surreal for this girl you met so recently, who was initially scared of you, to be with you
  11739. >"And a girlfriend is supposed to comfort her boyfriend. Especially when he's about to face a battle."
  11740. "Sonata..."
  11741. >'Battle' is a bit dramatic, but you let it slide
  11742. >A dog food commercial passes by on TV
  11743. >Thirty seconds of contemplation as she hums and gently rocks left and right on top of you
  11744. >Even though you aren't doing anything wrong, you feel guilty
  11745. >Lying so that you can spend the day with Twilight...
  11746. >Maybe it's best just to tell her?
  11747. "Sonata. There's something I need to-"
  11748. >The words escape you
  11749. >Her head shoots up
  11750. >"Uh, do you mean..."
  11751. >She sit sup straight and lets her eyelids sink down a bit
  11752. >"...that you need me?"
  11753. "Huh?"
  11754. >Her eyes revert as she studies your confused reaction
  11755. >"Is it what you need?"
  11756. "Uh."
  11757. >"Anon?"
  11758. >She runs her hand up and down your leg, very slowly
  11759. >Your face heats up
  11760. >Your mind draws a blank
  11761. >Where is this coming from?
  11762. >"I-Is it what you need or not?"
  11763. >Her hand stops moving
  11764. >Though it's hard to see her face with the laptop glowing behind her, you can tell she's nervous
  11765. >Time to force some words
  11766. "What's this all about?"
  11767. >"What do you mean..."
  11768. "Where did this come from?"
  11769. >She waits a while
  11770. >"I'm confused..."
  11771. "Me too?"
  11772. >"Don't you-"
  11773. >Her ponytail whips around as she looks away
  11774. >"Don't you want me, Anon?"
  11775. >Of course
  11776. >How could you not?
  11777. >But so soon, and with this investigation shit on your mind?
  11778. "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"
  11779. >"I don't know. Is it?"
  11780. "Maybe. We literally started dating today."
  11781. >You glance at the time
  11782. "Yesterday..."
  11783. >Sonata looks at your laptop, and then to you
  11784. >"Isn't this what boys want?"
  11785. "Well. Yes?"
  11786. >"They want to get really close with a pretty girl."
  11787. "Yeah."
  11788. >"So I'm not pretty? Is that it?"
  11789. >What?!
  11790. >"Is it my hair? I can do twin-tails like Aria. Is- is that it? Am I not tough enough? 'Cause I can be. Beating people up and, saying bad words. Or is it my hair color? I can get the wig. Just tell me. Tell me what to do..."
  11791. >The more she goes on, the faster she talks, and the faster she talks, the higher she climbs up your lap
  11792. >Once she's close to your face your stomach goes ice cold. Now you can clearly see the tears building in her eyes
  11793. >"I can be smart, too. I can... maybe not as much as that one girl. But I promise I can be smart."
  11794. >Her voice shakes with her unsteady breathing
  11795. "Sonata, why are you saying this stuff?"
  11796. >"Because."
  11797. >She runs her fingers over her eyes
  11798. >"I'm scared."
  11799. "Of what?"
  11800. >She shakes her head
  11801. >"You're more interested in all the other girls."
  11802. >That's not true...
  11803. >"Like how you wanted to see Aria naked, but not me."
  11804. >Where in the world did she get that impression?
  11805. >...
  11806. >Your jaw drops as a sentence from earlier on hits you with all of its meaning
  11807. >"And Applejack - you kept looking and, I know you said you were just nervous, but then you said she's pretty."
  11808. >It was kind of forced out of your mouth, though-
  11809. >"You didn't tell me what you talked to her about either."
  11810. >A bunch of bullshit is all-
  11811. >"When that smart girl came to the house, you wanted to be alone with her too!"
  11812. >She knows why that is-
  11813. >"And. And..."
  11814. >She's lightly sobbing at this point
  11815. >Talking so quickly you can't even think straight
  11816. >"You spent last night with Aria, huh?"
  11817. >...
  11818. >Well
  11819. >It's true
  11820. >"It's just so... scary having a boy leader."
  11821. "So that's what it is?"
  11822. >Her mouth shuts tight and she leans in a bit
  11823. >Apparently eager to hear your response
  11824. >You reach around and rub her back
  11825. "Sonata, you think I'm going to abandon you for other girls?"
  11826. >She shrugs her shoulders and sniffles
  11827. "Don't be crazy. Do you really think I'd trade you off?"
  11828. >"If they were prettier."
  11829. "Well I wouldn't. You're mine. No matter what happens you'll be by my side."
  11830. >"Anon..."
  11831. "Besides that, you're insane if you think you're not as pretty as those other girls. You're..."
  11832. >You caress the side of her face
  11833. "...the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
  11834. >"...Anonnn..."
  11835. "I don't want to hear about you being stupid, either."
  11836. >"But I am."
  11837. "You aren't. A bit naive maybe. But you're just saying this because Aria calls you stupid. Right?"
  11838. >"I don't know."
  11839. "I do."
  11840. >She presses into your hand and whimpers
  11841. >You'll have to do something about Aria...
  11842. "And about last night. I was punishing her and fell asleep. That's all there is to it."
  11843. >She looks perplexed for a moment, likely thinking back to her own punishment and wondering how one dozes off during a spanking
  11844. "Did you already forget what I told you?"
  11845. >"What?"
  11846. "You're special to me, Sonata."
  11847. >The faint sound of the TV is all you hear for some time
  11848. >You start to worry that she isn't convinced
  11849. >But then she lunges into a hug so hard you nearly lose your breath
  11850. >As soon as presses her face into your shirt, her quiet sobbing intensifies
  11851. "Sonata..."
  11852. >"Y-You mean it?"
  11853. >You hug her back
  11854. "Of course."
  11855. >"I'm... I'm s... I'm so happy..."
  11856. >You stay like this so long that your laptop's screen shuts off
  11857. >Resisting the urge to reach over and wake it up, you decide...
  11858. >Fuck it
  11859. >You'll just wing it tomorrow
  11860. >Right now, she needs you
  11861. ___
  11862. >You wake up to the intro theme of Sonata's favorite show
  11863. >The previously dark living room is lit partially through the windows and their closed curtains
  11864. >Morning already
  11865. "Your show is on~"
  11866. >She stirs a bit
  11867. "Don't you want to watch it?"
  11868. >"Mmm... tired."
  11869. "Come on~"
  11870. >Truthfully, you just need her to get off of you
  11871. >"tired..."
  11872. "I've got to pee."
  11873. >"Oh."
  11874. >She gets up, rubs her groggy eyes and falls into the vacant side of the couch
  11875. >Already fast asleep again
  11876. >Time to get ready for the investigation
  11877. >While making your way to your bedroom's bathroom, you strip off your shirt and pants
  11878. >After you've done what must be done you stand in the living room and stretch
  11879. >The fact that there's a girl in the room strikes you, and you feel a bit awkward
  11880. >Too used to living alone
  11881. >You start back to your bedroom to get changed and are stopped by three knocks on the door
  11882. "What the hell?"
  11883. >You glance at Sonata
  11884. >Still asleep, thank god
  11885. >You hop over to the door and look through the peephole
  11886. >As you thought... Twilight
  11887. >You can't let her inside with Sonata right there on the couch
  11888. >But you also don't want to have to tell Sonata to head off to the guest room so you can talk to someone she views as a rival
  11889. "Damn it."
  11890. >You stand up straight, and try not to panic
  11891. >She's going to knock again. What if Sonata wakes up?
  11892. >After adjusting your boxers a bit, you open the door, step outside and close it as quickly - and quietly - as possible
  11893. >"Hello Anoh my gosh..."
  11894. >She raises her notebook over her face
  11895. "Hey. Why're you here? You should've messaged me."
  11896. >"Ahh... I, uh, I did. Five times."
  11897. "Oh. Well it's so early. I just woke up. Please excuse me while I get dressed."
  11898. >"It's twelve-thirty..."
  11899. "Feel free to hop into the passenger seat of my car, I'll just be a minute."
  11900. >"Okay. I will."
  11901. >She scurries off
  11902. >Perfect
  11903. >You smile in victory and head back into the house
  11904. >After shaking her a bit, Sonata springs awake
  11905. >"Mmmmm. Anooon! You didn't tell me my show was on!"
  11906. "I did too, silly. Hey, you have to get up."
  11907. >"Noooo..."
  11908. >She watches as you pass by the couch
  11909. >"Anaawwwn~!"
  11910. "Huh?"
  11911. >"Oh my GOSH~!"
  11912. >Oh, right
  11913. >Almost naked
  11914. "Sorry, I was changing for my meeting."
  11915. >"Oh you don't have to apologize~"
  11916. >You feel your face heat up and your stomach get all tingly
  11917. >No time though
  11918. >Got to act fast
  11919. "No seducing your leader."
  11920. >"More like you're seducing me~"
  11921. "Oh boy."
  11922. >Now you really don't want to leave
  11923. >But you've got a girl waiting in your car
  11924. >Urk
  11925. "I've gotta get dressed, follow me!"
  11926. >You dash into your room and throw on a fresh t-shirt and jeans
  11927. >Your shoes are hiding under the edge of your bed, but you manage to find them
  11928. >Sonata jumps onto your side of the bed and starts to get cozy
  11929. "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake. I need you to feed the prisoners."
  11930. >"Awwww!"
  11931. "Listen close, this is important okay? Remember not t-"
  11932. >"to untie them, or listen to anything they say, EVEN if they say they're ready to be good. I'm not stupid, remember?"
  11933. >She smiles, and you do as well
  11934. "Sorry. I'm nervous because it's a bit different this time. I might be gone for a long time today."
  11935. >Hold it
  11936. >Taking them to use the restroom involves untying them
  11937. >You can't really leave that to Sonata
  11938. "Fuuuuck. I've gotta check on them. Aria has to pee."
  11939. >"What? How do you know?"
  11940. "I just know. Hey, I'm going to head out right after that, okay? I'll see you later."
  11941. >"Okay.... I'll miss you."
  11942. "You too! Go get their food ready!"
  11943. >"Arghhh!"
  11944. ___
  11945. >"Hey, asshole! I don't need your help!"
  11946. "You sure?"
  11947. >She shoves you, but you hold your position
  11948. >Twin-tails could just sprint off if you don't
  11949. >She stands there and glares at you
  11950. "Forgive me. You just seem so feeble and helpless after literally eating out of my hand."
  11951. >"I didn't have a choice."
  11952. "Oh, you enjoyed it."
  11953. >"Yeah, I just LOOOoove being at your mercy like that."
  11954. >...
  11955. >She groans and slams the door
  11956. "Make sure you wash your hands."
  11957. >"Don't be stupid!"
  11958. >Oh, why not check that off the list right now?
  11959. >Like an asshole, you wait a few moments before opening the door
  11960. >"...what the FUCK!"
  11961. >She's got her purple pants pulled down to her knees
  11962. >For a split second, anyway. She practically falls over pulling them back up
  11963. >"Get out!"
  11964. "Just a moment."
  11965. >"..Huh?"
  11966. >You shut the door behind you, and her eyes widen
  11967. >"...hey."
  11968. >She backpedals into the corner as you approach
  11969. >"Wh-what? Freak."
  11970. "I need to talk to you about something."
  11971. >You lean over her and pray she doesn't kick you in the balls
  11972. "Sonata, actually."
  11973. >Like a child told to clean her room, Aria lets out an exaggerated sigh
  11974. >"What is it now? You're the only one who's spitting on people lately."
  11975. "Still mad I didn't kiss you?"
  11976. >"I would've puked if you did."
  11977. "So unladylike..."
  11978. >You get closer and she mashes her face into the wall
  11979. "Pfft."
  11980. >"Just get out of here! Fucking creep!"
  11981. >She pushes a hand into your chest with impressive force, for a single arm
  11982. >You snatch up her wrist
  11983. "Aria."
  11984. >"Let! GO!"
  11985. >She throws her fist
  11986. >You raise your hand just in time to catch it, sending a sharp pain through your arm
  11987. "Man. You're pretty strong, twin-tails."
  11988. >With your leg firmly pressed into both of hers, you shift your weight onto her
  11989. >She groans and twists and turns as she tries to get away
  11990. "Anyway, about Sonata. You're going to st-"
  11991. >"Go! Go AWAY!"
  11992. "Aria. Calm down."
  11993. >"UGH!"
  11994. >She thrusts herself into the toilet tank and tries to squeeze by you, and you catch her by the waist
  11995. >Her grunts get increasingly pathetic
  11996. >She tries to climb over your arm
  11997. "Jesus. You're going to piss yourself if you keep it u-"
  11998. >"I can't even go to the fucking bathroom now? God!"
  11999. "Ari-"
  12000. >"You are the WORST!"
  12001. >Being interrupted by this girl is the most frustrating thing
  12002. >And after what you did last night?
  12003. >Maybe you're being too soft on twin-tails
  12004. "ARIA."
  12005. >She jumps
  12006. >And then like magic she's frozen in place, and completely silent
  12007. "Sit down."
  12008. >"...ugh..."
  12009. >Her head hangs low
  12010. >The toilet seat clunks under her ass
  12011. >That...
  12012. >Felt pretty good
  12013. "Okay. Now."
  12014. >You take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, facing the top of Aria's head
  12015. "I've got a problem with the way you talk to Sonata."
  12016. >"Okay?"
  12017. "Namely, you calling her stupid."
  12018. >"...well..."
  12019. "Well what?"
  12020. >She exhales sharply and lowers her head even more
  12021. >"Nothing..."
  12022. "Right. Anyway it's going to stop. From now on, you are forbidden to call her that."
  12023. >"Forbidden? Seriously?"
  12024. >She sits up straight again, you suppose to show off the irritation on her face
  12025. >You take note of the blush as well
  12026. "A prisoner doesn't get to exercise free speech, let alone use it to insult her superior."
  12027. >"...SuPERIO-"
  12028. >The tank's lid audibly shifts as the siren sits against it and grabs hold of her twin-tails
  12029. >She pulls on them, hard
  12030. >"FINE. I won't insult your PRINCESS. Happy?"
  12031. "Yeah."
  12032. >Every time you get Aria flustered, it gets even more exciting
  12033. >Her tough exterior just begs to be fucked with
  12034. >"Now let me piss in peace, will you?!"
  12035. "Not yet."
  12036. >You step up and raise out your hands
  12037. >Trying to move further into the tank doesn't work out for her
  12038. >Regardless, you freeze with your fingers grazing her sides
  12039. >Something curbs your excitement
  12040. >Guilt...
  12041. >A bawling Sonata, hiding her face in your chest
  12042. "...uh..."
  12043. >Twin-tails eyes you up and down
  12044. >"The fuck are you doing?"
  12045. >Well, now you feel silly
  12046. >You scratch the back of your head
  12047. >Maybe you can play it off
  12048. "You smell worse than usual. I don't want it on my hands."
  12049. >"What... ever."
  12050. >She relaxes a bit as you back off, then raises her hands in disbelief when you sit back down
  12051. >"SERIOUSLY? How long am I supposed to hold it in?"
  12052. >The urge to fuck with her rises
  12053. >But touching her is...
  12054. >As much as you enjoyed feeling her impressive body, you shouldn't
  12055. >With how much pain Sonata's already gone through you'll have to make some changes
  12056. >Aria raises an eyebrow at your sigh
  12057. >...what were you thinking when you kidnapped them?
  12058. >Why would it ever work out with all three?
  12059. >Those daydreams about having a trio of loving, affectionate companions?
  12060. >Sonata can't handle that...
  12061. >And you can hardly blame her
  12062. >It's depressing
  12063. "I've got an idea."
  12064. >You're fine with one wife and two servants
  12065. >Right?
  12066. >It can still work out
  12067. >You don't even need to touch Aria to humiliate her, either
  12068. >There are plenty of ways...
  12069. >Such as:
  12070. "Go ahead. Relieve yourself."
  12071. >"...WHAT?"
  12072. "You heard me."
  12073. >"You. Have. Got. To be. Kidding."
  12074. "Nope."
  12075. >Her mouth hangs open
  12076. >It seems she's waiting for you to laugh and tell her it was a joke
  12077. >You cross your arms and give her a stern look
  12078. "It wasn't a request. I have stuff to do, so get to it."
  12079. >"A-Are you... serious... oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You're an actual pervert."
  12080. >Never has flipping the bird been so energetic
  12081. >Her fist and extended middle finger are waved all around
  12082. >"I'm drawing the line. This is beyond disgusting. I refuse."
  12083. >She refuses
  12084. >Isn't that cute?
  12085. >Curious how her rude hand gesture disappears the moment you get on your feet
  12086. >"I'm serious. I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I've had enough."
  12087. "Garbage?"
  12088. >"...huh?"
  12089. "You'd be the luckiest girl in the world to be treated like garbage."
  12090. >"What do you mean by THAT?"
  12091. "That, as long as you're a prisoner, you're nothing."
  12092. >You hold on to her shoulders and get in her face
  12093. >Not eager to risk a kick to the dick, you step on her feet
  12094. "You have no freedom of speech. You are not entitled to privacy. Cold beans are wasted on you. You're at the very bottom of the hierarchy. You get me?"
  12095. >"...you-"
  12096. "And you've only got yourself to blame."
  12097. >"No, I'v-"
  12098. "Now hurry up."
  12099. >Her lip trembles
  12100. >She squeezes her fists
  12101. >"N-N-"
  12102. >With a stomp, she stands up and pulls her pants down to her ankles
  12103. >She brings her hands back up and hooks her fingers into the band of her panties
  12104. >As soon as they're far enough down falls back into the seat
  12105. >Her eyes are full of hate
  12106. >"Nothing. I'm 'nothing', huh?"
  12107. >All of a sudden, the situation sets in
  12108. >You're standing right in front of an angry tomboy who's about to take a piss
  12109. >Displaying your discomfort would be bad though, so you cross your arms and wait
  12110. >After ten seconds or so she mumbles something and you hear spattering against the bowl, alongside tiny splashes
  12111. "There you go."
  12112. >You give her two good pats on the head
  12113. "Was that so hard?"
  12114. >"...can't... believe... you."
  12115. >The sounds fade, and she slumps
  12116. "Good twin-tails. Okay, I've got other stuff to get to, so-"
  12117. >"Take me upstairs then."
  12118. >She stands and pulls her underwear and pants back on
  12119. >To your amusement she slams her fist into the flusher
  12120. >"I'm nothing, right? A f-fuck up. Go tie me up and leave me to die. I don't care anymore."
  12121. "Oh, Aria!"
  12122. >"...huh?"
  12123. >You take a step back
  12124. "Shouldn't you have uh."
  12125. >She follows your pointing finger to the toilet paper roll
  12126. >"Ugh! Whatever! It's your fault, standing over me like a sexual predator! Of course I forgot!"
  12127. "Man. You really are gross."
  12128. >With the doorknob in your hand, you motion her toward it
  12129. >She steps forward
  12130. "One thing though."
  12131. >"What?"
  12132. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I said you're nothing *so long as you're a prisoner*."
  12133. >"...so?"
  12134. "So, how about you spend the day thinking about it."
  12135. >"Just. Take me up."
  12136. >Ew
  12137. "I'm not carrying you this time. Start marching, I'll tie you up in the guest room..."
  12138. ___
  12139. >Standing out by your hedges, you pet your pocket
  12140. >An idea struck you after Aria was back in her place
  12141. >The bullshit lead you needed was right there in your house all along
  12142. >It took a while to find it, but at least now you have something
  12143. >You run your hand over your pocket one last time
  12144. >The fear of it creating a noticeable bulge seems inescapable, even after a test in front of the mirror showed just about nothing
  12145. "Okay. Here we go."
  12146. >You make your way out to your car
  12147. >Twilight jumps as the door clicks open
  12148. "Hey. Sorry I was in there so long."
  12149. >"Oh. It's... fine."
  12150. "Not very manager-like."
  12151. >You climb in, close the door and buckle up
  12152. >Twilight just sits there staring at the glovebox
  12153. "Gonna go without buckling? I mean, I won't force you. But I'm a pretty bad driver."
  12154. >"Oh! I'm sorry!"
  12155. >She frantically reaches over her shoulder and secures herself
  12156. >"I'd never go without it. It's the rules."
  12157. "Uh-huh..."
  12158. >Something's up
  12159. >She's not looking at you when she speaks
  12160. >Is it because you were in your underwear?
  12161. >It's not that big of a deal, is it?
  12162. "Um."
  12163. >Well this is embarrassing
  12164. "Sorry if I made it weird before. I'm not used to having visitors."
  12165. >"...it's okay, I wasn't even thinking about that."
  12166. "Oh."
  12167. >...
  12168. >Awkward silence
  12169. >She's fidgeting
  12170. >This is going badly
  12171. >Just start the car
  12172. >Wait, what if she's like this the whole drive?
  12173. >Or the whole day?
  12174. >Fuck
  12175. "You're acting kind of strange."
  12176. >"...oh."
  12177. "You alright?"
  12178. >"Uh."
  12179. >She rubs her face
  12180. >"Please don't lecture me."
  12181. >She looks over
  12182. >Her eyes are red and weary
  12183. >"I was up all night."
  12184. >Not terribly surprising
  12185. "What were you doing all night...? Reading? Because I was joking about two bo-"
  12186. >"I decided to go to the school."
  12187. >Your jaw drops
  12188. >But, you should have expected this
  12189. "Are you serious?"
  12190. >"Yes. I feel so stupid."
  12191. >She lays against the head rest and makes frustrated hand gestures
  12192. >"It was dark, so I couldn't even find it."
  12193. "You got lost?!"
  12194. >"Yes! Why are there so many buildings?!"
  12195. >How disappointing
  12196. >Giving Twilight that little speech yesterday about relaxing and having fun felt good
  12197. >Now you feel like an idiot for trusting the anxiety addict to not worry
  12198. "You really shouldn't be wandering around the city at night by yourself."
  12199. >"I didn't want to."
  12200. "How'd you find your way back to Rarity's house?"
  12201. >"P-Police officer..."
  12202. "Uh oh. You got arrested?"
  12203. >She looks genuinely insulted, at least a little bit
  12204. >"No, no. He asked me if I was alright. Anonymous, I'd never be arrested, because I'd never commit a crime."
  12205. "Of course. I know."
  12206. >You chuckle
  12207. "I'm glad you made it home okay."
  12208. >"Thanks... I'm sorry."
  12209. "For not doing what I said? You should be sorry."
  12210. >"I know! That's why I apologized!"
  12211. >Didn't expect her to snap at you
  12212. >You back into the window and raise your hands defensively
  12213. "It was a joke. Spare my life."
  12214. >She looks confused, then apologetic, and then stifles a laugh
  12215. >"Sorry. I wasn't mad. Last night was just so stressful."
  12216. "That's why I told you."
  12217. >Something bothers you
  12218. "Couldn't you have pestered Rarity to drive you there?"
  12219. >"No."
  12220. "Why not?"
  12221. >Twilight runs her fingers over the stacked pages of her closed notebook
  12222. >"Besides the fact that she was already asleep... they don't know that I'm having so much trouble finding information. Mostly I've been talking to everyone on the Personal Computer in the living room. Rarity's suspicious, but I told her I've just got a lot on my mind about my home."
  12223. "I see."
  12224. >"Please don't mention it to them."
  12225. "Don't worry. I probably won't even talk to them."
  12226. >"Thank you. Thank you, Anonymous."
  12227. >Her worries influence everything about her, from her restless posture to her antsy tone
  12228. >She looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a while
  12229. >It almost feels that, by capturing the sirens, you've also imprisoned Twilight
  12230. >That's not what you wanted
  12231. >"Now then, to the school. We have a very thorough search to conduct."
  12232. "...About that. What do you say we hold off? For just a little bit."
  12233. >"WHAT?"
  12234. >She seems to shock herself with her own volume
  12235. >"Sorry- what do you mean?"
  12236. "That. Exactly that. You are unbelievably high strung right now."
  12237. >"That's not true! I'm just focused, Anonymous!"
  12238. ___
  12239. >Giving in to the shaking hand guiding it, the spoon presses into the corner of Adagio's mouth
  12240. >Not good, Sonata whispers in her mind
  12241. >When she sees that her former leader's stare has become cold, her mind starts to yell
  12242. >Not good, not good, not good...
  12243. >"S-Sorry Adagio."
  12244. >Sonata pulls back the spoon, takes a deep breath, and goes to try again
  12245. >"Stop."
  12246. >As commanded, her hand freezes in place and her fingers tighten
  12247. >"What's wrong?"
  12248. >" 'What's wrong' ? Do you really need to ask?"
  12249. >Sonata shrugs her shoulders and looks away
  12250. >Only for a moment
  12251. >"Look at me."
  12252. >"S-Sorry."
  12253. >She snaps back to Adagio's face
  12254. >Her droopy, exhausted, yet terrifying face
  12255. >There's a bit of refried beans on her. Must be what the problem is
  12256. >Sonata takes a finger and scrapes it off
  12257. >"Same as always, Sonata."
  12258. >"...what does that mean?"
  12259. >"You know exactly what it means."
  12260. >Sonata's heart was already beating fast
  12261. >But now she feels a strong urge to either raise her voice, or run away
  12262. >With no clue which to choose, she elects to look at the floor
  12263. >"...SONATA."
  12264. >"Ye-yes! Oh, okay! Sorry Ada... gio..."
  12265. >What is she doing, she thinks, bending so easily to her?
  12266. >For some time, Sonata rubs the spoon handle and studies Adagio's figure
  12267. >She's sitting with her knees against her chest
  12268. >Her head hanging a bit to the side
  12269. >Rope around her foot, and rope binding her hands
  12270. >What can she do?
  12271. >"Adag..."
  12272. >In an effort to muster up extra courage, Sonata thinks of you
  12273. >Being so afraid of Dagi is a betrayal
  12274. >Sounds crazy, but it's not, she asserts to herself
  12275. >If Dagi can't do anything right now...
  12276. >Being afraid of her is like admitting that she'll win someday, or that you won't be able to make her be good...
  12277. >"Adagio."
  12278. >"Yes?"
  12279. >"...p-pr-"
  12280. >Sonata scoops up some refried beans and holds it up to Adagio's face
  12281. >Using every ounce of her willpower, she frowns and speaks up
  12282. >"Prisoners will be quiet as they're fed. Even with beans on their faces!"
  12283. >She said it!
  12284. >Excitement and mortal terror bubble up in Sonata's stomach
  12285. >Signals run to her legs telling her to stand and run
  12286. >But she keeps her butt planted on the wooden floor
  12287. >Adagio can't do anything
  12288. >And yet Sonata's skin crawls as she sees her mouth open up
  12289. >"So. The brainwashing has been going well?"
  12290. >"Brainwashing? You mean like what we used to do...?"
  12291. >Adagio laughs softly
  12292. >"Oh, Sonata. I'm referring to something much more simple, and a victim who is far more pathetic."
  12293. >Adagio shakes her head
  12294. >After it's dropped, the spoon dings into the rim of the bowl
  12295. >"Are you calling me a victim?"
  12296. >"Do you think otherwise?"
  12297. >"I'm not a victim... and he didn't brainwash me. He doesn't even have magic, so-"
  12298. >"Exactly why this is so pathetic. This isn't a matter of magical intervention. Instead, this is about a naive fool who trades her friends, her companions - her family - for hollow promises of a comfortable life."
  12299. >"Wh-what are you talking about?! I didn't 'trade' you..."
  12300. >"Have you forgotten your agreement with that human?"
  12301. >"Well..."
  12302. >"He is your new leader. Your loyalties have shifted. You, are a traitor."
  12303. >Sonata shakes her head and clenches her fists
  12304. >However, no proper counter argument springs into her mind
  12305. >"It amazes me that you would even try to down-play what you've done to the person who's taken care of you for so long."
  12306. >"Uhh..."
  12307. >"So tell me. Are you going to admit that you've whored yourself out to him?"
  12308. >It's not
  12309. >LIKE that
  12310. >Sonata's vision blurs and she runs her arm over her watery eyes
  12311. >Is Aria hearing this, she wonders?
  12312. >To her relief she finds twin-tails still laying on her side, arms over her head, with tightly shut eyes and slow, rhythmic breathing
  12313. >"What do you see happening to you in ten years?"
  12314. >"...I'll be here. With Anon."
  12315. >"Will you be happy?"
  12316. >"Yeah..."
  12317. >"No you will not be. After ten years, you'll spend your free time daydreaming. Reliving the days when you were your own person. And those daydreams will be interrupted by a bitter man's orders."
  12318. >"...what...?"
  12319. >" 'Clean the toilet, Sonata.' 'Sonata, cook my dinner.' 'And don't burn it this time, idiot.' After he's told you what you get to do for him, he'll go off on his own."
  12320. >"That's stupid... what are you even saying?"
  12321. >"That he will grow tired of you. You are his Equestrian trophy - mildly attractive, but untalented. Clumsy. Slow. Untrustworthy. Annoying. A handful. He'll groan at the sound of your voice and think, 'how did they tolerate this girl before I got her?' After he's grown bored of your body, and you're little more than a maid who sleeps in the floor beside his bed, you'll understand how grave this decision you've made is."
  12322. >Sonata squeezes tight around her wrist, wincing at each insult
  12323. >She's wrong, Sonata knows she is... but she can't help but visualize you saying each and every heartbreaking word
  12324. >Your face angry and impatient
  12325. >Just like Adagio's
  12326. >"Y-Yo-You're wrong."
  12327. >"Am I?"
  12328. >"Y-Yes!"
  12329. >"I suppose those tears are joyful, and that you've reassured yourself that Anon cares about you."
  12330. >Sonata quickly wipes her eyes and stands, sending the bowl of beans tumbling into the floor by Adagio's foot
  12331. >"A-Anon WON'T get tired of me! He WON'T be mean!"
  12332. >After glancing at the slumbering Aria and quieting herself, Sonata reaches over and grips her own arm again
  12333. >"Anon is nice. The kind of nice where, if I'm upset, he doesn't get annoyed. He comforts me, and makes me feel better, and he. He-"
  12334. >She shouldn't, and she's aware of it. But the words come so easily
  12335. >"He loves me. He told me that I'm special to him."
  12336. >Adagio's eyebrows raise, just a little. Interpreting this as surprise, Sonata continues confidently
  12337. >"He doesn't want to rush into S-E-X, because we're doing things proper. Like, dating. He's my boyfriend now."
  12338. >Sonata smiles
  12339. >"We haven't even kissed. He doesn't just want me for my body. He wants me to be by his side. Forever."
  12340. >Her finger pushes painfully into her arm as anxiety builds. Every word she speaks at this point is surely a bad idea
  12341. >Best to stop here, she decides
  12342. >She releases her arm and rests her hands on her hips
  12343. >"...Special?"
  12344. >Adagio slowly turns her head toward Aria
  12345. >When she looks back, the smile she's adopted sends a chill down Sonata's spine
  12346. >"...mhm."
  12347. >"You think this human is in love with you?"
  12348. >"I think he is. No, I KNOW he is."
  12349. >Her eerie smile strengthens
  12350. >"Very, very interesting."
  12351. >Scooting her foot around the bowl of beans, Adagio stretches out her legs and yawns
  12352. >"Sonata, you've just given me something to think about."
  12353. >"What?"
  12354. >"Let's just say I'm going to have to re-evaluate Anon after hearing that."
  12355. >"Wait. Really? Are, are you serious?!"
  12356. >She bounces and clasps her hands together, which is enough to send Adagio right back into that irritated state
  12357. >"Calm down."
  12358. >"Yeah, yeah..."
  12359. >"Listen. I'm not very hungry."
  12360. >"Are you sure? You barely ate any."
  12361. >"If I tell you that I'm not hungry, it means I'm not hungry."
  12362. >Sonata nods and takes the bowl in her hands
  12363. >The beans have slid up to the edge, but it's still fine
  12364. >Trying to contain the excitement of her victory, she hums and kneels in front of Aria
  12365. >"Don't worry about that. Just go down stairs."
  12366. >"But, she'll be mad!"
  12367. >"Being like this, eating as little as we do..."
  12368. >Adagio cracks her neck, to the left, and then to the right
  12369. >"...shrinks your stomach. Do you understand me?"
  12370. >"Yeah. I do."
  12371. >"So, go downstairs, Sonata."
  12372. >She pokes at the side of the bowl for a while
  12373. >Then she sighs and stands by the doorway
  12374. >"You don't have to have a small stomach. If you jus-"
  12375. >Adagio's face is hidden again by her hair as she stares at the wall
  12376. >But that's okay
  12377. >This conversation was a success, Sonata tells herself
  12378. >With a big smile she dashes out of the guest room and down the stairs
  12379. >If only Anon were here right now...
  12380. ___
  12381. "I swear. You'll be thanking me."
  12382. >"No! It's inappropriate!"
  12383. "It's not about what's... 'appropriate,' for crying out loud. It's about enjoying yourself."
  12384. >"Anonymous, I respectfully decline."
  12385. "No you don't."
  12386. >"WH- you can't consent for me!"
  12387. "I so can. I'm gonna do it right now."
  12388. >You reach out your hand and Twilight grunts
  12389. >"I'll feel guilty. Just, please stop it already..."
  12390. >The glovebox's little weight becomes apparent the moment its handle is pulled, and you let it fall open
  12391. >You take your wallet and wag it in the air
  12392. "It's nothing. Seriously."
  12393. >Facing the speaker again, you clear your throat and try to talk loud and clear
  12394. "We changed our mind, she'll take the deluxe ice cream sundae after all."
  12395. >The passenger buckle clicks and the belt zips up and over
  12396. >A palm presses into your leg
  12397. >Hair fills your vision
  12398. >"DISREGARD! Please, strike that from the record, I did NOT consent!"
  12399. "Twilight. Come on..."
  12400. >You push her back into her seat
  12401. >"Unhand me, Anonymous!"
  12402. "Alright."
  12403. >You hold her down with your foot the best you can
  12404. "Ignore her, she's just trying to be funny."
  12405. >Twilight shoves on your leg, barely budging it, and the speaker fuzzes
  12406. >"...okay sir, please check the screen and confirm your order..."
  12407. "That's right. ESPECIALLY the last bit, with the deluxe ice cream sundae."
  12408. >"Anonymous!"
  12409. ___
  12410. >Twenty minutes later you sit across from an irritated Twilight, at the tables outside a fancy book store
  12411. >You've finished eating, but Twilight's pretty slow
  12412. >Something has been making you feel a childish excitement since you got here:
  12413. >She hasn't noticed where you are
  12414. "So. Once you're done with your fries, and the sundae, I have another idea."
  12415. >Her mouth shuts hard, mashing a fry in half
  12416. >Through gritted teeth, she asks,
  12417. >"Anonymous. Don't tell me we aren't going to the school next?"
  12418. "Nope."
  12419. >"Are you KIDDING ME?!"
  12420. "Uh. Twilight?"
  12421. >"I was only keeping my mouth shut because I knew it was almost time to go!"
  12422. >She seems to notice the worry on your face
  12423. >Twilight shuts her eyes, and while gesturing toward her chest, breathes in
  12424. >Then while gesturing away, breathes out
  12425. >"Ahhh... alright. Alright. I'm sorry for yelling."
  12426. "It's fine."
  12427. >"What do you have in mind, manager?"
  12428. "I'll tell you right after you finish your sundae."
  12429. >"...to be honest, I'm already full. Why don't you eat the sundae?"
  12430. "Come on. I've come to expect girls to eat three times as much as you just did."
  12431. >"What?"
  12432. "Nothing, just enjoy the sundae. I want you to have it."
  12433. >"I don't... want it."
  12434. >Why's she being so adamant about this ice cream?
  12435. "What is there to feel guilty about if I happily bought it for you?"
  12436. >"I... don't deserve it. After what I did to y-"
  12437. "Stop. Seriously. I'm not upset."
  12438. >"Maybe because you don't know how big a deal this could be. In fact, judging by your attitude about this investigation I KNOW you don't understand."
  12439. >Don't... understand?
  12440. "I understand just fine."
  12441. >"You don't."
  12442. "Being responsible is one thing. Worrying yourself into the ground is another. Just eat the sundae, Twilight."
  12443. >"No, Anonymous!"
  12444. "Come on!"
  12445. >"I decline! I'm FULL!"
  12446. "No you're not!"
  12447. >"First you consent for me, then you consent for my stomach?!"
  12448. "I-"
  12449. >You realize you've stood up
  12450. >Twilight's glare doesn't soften, even after you smile and scratch your chin in embarrassment
  12451. "Sorry."
  12452. >"Yeah."
  12453. >Uh oh
  12454. >Sleep deprivation and stress are not pretty on this girl. Not pretty at all
  12455. >Not that they'd be pretty on anybody
  12456. "Tell you what. Forget about the sundae."
  12457. >"Gladly. I didn't want it in the first place."
  12458. "Eheh. Okay. Uh, about that idea."
  12459. >Pointing off to the side, you drop down into your chair
  12460. >You feel better the moment her eyes are on the hanging sign
  12461. >"Oh. A book store?"
  12462. "Yeah. You like books. Right?"
  12463. >"I love books."
  12464. "How about we look around? I bet you've never been in a human book store before."
  12465. >"I haven't."
  12466. >Twilight looks back with a faint smile, which disappears immediately after she sees the sundae again
  12467. >She shoves it to your side of the table and continues
  12468. >"But I don't have money to buy books, or the time to read them - I'm very busy when I'm in this world."
  12469. "Exactly."
  12470. >She frowns
  12471. >"No thank you."
  12472. "What?"
  12473. >"I'm not going to let you buy me a bunch of books."
  12474. "Really? Don't you wish you could amass a human literature collection, and bring it back to your world?"
  12475. >"I d-... um."
  12476. "You could build a whole library just for the stuff, back home. Our species has written so much that you'd need far more than just one library to contain it all though. Imagine taking books through the portal, studying them, and returning as a human expert..."
  12477. >Her lips move as if to say something, but she just ponders
  12478. "To start out, you could buy an encyclopedia. A few novels to get a better grasp on human to human interactions too. I bet you have a lot of questions about our biology..."
  12479. >Her eyes widen a bit
  12480. >"...there are books that cover each and every last detail about the human body. Isn't that the kind of stuff you're into?"
  12481. >"Uhhhh."
  12482. >It seems as though she's trying to be angry, and just can't
  12483. >A potent curiosity is painted on her face
  12484. >"They have those books here for sure?"
  12485. "Yeah!"
  12486. >That's how you catch a nerd
  12487. >"Well. I guess a few minutes of looking around wouldn't hurt."
  12488. "Damn right they wouldn't. Let's go."
  12489. ___
  12490. >For the past ten minutes, she's been moving from section to section, gawking at the many different genres on display
  12491. >"The art. There's so many beautiful covers."
  12492. "That's a weird thing to notice."
  12493. >"Well, I mean-"
  12494. >She holds up a romance novel with a beautifully painted forest in Fall
  12495. >As she swoons she rubs its side
  12496. >"Art on the cover of a book is less common in Equestria."
  12497. "Ah."
  12498. >"I think it's fantastic. Imagine how many children it could lure in."
  12499. >Creepy way to phrase it, but who can disagree?
  12500. >She continues moving from shelf to shelf, reading summaries and noting which ones she's interested in
  12501. >Eventually she stumbles upon a section with a big banner advertising pre-owned study material
  12502. >Textbooks lay side by side on a few tables with reduced prices
  12503. "Ah, we found it. Math, Science, Literature, Health-"
  12504. >Twilight snatches up a biology book and flips it open
  12505. >"Oh my gosh. There are so many pages..."
  12506. "Yeah! You can read all about our weird fingers and stuff."
  12507. >"Oh my gosh! A whole chapter on the human heart."
  12508. "Uh-huh. A good thing to learn about, I guess."
  12509. >She skips ahead
  12510. >"Oh my... gosh."
  12511. >She looks at you from beside it, apparently comparing you to an illustration, and quickly looks back to the book
  12512. "...Twilight?"
  12513. >Over the next ten seconds you watch a blush form on her face
  12514. >You grab it out of her hands and put it back on the table
  12515. "Alright, maybe you should start with another textbook."
  12516. >"Y-Yes."
  12517. >A little while later, you're looking around in embarrassment as the bookworm argues with you
  12518. >"I. Decline."
  12519. "Come on. It was the whole point of coming in here. I can afford it, so enjoy it."
  12520. >"Anonymous, I really don't feel comfortable. I'll acquire human books on my own."
  12521. "You're not even technically a student, right? Do you have your own textbooks?"
  12522. >"If I find time, I'll study Rarity's..."
  12523. "And then leave them behind?"
  12524. >She stamps her foot and shakes her head
  12525. >One by one she takes the books piled in your arms and places them back where they belong, in some instances sprinting across the store and coming right back
  12526. >"There! Now drop it, would you?"
  12527. "Twilight. You're... something else."
  12528. >"Uh-huh! I'm going back to the vehicle!"
  12529. "It's called a car you dork."
  12530. >"Uh-huh!"
  12531. >She stomps off
  12532. ___
  12533. >Back on the road
  12534. >Almost to Canterlot High
  12535. >Thankfully for your nerves, Twilight is too mad to say anything
  12536. >Her frustration is difficult for you to relate to
  12537. >Probably because you know so little about Equestria, or magical beings...
  12538. >...but you couldn't resist giving it one last shot
  12539. >You pull the shopping bag further up your lap so that it doesn't fall to the floor as you turn
  12540. >The Taco Bell you usually eat at passes by
  12541. "Okay. We're pretty much there now."
  12542. >A few minutes later you pull into the mostly empty High School parking lot
  12543. >Before the car has even come to a complete stop, Twilight unbuckles and goes for the door handle
  12544. "Wait a second."
  12545. >No response, she's just frozen in place
  12546. "I don't want you to be mad at me."
  12547. >You notice her shoulders rise and fall before she turns around
  12548. >"I just want to search for information."
  12549. "Yeah, I get it. But listen."
  12550. >"...Okay."
  12551. "Back in the book store, watching you look around like an excited little kid, was amazing. That's the only time I've actually seen you happy."
  12552. >"Oh, well I don't know about that."
  12553. >With how little time you've spent with Twilight, it's very true
  12554. "I know you feel guilty, but I have to insist. Because I want you to learn to balance your time."
  12555. >"Insist on wha-"
  12556. >She notices the shopping bag, and sighs
  12557. >"You said that you bought yourself a dictionary."
  12558. "Ha!"
  12559. >You pull the bag up from its bottom and catch the novel in your hand
  12560. >Staring up at Twilight is that same romance novel, with the Fall forest
  12561. >Upside down. Just as planned, right?
  12562. >"A-Anonymous..."
  12563. "Hundreds of pages of humans being humans."
  12564. >"But..."
  12565. >Her voice softens
  12566. "The protagonist is a dork, too. It's the perfect place to start. Just take it, in exchange for promising that you'll spend plenty of time unwinding while you read it."
  12567. >She carefully takes the book from your hand and places it in her lap
  12568. >Running her finger up and down the cover seems like a pretty positive reaction
  12569. >"...it is a beautiful book."
  12570. "Yeah."
  12571. >"And I know you're trying to help me."
  12572. >She picks up the shopping bag, places the novel inside and pushes it against your leg
  12573. >"But for the last time, I decline."
  12574. "...What?! I had you that time!"
  12575. >"Not even close actually."
  12576. "This is so damn stupid... just take it!"
  12577. >You drop the bag onto her
  12578. >"Hey!"
  12579. >She picks it up and drops it from slightly higher up
  12580. >You similarly raise the stakes and go just about as high as is possible in the car
  12581. >"ANONYMOUS!"
  12582. >Twilight grips it tight
  12583. >Smacks it into the ceiling
  12584. >And slams it into your crotch
  12585. "...FFF-"
  12586. >You grab the steering wheel and look away
  12587. >Judging by Twilight's immediate ranting, she doesn't realize what she did
  12588. >"There's something you REALLY need to learn Anonymous. And frankly, I can't believe I'm going to have to teach it to you!"
  12589. "Y-Yeah? What? How to treat a small mystery like a blooming World War?"
  12590. >"No, I'm going to teach you how to be a better friend!"
  12591. "Th-this entire day was about being a good friend to you."
  12592. >"Are you sure?"
  12593. >You groan and look at her
  12594. >She's crossing her arms and tapping her elbow
  12595. >"Are you sure this is being a good friend?"
  12596. "What are you saying?"
  12597. >"I told you I didn't want you to buy me food! I practically begged you not to buy the ice cream! And now you've spent even more money on me!"
  12598. "I wanted to-"
  12599. >"Did I look like I wanted you to?"
  12600. "...Twilight..."
  12601. >"You can't do this to people. If you force something on someone, even if you THINK it's for the best, deep down they'll RESENT you for it!"
  12602. >She hops out of the car and slams the door
  12603. >Though you're still suffering from an agonizing pain between your legs, her words seem to have struck you the hardest
  12604. >"Don't wait for me! Just tell me what room you overheard the girls talking in, and go home."
  12605. "...uh..."
  12606. >Which room
  12607. >Which fucking room?
  12608. >How are you going to do this?
  12609. "Uhhh..."
  12610. >"What? You forgot? Great. GREAT! I'll just search every room in entire school, Anonymous! Or maybe you're just holding out until we spend some time at the gas station?"
  12611. "Do you know where the art rooms are?"
  12612. >"Yes."
  12613. "It was in one of them. I don't remember which."
  12614. >Though Twilight's anger doesn't dissipate, you catch a hint of a smile
  12615. >"Good. Then I'll be off."
  12616. >She takes a few steps, and then returns to the passenger window
  12617. >"Um. Anonymous. Even though you're absolutely in the wrong... um..."
  12618. >After grabbing her notebook off of the seat, she forces a smile
  12619. >"...I know you were... trying to be good. So..."
  12620. >Twilight sighs, and takes off
  12621. >You slide into your door
  12622. >The warm window heats up the side of your face
  12623. >But you can't bring yourself to get off of it
  12624. >You just watch Twilight rush inside
  12625. "...fuck."
  12626. ___
  12627. >Dozens of channels surfed, and none have distracted you in the slightest
  12628. >Annoying commercials trying hard to be "random"
  12629. >The shopping channel feels pointless
  12630. >Cooking shows will just make you hungry
  12631. >Hey, your favorite movie's playing
  12632. >It seems like a perfect opportunity at first, but there's no way you'll commit to the runtime
  12633. "Ughh."
  12634. >It's not the first time TV has let you down. The internet will have to pick up the slack
  12635. >...though, if you're on your laptop, you probably won't be able to resist checking for messages from Twilight
  12636. >You sigh and fall onto your side
  12637. >Might as well just check if Sonata's show is on-
  12638. "Uggghhh."
  12639. >"Anon?"
  12640. >You sit up and find Sonata, standing behind the couch
  12641. "Hey."
  12642. >"They don't need to go to the bathroom."
  12643. "That's good."
  12644. >Sonata smiles, opens her mouth to speak, but stops, as if unsure of what to say or how to say it
  12645. >"...Aria wanted to talk to you."
  12646. "About what?"
  12647. >Once again she pauses
  12648. >Ever since you got home today you've noticed this behavior. This subtle discomfort she's hiding
  12649. >It makes you wonder: did it start today?
  12650. >Or has she been doing this the whole time, while you've been too naive to notice?
  12651. >"She wouldn't say. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
  12652. "Just tell her to give a reason, or I won't bother."
  12653. >Sonata nods and heads on out of the living room
  12654. >You lay back down
  12655. "Twin-tails... let me mope in peace..."
  12656. >Soon, Sonata's face is hovering over yours
  12657. >"She wants to know when you're going to punish her."
  12658. >Oh, right
  12659. >You'd forgotten about punishment completely
  12660. >The select button on the remote brings up the time
  12661. >11:24 PM
  12662. "I guess it is getting late."
  12663. >"...You don't have to punish her, do you?"
  12664. "Still worrying about them?"
  12665. >"Well, yeah."
  12666. "Hmm. I don't really feel like punishing her. I'm pretty tired."
  12667. >"Great! Then I'll tell her!"
  12668. "W-Wait."
  12669. >You sit up and rest a hand on Sonata's shoulder
  12670. >She jumps
  12671. >Though it catches your attention, you try to stay focused
  12672. "It's fine. I'll do it. I guess I have to."
  12673. >"Why?"
  12674. "You know. Intimidation. I don't want to look like a slacker."
  12675. >"Don't worry Anon. You're intimidating anyway."
  12676. >It's like a knife through the heart
  12677. >Your suspicions seem to materialize as ice packed into your stomach
  12678. >You let yourself slide backwards off the couch
  12679. >"Anon!?"
  12680. >Her bare feet appear upside down before your eyes
  12681. >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  12682. >She gets down on one knee
  12683. >She doesn't seem aware, but her panties are in clear view
  12684. >You can't muster up any excitement over it
  12685. >"Are you sick?"
  12686. "Nah... don't worry, Sonata. I'm just exhausted after today."
  12687. >"Turning into a snake isn't going to help, silly."
  12688. "Yeah, but it gives me an excuse to have you pick me up."
  12689. >Sonata smiles
  12690. >At least you hope she does
  12691. >All you see is her legs straightening out
  12692. >"You're a boy, so."
  12693. "You calling me heavy?"
  12694. >She takes both of your hands and pulls as hard as she can
  12695. >Your back rubs against the cushion and your head meets the carpet
  12696. "Are you picking me up or pulling me into the floor?"
  12697. >"Uh! You're a BOY, so!"
  12698. "That's no excuse."
  12699. >You lift your legs
  12700. >Sonata grabs them and tugs
  12701. >It works much better this time, flipping you onto your stomach
  12702. "There we go."
  12703. >"You look like you're really, really tired. Just punish her tomo-another day, okay?"
  12704. "No, no... I went and said it would be an everyday thing."
  12705. >You pull yourself up by the arm of the couch
  12706. "Just prepare for relentless hugging once I'm done."
  12707. ___
  12708. >"Why are you going so slow?"
  12709. >Aria's voice is practically a growl already
  12710. >The microwave on the kitchen counter catches your eye
  12711. >You hum and poke at the buttons
  12712. "This thing's so old. I should buy a new one."
  12713. >"I don't even know what you're talking about."
  12714. "Oh."
  12715. >You spin around. Aria's ass joins you in staring at the doorway for a moment before you turn back
  12716. >"Well what is it?"
  12717. "A microwave. It warms up your beans."
  12718. >"Yeah, used to maybe."
  12719. "Still mad about that?"
  12720. >She wiggles around on your shoulder
  12721. >"Just keep going."
  12722. "I don't know... maybe I should google some good modern microwaves first?"
  12723. >"The hell does google mean? I- I don't even care. Why do you keep stopping?"
  12724. "Because you keep complaining."
  12725. >"Well GO! I need to talk to you about something very, VERY important!"
  12726. >Something important?
  12727. >Maybe something along the lines of, 'I want to be your slave'?
  12728. "Well, well, well."
  12729. >She settles as you head into the hallway
  12730. >Rather than kicking the black door open, you walk into it. Just as lazily, you lean your back into it to shut it
  12731. >"OW?"
  12732. "Oh. Sorry."
  12733. >You drop Aria into the chair and cross your arms
  12734. >"What's up with you? You're being even weirder than usual."
  12735. "Don't worry about that. Just go ahead."
  12736. >"Uh..."
  12737. >She looks down at her lap
  12738. >Given that it's probably a humiliating thing for her to say, you give her some time
  12739. >About fifteen seconds
  12740. >Then you lose patience
  12741. "All that complaining and you didn't even want to tell me what's on your mind?"
  12742. >"I want to. It's just. Ugh..."
  12743. "Get it over with. You'll feel better."
  12744. >"Okay..."
  12745. >Twin-tails takes a deep breath, and exhales very slowly
  12746. >"Will you... fuckin'..."
  12747. >She extends her arms as well as she can, pushes her bound hands into the floor and crawls onto her knees
  12748. >"Talk to Adagio, and make things okay between her and I?"
  12749. >Wait
  12750. >This again? Seriously?
  12751. >Before you can get a word in, Aria gets down on her arms and lowers her face into the smelly carpet
  12752. >"PLEASE."
  12753. "...Are you really begging on your hands and knees?"
  12754. >She maintains the position in complete silence
  12755. "Wow, Aria. I don't know what to say."
  12756. >You sit down in front of her
  12757. "What happened to make you do this?"
  12758. >A cute little muffled groan can be heard
  12759. >She really doesn't want to say
  12760. >Even prodding the side of her head doesn't get it out of her
  12761. "Come on. Tell me. I'm not going to stop poking until you tell m-"
  12762. >Her head pushes your hand away as she shoots back up
  12763. >"SHE GAVE UP on me, like you said. She told me I should just do what Sonata did and join you. Can you fuckin' believe that? How could someone as stupid as you be right? I can't fuckin' believe this..."
  12764. >Her face is already beet red
  12765. >"You have to do something. She's only doing this because of what you said. If you take it back, she'll change her mind. So, please. Do something nice for me for once. I'll owe you a favor or something."
  12766. "For once? Didn't that sandwich count?"
  12767. >"Wh-whatever. Two favors?"
  12768. "Don't forget about the chips and the soda."
  12769. >"...Four favors. Okay?"
  12770. "Man. Four favors for my prisoner. I'm awfully nice."
  12771. >"Just agree already."
  12772. "Aria..."
  12773. >Remembering the reality check to the balls from earlier today, you decide that forcing Aria to accept the realities of her own situation is the best course of action
  12774. "Let's say I go up there, and take all of it back. Adagio's happy with you again."
  12775. >"Yeah. Will you?"
  12776. "So you go back to being tied up alongside her for another two weeks. Or a month. Or a year. Or longer? Is that your plan?"
  12777. >"N-No."
  12778. "You escape, right? Slip right out of the rope or something. Now what? You get your necklaces?"
  12779. >"..."
  12780. "That's not going to happen. Those things are gone. Search the city for the rest of your life and you'll never find them. In other words you'll be out on the streets without your magic."
  12781. >She frowns
  12782. >Time to lay it on thick
  12783. "Maybe right after you escape you decide to get some food. Well, good luck. That costs money. And how much money do you have?"
  12784. >She rolls her eyes
  12785. "How much, Aria?"
  12786. >"None. Obviously."
  12787. "So you go hungry. At least you can get a hotel room and think over your options after a good night's sleep. Except you can't. Those cost money too. That leaves you with very few options. How do you like park benches?"
  12788. >"You must think we're idiots. Maybe I'll find work?"
  12789. "No one's going to hire a girl who can't prove her identity."
  12790. >"Why would I need to prove my identity?"
  12791. >You shake your head
  12792. "This is what I mean. You're not stupid, but you have no idea how this world works. At the same time you've got this hubris. It's a recipe for disaster."
  12793. >"So you're trying to say that my ONLY option is to stay with you."
  12794. "Well-"
  12795. >"Why do you want this so fuckin' badly? Why do you NEED me to stay here with you? If you really think this is a good option for me, then tell me why you're so willing to take me in."
  12796. >Ouch
  12797. >Parried her reality check, and brought yours right back into focus
  12798. >Judging from her suspicious stare she probably expects the answer to be that you're just a pervert
  12799. "I'm... not sure anymore."
  12800. >She raises an eyebrow
  12801. >Punishing the sirens seemed like a necessary step
  12802. >They're criminals, after all. But more importantly...
  12803. >If you break them down, and turn them into slaves...
  12804. >They'll have to depend on you
  12805. >They CAN'T leave you
  12806. >And the guilt you feel in doing this to them can be pushed away by just remembering:
  12807. >They're monsters
  12808. >They're not even people
  12809. "I guess I was just trying to fill a hole in my life. But, it was a bad idea."
  12810. >"What?"
  12811. "All of this. I didn't think it through."
  12812. >You pull Aria into the chair
  12813. "I mean, fuck. I spray painted that door a few minutes before I left to kidnap you three. I don't even know why I did that. It looks goofy."
  12814. >"Uh. That still doesn't tell me WHY you kidnapped me. What do you mean, hole in your life?"
  12815. "You wouldn't believe my motives anyway. I'll just be a pervert to you. Hey, tell me something: you hate my guts, don't you?"
  12816. >"Yes."
  12817. >No hesitation...
  12818. "You mean it when you tell me to hang myself, right?"
  12819. >"Uhh."
  12820. "See? I don't know why I ever thought this would work out."
  12821. >"What are you saying?"
  12822. "This was all... a mistake. That's what I'm saying. I should never have kidnapped you."
  12823. >"M-Mistake? But you said-"
  12824. >She slowly pulls her legs up to her chest
  12825. "I said what?"
  12826. >"You said... you said I was-"
  12827. >Her face scrunches up
  12828. >She lets out a quiet, exhausted whine and rocks around in the chair
  12829. >"Wo-would you just hit me already?"
  12830. "What?"
  12831. >"Hit me! Like you did Sonata! No, worse than Sonata! Punch me in the stomach until I can't breath!"
  12832. >On instinct alone, you take a step away from her
  12833. >"Do it! You're fuckin' AWFUL at this. Maybe you can REDEEM yourself. Kick me until my teeth fall out!"
  12834. "Twin-tails? You uh, you feeling alright?"
  12835. >"NO! I'm feeling bored, because you're the worst wannabe 'master' ever. Saying I smell bad? Feeling me up? Cute! And that sandwich thing was just sad. At this rate you're gonna do more nice things than MEAN THINGS!"
  12836. "Aria, are you... about to cry?"
  12837. >"NO!"
  12838. >She throws herself off of the chair
  12839. >Her twin-tails spiral around her as she rolls to the wall and back, ranting all the while
  12840. >"Kick my ass! 'You might be tough for a girl but I'm a guy' THEN PROVE IT! Hit me! Throw me into the floor! Step on my face!"
  12841. "You're creeping me out."
  12842. >"I'M CREEPY, RIGHT?"
  12843. "Right now... yes..."
  12844. >"I smell bad, I'm not pretty, I'm stupid, I'm NOTHING, and I was all a MISTAKE!"
  12845. >Is she having some kind of meltdown?
  12846. >The discomfort building in your gut makes it clear that you're not equipped to deal with this
  12847. >Her rolling picks up in speed
  12848. >The chair has officially tipped over
  12849. >Aria's shirt rides up her stomach, and her hair is a wild mess
  12850. >"HIT! ME! IDIOT! GIVE ME A REASON! HIT! ME! HIT! MEE!"
  12851. >She comes to a sudden stop against your raised foot
  12852. >Her face is so scrunched up that you can't even tell if her eyes are closed
  12853. "I'm not going to hit you."
  12854. >"Right. Fuckin' coward..."
  12855. "Aria."
  12856. >"H-Huh?"
  12857. "I think punishment is over."
  12858. >"Whatever. Gonna be thirty seconds long every night or what?"
  12859. "No, I mean, I think punishment is over... forever."
  12860. ___
  12861. >She's been standing against the kitchen table for a few minutes now
  12862. >By your choice. Since you refused to patch things up between her and Adagio, taking her back upstairs is probably a bad idea
  12863. >You lean over and try and gauge her mood, but her face is...
  12864. >Blank
  12865. "What do you think of sleeping in here?"
  12866. >"The kitchen...?"
  12867. "Yeah. For now, anyway."
  12868. >"...for now?"
  12869. >You nod and tap on the table
  12870. "Yeah. For now."
  12871. >She shrugs her shoulders as slowly as a person possibly could
  12872. "Hmm. Alright. I'm going to get a pillow and a blanket or something, I guess."
  12873. >"Uh-huh..."
  12874. >You take a step past her, and her bound hands come flying into your chest
  12875. >"Wait."
  12876. "What?"
  12877. >"Uh... I... uhhh... I, I need to go to the bathroom."
  12878. >A loud, dramatic stinger plays on the TV in the living room
  12879. >She doesn't find it nearly as amusing as you do
  12880. "Ha... what, were you lying before?"
  12881. >"No. Just wanted to talk to you."
  12882. "Oh?"
  12883. >You throw her over your shoulder and make your way into your bedroom
  12884. "Are you feeling better now?"
  12885. >"Uh-huh..."
  12886. "Are you lying?"
  12887. >"Uh-h-nno..."
  12888. "Hmmm."
  12889. >After getting the ropes off of her, you gesture toward the bathroom
  12890. >She drags her feet on the way in
  12891. >As if watching that freakout wasn't a big enough guilt trip...
  12892. >"What are you doing? Are you not going to come in?"
  12893. "I told you. We're not doing punishment anymore."
  12894. >She shrugs her shoulders again, leans against the door frame and rubs her wrists
  12895. >"Are you really going to give up? Kinda makes you a quitter, huh?"
  12896. "Aria. Go to the bathroom."
  12897. >"Anyway, there's no paper on the roll. I don't know how to put more on there, so."
  12898. "What? There should be some."
  12899. >"I just saw it, dude."
  12900. >She steps in and points
  12901. >Did Sonata play with the-
  12902. >No, come on
  12903. >She's not a puppy
  12904. "Okay. I'll show you how to put more on. Pay attention, okay?"
  12905. >Once inside, you reach down for the cabinet, but stop yourself
  12906. "Aria. There's definitely still paper on-"
  12907. >In an instant, you're staring at the clean, white ceiling
  12908. >One rim of the bathtub slams into the top of your head, and the other jabs into your back
  12909. >You hear a gasp, a few stomps and a slam
  12910. "What. The fuck..."
  12911. >As you sit up, you notice a jingling of the door knob that is impossibly far away
  12912. >And when stand you nearly fall
  12913. "Holy shit."
  12914. >You take a moment
  12915. >Breathing slowly and waiting...
  12916. >The dizziness starts to fade
  12917. >The throbbing pain, however, intensifies
  12918. "Aria..."
  12919. >Sliding your hand on the wall helps keep your balance to the door
  12920. >The knob won't budge
  12921. >Not one bit
  12922. "Aria. Aria!"
  12923. >She's not there, is she?
  12924. >Yeah
  12925. >She's gone
  12926. >You flip the lock both ways a few times, and obviously it makes no difference
  12927. >Looks like you taught her a new trick
  12928. "S-"
  12929. >You ball your fist, and hit the door a few times
  12930. "SONATA!"
  12931. >And then you wait
  12932. >You repeat this, two more times
  12933. >Nothing
  12934. "SONATA!"
  12935. >Probably asleep
  12936. >Or distracted by the TV?
  12937. "SO... NAATA...aaaa."
  12938. >The knob turns, and the door opens up slowly
  12939. >On the other side is a terrified Sonata holding a chair up to her chest
  12940. >"Anon! What happened!?"
  12941. >The chair tumbles to the floor
  12942. >She puts a hand on your shoulder and gets as far up on her tiptoes as she can
  12943. >"Are you hurt?"
  12944. "Did you see Aria?"
  12945. >"Uhh. I."
  12946. >Feeling your balance fully return, you let go of the wall and walk through your bedroom
  12947. >The living room's empty
  12948. >"I heard the front door slam, and I woke up. I thought it was you."
  12949. >So, she really did it
  12950. "I didn't think she had it in her."
  12951. >"Anon! Why are you rubbing your head? What happened?"
  12952. "I fell. It's nothing. Come on."
  12953. >You open a nearby drawer and take a flashlight
  12954. "There's another behind the TV. Go get it, okay?"
  12955. >"Wait. Is Aria outside?!"
  12956. >You dash through the living room
  12957. >The doormat slides under your feet
  12958. >If you hadn't grabbed the knob you'd be on the floor
  12959. "Yeesh."
  12960. >The chilly night air hits you
  12961. >No time to get a jacket
  12962. >You flip the flashlight's switch
  12963. >Nothing
  12964. "Seriously?"
  12965. >You raise it up and slap its back end into the palm of your hand, over and over
  12966. >"Are y-you mad, Anon?"
  12967. "No, this is how you get it to work."
  12968. >"I didn't have to do that. Look!"
  12969. >Bright light invades your eyes
  12970. "SONATA."
  12971. >Should have grabbed that one to begin with
  12972. >You spin around and groan
  12973. >This piece of shit never works when you need it to
  12974. >"See? Just flip the switch Anon."
  12975. "I have to do this!"
  12976. >"You don't! Watch!"
  12977. >She circles around you and points hers into your eyes as she flips it on and off
  12978. "SONATA!"
  12979. >"What!?"
  12980. >Fuck it
  12981. >You get to just beyond the hedges, wind up, and pitch the dollar store flashlight into the trees
  12982. >Leaves shake and branches shift before you hear a quiet thud in the distance
  12983. >"Why did you do that? I told you how to turn it on."
  12984. >You reach for her flashlight and she raises it up above her head
  12985. >"You threw yours away! I'm not giving you mine!"
  12986. "They're both mi- oh man. Just follow me and point it around!"
  12987. >She gasps, seeing you take off into the dark
  12988. >You stop just before the first row of trees and point down the dirt road
  12989. "Shine it this way! Quick!"
  12990. >Stumbling around on the road she could have been lighting up, she makes it to you and grips the bottom of your shirt
  12991. >The light reaches far down the road and shows you nothing but dirt with trees on either side
  12992. "This way too."
  12993. >You turn Sonata around and once again stare down an empty road
  12994. >She couldn't have gotten very far in either direction
  12995. >So unless she's just hid herself in the back yard...
  12996. "Fuuuck."
  12997. >You take Sonata's hand and guide her around the side of the house
  12998. "Aria! You out here?!"
  12999. >Empty
  13000. >In the back yard, Sonata tries to search thoroughly, but is distracted by the empty pool she had yet to see
  13001. >"Arrriiaaaa! Aria out here!?"
  13002. "Shit."
  13003. >The two of you go by the other side of the house as well
  13004. "Okay, we're heading into the woods."
  13005. >"WHAT?! At night time?"
  13006. "She ran through there. We have to go after her."
  13007. >"But!"
  13008. "If you're scared you can stay here."
  13009. >You reach for the flashlight and she pulls it away
  13010. >"No. No, I'll help..."
  13011. "Then hurry up!"
  13012. >You head on
  13013. >She yelps and points the flashlight at your back
  13014. >"Don't leave me behind, Anon!"
  13015. ___
  13016. "Twin-taaaaails!"
  13017. >The echoes are loud and clear
  13018. >After they fade you can hear your own heavy breathing, as well as pants and snapping twigs behind you
  13019. >"Anon!"
  13020. "Hurry!"
  13021. >Sonata groans
  13022. >The hand slapped onto your back tells you she's finally caught up
  13023. >She shines the light all around
  13024. >This far into the woods, it's much easier to see since the trees are spaced apart
  13025. >In fact you're almost to the other side
  13026. >She goes from row to row, starting in front of you two and working her way up as far as the light will reach
  13027. >Once she's ended up searching the direction you two came from, you decide to move on
  13028. "Let's go."
  13029. >"Waaait!"
  13030. "Huh?!"
  13031. >You freeze in the middle of a take-off, balancing on one foot
  13032. "If she's not out here hiding, it means crossed the other side and is- Well, she could be anywhere."
  13033. >"I'm... I'm tired."
  13034. >The light zooms across the ground and stops right beside her feet
  13035. >She's resting her hands on her knees and panting a bit too much to be believed
  13036. "I know you're not THAT tired."
  13037. >"What do you mean!?"
  13038. "You're gasping for air harder than when you'd just finished running."
  13039. >"Well I'm still tired!"
  13040. >Now she's straight up whining
  13041. "Do I have to carry you?"
  13042. >You flinch seeing her shadowy figure rush past you
  13043. >Her arms wrap around your neck
  13044. "Whoa."
  13045. >Her thigh presses against your hip
  13046. >"I thought you'd never ask!"
  13047. >Once your hand is supporting her leg, she lifts the other
  13048. >Sonata is heavier than she looks
  13049. >But at least you get two constant handfuls and a hug from behind
  13050. >Plus the light is now guiding you much more consistently
  13051. >The only true annoyance here is that you have to be extra careful about walking straight into branches
  13052. >It takes you a while to reach the other side of the woods
  13053. >Once the trees are behind you and a line of houses stands in front of you, Sonata sighs in relief
  13054. >"I'm never touching another stupid tree again."
  13055. "We're going through there to get home, of course."
  13056. >You smile at her gasp, and point around for her to direct the flash light
  13057. >"She's not here either. This is so annoying. Hey! Look, Anon!"
  13058. >She's pointing it straight into someone's bedroom window
  13059. "Sonata! Don't! That's rude!"
  13060. >She points it into outer space
  13061. >"Oops. Shining it at houses is bad?"
  13062. "Especially into windows. Anyway, yell for Aria. I think she'll panic and give herself away if she hears us."
  13063. >"She's not heeeere!"
  13064. >You roll your eyes
  13065. "Twiiin-taaaaaails!"
  13066. >She's got to be here
  13067. "TWIN-TAAAAAAAILS!"
  13068. >Or at least, you want her to be here
  13069. >You're very familiar with this area and the people who live here
  13070. >But the city is a different story
  13071. >You breathe deep, ready to yell again and are interrupted by someone shouting from a window across the street
  13072. >"Shut the fuck up will you Anonymous?"
  13073. "TWww-fuck off Kent!"
  13074. >"ME fuck off?"
  13075. "What are you doing, recording let's plays?"
  13076. >"You know my mic is broken!"
  13077. "It should stay broken!"
  13078. >"You don't even live on this side! ...Wait, is someone on your back?"
  13079. >He sticks his head out of the window
  13080. >"Whoa! There's a guy on your back, dude!"
  13081. >Sonata's arms tighten up a little and she whispers into your ear
  13082. >"I'm not a guy..."
  13083. >You make your way across the asphalt road, taking note of the houses to your left and right
  13084. >Everybody's probably asleep at this time of night
  13085. >Embarrassment sets in
  13086. "She's not a guy. You hurt her feelings."
  13087. >"Whoooa! Where did you find a chick?! Did you kidnap her or something?"
  13088. "Er."
  13089. >"Wh-why are you yelling at each other Anon? Are you enemies?"
  13090. >"...What's she saying? Anonymous, what's she saying man? Don't keep me in the dark."
  13091. >Kent backs away and you peer into his window
  13092. >It's as though a garbage bag blew up in his living room. That, and a clothes hamper
  13093. >Cup of noodles are stacked on about every flat surface in sight as well
  13094. >His computer desk is positioned right beside this window
  13095. >With how well sound travels out here, you've got to ask
  13096. "Hey, we're looking for a friend. If you can help we'd really appreciate it."
  13097. >"Oooh! Of course I'll help!"
  13098. >His voice goes a bit higher and adopts touch of try-hard
  13099. "Yeah, because it's for a girl, right?"
  13100. >"I'd help anyone in need. But especially pretty women. Like yourself, miss."
  13101. >"Hee hee. Hee."
  13102. "...We followed the path through, and she probably did too. Did you see or hear anything before we showed up?"
  13103. >He taps his chin for far too long before making an exaggerated "ah-ha" gesture
  13104. >"That I did!"
  13105. "Well tell us."
  13106. >"I delightfully agree to that earnest request."
  13107. >He bows
  13108. >"But first, one request of my own?"
  13109. "Huh?"
  13110. >"The name of the maiden on your back."
  13111. >Is he fucking serious?
  13112. >You open your mouth to give him a straight answer, but is it a bad idea?
  13113. >Even if he has no connection to the school since his graduation, will it bite you on the ass?
  13114. >In fact maybe him seeing her at all was a mistake
  13115. "For fuck's sake. Kent. No time for this..."
  13116. >"Hmmmmmmmmmmm?"
  13117. >Every 'mmm' brings his beady eyes, ear-to-ear smile and raised eyebrows closer to the girl clinging to you from behind
  13118. >"Surely it can wait long enough to say a name?"
  13119. "Our friend could be in danger. She's not from here, or the city. It's the middle of the night, and she's in... distress..."
  13120. >"Distress?"
  13121. "She's. Uh... she's..."
  13122. >Your legs feel a bit weak
  13123. "...really upset. She got put through a lot recently. A... a lot. I've never seen someone so upset."
  13124. >"Hold it, hold it, excuse me! Please, pardon."
  13125. >This fucking guy
  13126. >"You're going to have to back that up with a short explanation, because I'm lost."
  13127. "Are you... fucking with me?"
  13128. >You bounce Sonata up to get a better grip on her legs, then kick the dirt
  13129. "She's VERY UPSET, because someone put her through a bunch of shit. For weeks. That's ALL you need to know!"
  13130. >Sonata's arms tighten a bit more, and Kent raises his
  13131. >"Whoa. Please, calm down, dude. If you can't even tell me what's wrong, it surely isn't that morbid of an ordeal."
  13132. >You hold your breath for a little while, staring him down
  13133. "It'd take too long to explain. Just tell us."
  13134. >"Certainly. Of course, by the time I finish this sentence you'll be aggravated, and thus I will point out in advance that it is your own fault for being tight-lipped, but may I know the name of that maiden firs-"
  13135. "It's BELLA! Holy SHIT! What's wrong with you?!"
  13136. >You're so shaken up that you have to bounce Sonata again
  13137. >Drop her and she'll probably complain about it for days
  13138. >Kent rubs his fuzzy chin and hums
  13139. >"Now then... your reward. I thought I'd heard a wild dog emerge from the tall grass a few houses down, but on further mental inspection, I have proper evidence to determine that the sound MAY have indeed come from across the road."
  13140. >That doesn't really tell you anything you didn't assume, but for some reason it makes you feel better
  13141. >"Perhaps you'd like to know which direction she ran? It was to the left! Her footsteps were loud and clear, and definitely followed the road."
  13142. "Wait. Are you making this up? You said you thought it was a dog."
  13143. >"I did."
  13144. "If you heard foot steps, surely you could tell it was a person. The weight difference, running on two legs-"
  13145. >"Look, when I play video games, I aim to fully immerse myself. Minute worldly details are distractions I do my best to-"
  13146. "Okay, tell me if you're ABSOLUTELY sure she ran..."
  13147. >You cock your head to his left; your right
  13148. "...this way. It's really important."
  13149. >"Yes! Anonymous, I simply did not think about it until I discovered that the footsteps I heard belonged to a dear friend of this beautiful girl."
  13150. >Eyeing Kent down doesn't reveal any suspicious nervous ticks, and your Magatama doesn't go off
  13151. >He's just acting weird because of Sonata
  13152. >You carry her over to the road
  13153. "So she's in the city."
  13154. >"Well yes, that would be a reasonable deduction, to be certain. I bet you can see street lights from where you stand!"
  13155. "Yeah. Barely, but yeah."
  13156. >Aria, running around in the city after that breakdown
  13157. >There are no good ways for that to end
  13158. "Alright. Thanks Kent."
  13159. >"Hey, I was thinking. If you're going to look for the runner, why not leave the lady on your back with me?"
  13160. >She tightens her arms even more
  13161. "That's... okay, Kent. She wants to help search, so."
  13162. >"Well then I could come wi-"
  13163. "We're really in a rush, so!"
  13164. >Sonata bounces on your back as you walk energetically across the road
  13165. >"I'm ready right now! No time loss!"
  13166. >Unconsciously, you speed up
  13167. >"Anonymous! Bella! I'm serious! I can climb through the window!"
  13168. >And now your speeding up is extremely conscious
  13169. >Soon you're hidden by several rows of trees
  13170. "Sonata, press your face into my neck or something. I'm gonna run straight through."
  13171. ___
  13172. >She's fallen onto the couch before you even walk through the wide open front door
  13173. >"Ahhhh. This is where I belong. I've been through so, so much."
  13174. "Oh yeah, carrying a flashlight and walking through the woods I played in as a kid... I feel for you."
  13175. >"Well, I wasn't prepared."
  13176. "Plus I carried you on the return trip."
  13177. >While laying on her back, she tries to stick her nose up at you
  13178. >The top of her head rubs into the couch arm
  13179. >"Hmph!"
  13180. >After taking the flashlight from the floor beside her, you head around
  13181. "I'm going to talk to Cousin Itt and then head out."
  13182. >"Wait!"
  13183. >She pops up
  13184. >"Do you mean Dagi?"
  13185. "Yeah. I need to ask her where Aria might be."
  13186. >"Uh, don't you think that's a bad idea? She might think that you're a bad leader, you know?"
  13187. >Immediately, you think, 'I don't care anymore'
  13188. >Yet you can't deny that the thought of losing any ounce of Adagio's respect you may have is frustrating
  13189. >"You definitely shouldn't talk to her. Besides, I know where she might be."
  13190. "What!? Why didn't you tell me?"
  13191. >She grips the back of the couch
  13192. >"Because! I was taken into a nightmare of darkness, stupid trees and Kent!"
  13193. >A light bulb shines above her head
  13194. >"Oh! I wanted to know. Who was that guy?"
  13195. >You groan
  13196. "He used to be my best friend. I don't want to talk about that - please just tell me where you think Aria is."
  13197. >"Oh. Well..."
  13198. >She smiles
  13199. >Almost mischievously
  13200. >"I'm not used to being the one who gets to say the obvious thing and embarrass the other person."
  13201. "Sonataaaa."
  13202. >"Okay, okay. She's probably at the school. We stayed there like, all the time."
  13203. "Oh?!"
  13204. >"Duh! Everyone leaves at night! You can even sleep on the teacher's desk and she'll never know! But the nurse's office is a better choice."
  13205. ___
  13206. >Canterlot High's parking lot was empty when you pulled in
  13207. >Still, you close your car's door very slowly
  13208. >It's difficult to escape the feeling that you're about to get lectured for trespassing, even on break
  13209. >The entire walk down the path you can only think of Aria
  13210. >Rolling around the floor like a lunatic...
  13211. "Oh."
  13212. >The door has been left cracked
  13213. >Sonata's going to get Taco Bell for being so right
  13214. "Twin-tails?"
  13215. >You push it open and start down the hallway
  13216. >The rows of green lockers at your sides go from barely visible to glowing in moonlight as you pass each window
  13217. "Twin-tails?"
  13218. >Bringing the flashlight only to leave it in the car?
  13219. >Not your smartest move
  13220. "Twiiin-taaaails!"
  13221. >You turn the corner, pass a trophy case, and start down a familiar hallway
  13222. >Even in this darkness you can spot your locker
  13223. "See you soon, you son of a bitch."
  13224. >A few good pats after that mumble, and you continue on
  13225. "Twin-tails! You're here, right?"
  13226. >Math room is clear
  13227. >As is science
  13228. "If you can hear me, please, talk to me!"
  13229. >Literature is empty
  13230. >Business is dead
  13231. >It seemed like a good bet that she'd be in the music room
  13232. "Twin-taa-nope."
  13233. >Sonata's definitely right. There's a couple of beds in the nurse's office after all
  13234. >You've only ever had to see the nurse once
  13235. >Tripped over your own backpack and hit your head on a garbage can
  13236. >No one even saw it, but you cringe as you walk anyway
  13237. "Alright. I know you're in there."
  13238. >You fling the door open and step inside
  13239. >It's a lot easier to see in here thanks to the rather large window
  13240. >An eye chart, medicine cabinet, empty pill bottles, drawers, and two large privacy curtains - only one of them covering a bed
  13241. >This is it
  13242. "Okay. I'm going to approach the bed."
  13243. >Your voice is practically a whisper and your footsteps are cautious
  13244. "I know you're pissed, and I deserve to get hit, but please don't attack me when I slide this thing open."
  13245. >You grip the edge of the curtain and hold out a hand, ready to catch a potential punch or kick
  13246. "...I don't know why I'm so nervous."
  13247. >Silence
  13248. "Probably because I've been hit in the balls and on the head in one day."
  13249. >If she's there, she's not going to respond
  13250. >Might as well just do it
  13251. >You pull the thing open and enter a defensive Karate stance you invented on the spot
  13252. "Ah-HAAAaaa..."
  13253. >Well
  13254. >There's still other class rooms to check
  13255. >All you've found here is a mattress and a rather stiff looking pillow
  13256. >Probably the most uncomfortable one you've seen in your life
  13257. >Doesn't even have a case
  13258. >And yet
  13259. >It's attractive after running through the woods, then running straight back with a girl hanging off of you
  13260. "Ahhh."
  13261. >Your face mashes into the pillow and the rest of your body slides onto the mattress
  13262. >Not too bad
  13263. >...
  13264. >Nah, it's terrible
  13265. >Sort of smells like bile
  13266. "Oh god."
  13267. >"Anonymous."
  13268. "OH GOD!"
  13269. >You push yourself up off the bed, wide-eyed
  13270. >After a bit straining you make out the figure of a girl with crossed arms and a low-hanging head
  13271. >"What are you doing."
  13272. "I'm-"
  13273. >Sitting up and crossing your arms like a cool guy will surely remove your little scare from her memory, right?
  13274. "I came here to..."
  13275. >You sit in silence for a while, and then she walks straight out of the room
  13276. "Twilight?"
  13277. >Down the hall and to the right, you follow her into another office
  13278. >The principle's
  13279. "Have you been here since this afternoon?"
  13280. >She walks very slowly, dragging her fingers along the wall until her hand reaches the edge of Celestia's book case
  13281. >It's mostly empty
  13282. >You look around the room, and sure enough...
  13283. "What are you doing? Why did you throw all of her stuff into the floor?"
  13284. >"Because..."
  13285. >Twilight sinks down onto her knees and pulls one of the few books remaining on the bottom shelf up to her face
  13286. >There's a window on the other side of the room she could take advantage of
  13287. >But she just sits there in the dark little corner, squinting
  13288. "Twilight, what the hell is going on? And why are you reading in the dark?"
  13289. >"Light won't turn on."
  13290. >She opens up to the first page, and skips a few into what you guess would be the table of contents
  13291. "I asked you: have you been here since this afternoon?"
  13292. >She lingers, pinches around for the corner a while and as she turns the page, nods her head
  13293. "Do you know what time it is?"
  13294. >"...Night."
  13295. "Yeah. It's so late that it's actually morning."
  13296. >"Hm."
  13297. "You've just been searching here, this entire time?"
  13298. >She doesn't respond
  13299. >Feeling impatient and anxious, you repeat her name a couple times
  13300. >She lowers the book and sighs
  13301. >"Yes, I have."
  13302. "That's..."
  13303. >"What? What is it, Anonymous? Crazy?"
  13304. "Yeah, kind of."
  13305. >She shakes her head, very slowly and consistently
  13306. >"No, no no. It's really not."
  13307. "Twilight..."
  13308. >"It's not crazy. It's my duty."
  13309. >The pile of Celestia's property extends around the edge of the desk and almost surrounds Twilight, so you walk around
  13310. >Sitting behind her and the pile, you notice a large bag stuffed into a swivel chair
  13311. >There aren't just books inside
  13312. >Rulers, a globe, binders, shoes, papers, some magnets and much more are packed in
  13313. "Okay. Seriously. Why did you throw everything in the floor, and why did you stuff a bunch of crap in a bag?"
  13314. >"It's not just 'in the floor'. It's being inspected. Spell books, or books that hide their true contents, have tell-tale signs such as... oh, why even tell you this? You'll just write it off as unimportant, right?"
  13315. >The hostility in her voice is more than you thought she was capable of
  13316. "I..."
  13317. >So she's looking for books written by Equestrians?
  13318. >Maybe one written by the girls?
  13319. >Twilight's not wrong. Your first instinct is to reassure her that she doesn't need to worry
  13320. "I won't say that. You're right. I don't really understand."
  13321. >The book snaps shut and drops into the pile
  13322. >"Well. How about that."
  13323. "...What's up with the bag?"
  13324. >"The gym bag?"
  13325. "Yeah."
  13326. >Another book leaves the shelf
  13327. >Soon it too is discarded
  13328. >"I threw anything that was suspicious into it, as well as the contents of lost and found, and of some desks. I haven't reviewed any of it yet."
  13329. "Twilight. That's called stealing."
  13330. >"Stealing? What!?"
  13331. >She turns to face you and stands up
  13332. >It'd be intimidating if she hadn't nearly lost her balance
  13333. >"I am NOT a THIEF, Anonymous!"
  13334. "I know!"
  13335. >"How dare you call me a thief!?"
  13336. "I didn't. I mean, what you're doing is stealing, but-"
  13337. >"It's NOT!"
  13338. >She steps forward, accidentally knocking some books over
  13339. >"This is an INVESTIGATION! I am securing evidence that will identify those girls, which will allow me to bring them back to Equestria, have them prosecuted, and SAVE you! I am not a THIEF! I might be a failure, but I AM NOT A THIEF!"
  13340. >Her cracking voice echoes through this section of the empty school
  13341. >She falls backwards
  13342. >The book case slams into the wall, and she slides down to the floor
  13343. >Watching a second breakdown tonight is something you'd really like to avoid
  13344. "I get it. It's not stealing. You're investigating. Like a detective."
  13345. >No response
  13346. "And that other world. It's dangerous. Really dangerous? I guess I've assumed a lot about Equestria... I don't understand what exactly makes this situation such a big deal, so will you explain it to me?"
  13347. >Run through the motions of why she believes this world is in grave danger?
  13348. >Brilliant suggestion
  13349. >You go to take it back, but she cuts you off
  13350. >"I'm supposed to be careful with what information I share with humans."
  13351. "Oh."
  13352. >"But I don't think it really matters anymore. Ha... if you'll actually listen to me, I'll tell you."
  13353. >While Twilight explains, she slowly stacks the scattered books into nice, even piles by the wall
  13354. >"First, remember what you said you overheard outside the art room. Those girls arguing, discussing some kind of plot."
  13355. "Yeah. They were pretty vague."
  13356. >"You said that you heard one say, 'The humans won't know what hit them'."
  13357. >That was Adagio
  13358. >"Considering those girls appear to be humans, we can be sure that this means they are not in their true form. Much like me."
  13359. >It really weirds you out, so you do your best to avoid thinking of Twilight being anything other than a young woman
  13360. >"To say 'won't know what hit them' is decidedly hostile. It suggests a sneak attack, meaning they are likely preparing."
  13361. >You just nod your head and watch the books stack higher
  13362. >"These are the obvious things. There are not many. But uncertain things are in abundance. I know so little about them, Anonymous... they could be an unruly group of friends, or scouts from a large gang. They could attack on the day of the festival, or tomorrow. They might not be willing to commit murder to achieve their goals... but then again, they might."
  13363. >Fighting the urge to clarify these points to Twilight is a challenge
  13364. >Especially since you realize that you don't know the answers to all of them
  13365. >"And I must stress the possibility of murder. This world has little respect for magic. You all view it as a joke, some kind of fairy tale it seems. While it is currently difficult to use Equestrian magic here, trust me, it won't always be. The scary part isn't Equestrian magic becoming more accessible here, though."
  13366. "What is the scary part?"
  13367. >"This world has zero defenses against magic. None at all. If a single Unicorn crossed through to this side and maintained free use of her spells, she could reduce the population of this city to zero in one day."
  13368. "That's... that seems so-"
  13369. >"There are so, so many ways magic can be used for violence, Anonymous. Even the most simple spells, like telekinesis. Taking hold of a human's head and sn-snapping their neck. It wouldn't take much effort. So imagine more advanced spells, like teleportation on others. Intentionally botching a teleportation is easy and fatal."
  13370. "I-"
  13371. >"It doesn't even have to be so straightforward. A more stealthy approach would be to cast a spell on the humans that removes their urge to eat and drink, or gives them a craving to ingest dangerous objects. Manipulation of the vehi- ...cars on the road would also be relatively inconspicuous. Those kinds of accidents happen every day, you know."
  13372. >She sets the final book down on the final stack
  13373. >"These are just a few examples and any one of them could lead to mass murder. There are more spells in Equestrian magic than you could ever count. I... I know it's crude, but you need to understand. With no authorities to stop a magic-wielding criminal in this world, their rampage would be devastating. By the time my own government responded... you could be dead."
  13374. >On that note, she stops
  13375. >You sit in the darkness with racing thoughts
  13376. >About the sirens
  13377. >About resting your head on Sonata's chest
  13378. >And Aria scrunching up her face to hide her emotions
  13379. >Adagio's still a bit of a mystery, but regardless: are those girls capable of what Twilight just described?
  13380. >Given the chance, would they commit murder?
  13381. >You rub the spot on the top of your head that's still glowing with dull pain
  13382. >"...I'm sorry. I feel awful for saying such things. But maybe now you see why I would stay here all day, and worry endlessly. Keeping you all safe is my responsibility. I take it seriously."
  13383. >Twilight takes her time placing the books back on the shelf
  13384. >Maybe she's bothering to return them to their original order
  13385. >Or maybe she's just exhausted
  13386. >In any case you're staring at her back when you remember your failed plan from earlier
  13387. "...Would it be possible to put magic into an object, and use it later?"
  13388. >"Huh?"
  13389. >You rub your hand over the lump in your left pocket
  13390. "I've seen it in books and video games and stuff. Enchanting a weapon or piece of armor with a spell. Would that be possible?"
  13391. >"Absolutely. Why do you ask?"
  13392. "The girls. Do you remember their necklaces? They all wore necklaces that looked alike."
  13393. >"Oh. Yes, I do remember. That's a possibility."
  13394. "Have you found anything like that?"
  13395. >She pauses, holding a book in the air
  13396. >"I wish I had. But no."
  13397. "Ah."
  13398. >She goes back to it
  13399. >You're not sure if this will ease Twilight's suffering or not
  13400. >But you have to try something
  13401. >Quickly, you slip a hand into your pocket and take its contents
  13402. >As quietly as you can, you stuff your fist into the bag and leave the necklace at the bottom
  13403. "Well, I'm not sure what to say, Twilight. Other than..."
  13404. >Your knees go weak once again
  13405. >"Hm?"
  13406. "There's a lot more to the situation than I realized, so... I'll back off. Trying so hard to distract you from your investigation was wrong."
  13407. >"That's not- ...I mean. Uh."
  13408. >She turns around
  13409. >You can't quite make out her face, but your gut tells you she's smiling
  13410. >"Well, I'm sorry too."
  13411. >Without any hesitation she kneels down in front of you and pulls open Celestia's desk drawer
  13412. >Folders and stacks of paper pile up on the desk top
  13413. >This feels shady
  13414. >"Anonymous? Why were you calling me twin-tails?"
  13415. >Oh fuck
  13416. "It's. Um. Slang for a lost person. Or someone who you just happen to be looking for."
  13417. >"Ah, I see."
  13418. "I guess I'm going to head out. I don't think I can really help with your investigation."
  13419. >"Wait, Anonymous. Why did you come looking for me at this time? I don't really want to ask, but, did Rarity speak to you?"
  13420. "No. I came here on my own, out of curiosity."
  13421. >"Oh. Okay."
  13422. "Are you going to need a ride or anything?"
  13423. >"I can manage. I'll contact Rarity when she's awake."
  13424. >You stop by the door and frown
  13425. >She's still pulling things up to her face and squinting
  13426. >Mere feet from the moonlight
  13427. "Uh. Hold on, I'll lend you my flashlight. I'll be right back."
  13428. ___
  13429. >"Ahhh, lahhh, la, la, la, la laaaah, laaah, laaaah, laaah!"
  13430. >She stands confidently behind the coffee table
  13431. >From where you sit, her voice is mostly drowned out by an orchestra blasting beside your head
  13432. >You're snuggled up to your laptop
  13433. >Normally you wouldn't be so selfish in a session
  13434. >She'll probably understand, since you've been out until sunrise
  13435. >Her arms move with her as the music builds itself up
  13436. >On the high notes, she gets on her tiptoes
  13437. >You smile and shut your eyes
  13438. >She may frequently drift off-key and time some notes wrong but damn it, she's really trying
  13439. >Compared to the first session you'd say she's improved at least a bit
  13440. >But you're no music teacher...
  13441. >And probably aren't capable of giving her the voice she wants
  13442. >Especially since her goals are unclear. You never heard her sing with her neckla-
  13443. "Ugh."
  13444. >Like a foot jammed right up your mood's ass
  13445. >Thoughts come flooding into your head, about the sirens, Twilight, and Equestria
  13446. >If only you could... sleep
  13447. >Yeah... sleep...
  13448. >With a deep breath held in your lungs you settle into your arm
  13449. >A few seconds later, you sigh
  13450. >This is the answer
  13451. >You can't be anxious if you're asleep
  13452. >Unless you have a nightmare
  13453. >About horrendous murder using a force you can't begin to comprehend, for example
  13454. >...
  13455. >You raise your head as the triumphant song comes to a close
  13456. >Sonata's enthusiasm has been curbed
  13457. >Her arms cross, her feet stay still
  13458. >With frustration on her face she stares into your eyes and sings the final notes
  13459. "Uhhh. I'm sorry."
  13460. >"Yeah."
  13461. "I just shut my eyes for a second."
  13462. >"Mmmmm-hm."
  13463. "...Come on. You're not mad, are you?"
  13464. >"Oh, no, no."
  13465. >She taps her foot and stares off toward the kitchen
  13466. >"My boyfriend just doesn't even want to hear me sing is all, why would I be mad?"
  13467. "I do. I want to help you get better."
  13468. >"Yeah."
  13469. >Uh oh
  13470. >Her foot tapping speed has almost doubled
  13471. "Honey. I'm just exhausted from looking for Aria all night."
  13472. >Her shoulders sink and her jaw drops
  13473. >"Do-don-that's cheating!"
  13474. >There's almost no sound from her feeble little foot stamp
  13475. >"You can't just make me un-mad by calling me that!"
  13476. "It's not my fault you're so sensitive to a word, honey."
  13477. >"Stop!"
  13478. "Or what... honey?"
  13479. >"Stop stop stop! This is serious!"
  13480. >For unclear reasons, Sonata climbs onto the coffee table
  13481. >You reach over and hold the laptop after it's grazed by her foot
  13482. >Then she sits up on her knees
  13483. >"I think we need to have a talk about last night."
  13484. "What about it?"
  13485. >"You're just a bit too worried about seeing Aria again."
  13486. >Is she... serious?
  13487. "Are you... serious?"
  13488. >"What do you mean?"
  13489. "I want to see Aria because she disappeared, not because I like her more or something."
  13490. >"Oh, so you like her?"
  13491. "What?!"
  13492. >"You like her, at least a little?"
  13493. "...Yes?"
  13494. >She raises one eyebrow at a time to give emphasis to the world's slowest eye roll
  13495. >"Okay then."
  13496. "I mean, sure. I like all of you enough to worry about your safety. I'd even worry about Kent if he went missing."
  13497. >"Don't change the subject to scary stuff! This is about how much you like Aria!"
  13498. "I just... want t-"
  13499. >"To see her naked again?"
  13500. "Oh geez."
  13501. >You rest your back against a couch cushion
  13502. >"I'm just saying, ever since you came home you've been going on and on about Aria. And now you're falling asleep during my singing practice."
  13503. "You of all people should understand a person's need to sleep, you know? Waking you up is nearly impossible."
  13504. >"Fine. Let's sleep."
  13505. "Didn't you, last night?"
  13506. >"Well you can sleep on top of me."
  13507. >She nods her head
  13508. >"You can't think of Aria with my boobs in your face."
  13509. >A devious smile appears
  13510. >"Aria's are really small."
  13511. "I noticed."
  13512. >Your eyes snap to Sonata's chest as she rests her hands on the sides
  13513. >"Just thought I'd mention~"
  13514. >As usual, she felt above wearing a bra today
  13515. "Oh no. They're stealing my thoughts."
  13516. >"Ha!"
  13517. "Do Adagio's give memories back?"
  13518. >"Ha- ...ha... ha..."
  13519. "Speaking of which, I should check on her soon I guess. If we're all going to live together "forever", I need to make some changes."
  13520. >Sonata slides her hands off of herself and hangs them in the air
  13521. >"...Heh."
  13522. >After glancing away for a moment, she brings them down awkwardly into the table
  13523. >There's that behavior again
  13524. >Because you mentioned living together, forever?
  13525. "Something wrong?"
  13526. >"Huh?"
  13527. "You seem uncomfortable."
  13528. >"Well, I'm on a table..."
  13529. "I mean that you look socially uncomfortable."
  13530. >Her raised eyebrows and complete silence cue your explanation
  13531. "How should I say this... remember when Kent was hitting on you?"
  13532. >"Ohhhh! I don't feel like that at all, Anon."
  13533. >Mid-sentence, there's a beep, and Sonata takes it upon herself to climb off the far end of the table and spin the laptop around
  13534. "Sonata-"
  13535. >"When I was looking for songs I figured out how to open the beeping website. Can I check it?"
  13536. >Click
  13537. "I don't think that's a good... idea... hey-"
  13538. >"Okay, it looks like you got a message fro-"
  13539. >She goes wide-eyed and covers her mouth
  13540. >You pull yourself up onto the couch, rest the side of your head on your fist and sigh
  13541. >Why not? Might as well get this explanation over with
  13542. >After all, there's no ACTUAL reason for her to be jealous over Twilight
  13543. >"Pu-purpl-purple girl called you d-DARLING."
  13544. "What?!"
  13545. >She spins the laptop around and glares at you, her eyes barely reaching over the screen
  13546. >"D-A-R-L-I-N-G!"
  13547. >Sure enough, Twilight's sent you a message
  13548. >It reads...
  13549. >9:46 AM: We have to talk. Soon. This is very important, darling. Video chat me as soon as you see this.
  13550. "I uh, uhhh."
  13551. >"UhhhHHH?"
  13552. >Sonata presses further into the laptop screen during her sarcastic echo, tilting it
  13553. "Sh-she's just excited."
  13554. >"Oh I bet she's excited, mister."
  13555. "I can explain."
  13556. >Deep breath
  13557. >This is fine
  13558. >Besides, what kind of leader gets intimidated by someone who used to be his slave?
  13559. "Okay. Look, Twilight messages me sometimes. It's always business-type stuff."
  13560. >"D, A, R..."
  13561. "She's investigating you guys, and I'm pretending to help her..."
  13562. >"L, I, N..."
  13563. "...but instead I misdirect her. I gave her a false lead recently, and she's excited over it is all."
  13564. >"G!"
  13565. "Are you even listening!?"
  13566. >She huffs
  13567. >"So when did you give her this lead, huh?"
  13568. "Uh."
  13569. >She turns the laptop back around
  13570. "Whoa whoa!"
  13571. >"I'm just going to say something!"
  13572. >You slide around the table
  13573. >She's hunted down and pecked a single key: "s"
  13574. >With the help of backspace, it's erased
  13575. >"Stop! Just let me say it!"
  13576. "Say what?"
  13577. >Each time she jabs the s key you quickly clear it
  13578. >"Stop it, Anon!"
  13579. "Just tell me what you're trying to type!"
  13580. >"Ugh. Forget it!"
  13581. >She throws up her arms and falls backwards into the carpet
  13582. >"Why don't you ask her to marry you?"
  13583. >Too tired for this
  13584. >Hopefully Twilight didn't see a sporadic "Anonymous is typing" message
  13585. "She doesn't really like me..."
  13586. >Sonata silently rolls onto her face
  13587. >Even after that talk, she's still worried about this?
  13588. "Oh boy."
  13589. >Even if she knows she won't be abandoned, seeing other girls as competition is probably just in her nature
  13590. "You're jealous to the core, huh?"
  13591. >"I'm not jealous!"
  13592. "Haha... How about this? I'll prove it to you."
  13593. >She takes her sweet time rolling back over
  13594. >Clearly upset, but intrigued
  13595. "Video chat means that we're going to be able to see and hear each other. If you listen to us talk, I promise you'll understand. But first you have to promise me that you'll stay quiet."
  13596. >"Call her right now!"
  13597. >She's already up, bouncing and pressing her fists together
  13598. >"I'm gonna settle this!"
  13599. "You dork. I just said you have to be quiet."
  13600. >"Huh?"
  13601. "We can't let her see or hear you, because she can't know you're here."
  13602. >"Oh. Well... okay."
  13603. "I'm gonna repeat that: you can't make any noise. At all. You can only listen."
  13604. >"Okay."
  13605. "If she hears you, it's game over."
  13606. >"Okay."
  13607. "It's seriously a big deal."
  13608. >The more you talk, the more you realize this was a bad idea
  13609. >"Mmm!"
  13610. >Sonata's already on board
  13611. >With her index finger and thumb she's got her lips squeezed shut
  13612. >Out of the corner of your eye you see something shift on the screen
  13613. >A new message:
  13614. >9:48 AM: I know you're there. I can see you typing.
  13615. >Fuck
  13616. "Sonata, I think I know the answer to this, but I want to make sure."
  13617. >"Mmmm?"
  13618. "Do you remem- you can talk for now. Do you remember the lyrics to the first song we practiced?"
  13619. >"Yes! They were about love and looking at people in bars!"
  13620. "I want you to run upstairs, go inside the guest bedroom and shut the door, then sing those lyrics as LOUD as you can. Okay?"
  13621. >She flinches
  13622. >"Why?"
  13623. "Please hurry and do it, okay? Remember to shut the door."
  13624. >She goes on ahead
  13625. >It'll probably be embarrassing to sing in front of Adagio
  13626. >Fuck it though, she's sitting tied up in the floor, not to mention her singing voice probably isn't any better
  13627. >She's got no room to mock anyone
  13628. >You go into your laptop's sound settings and make sure there won't be any complications during the call
  13629. >The desktop PC in your room has a proper mic and camera, but the laptop will do
  13630. "Test?"
  13631. >"Test?"
  13632. >Sounds fine
  13633. >The camera shows up, adjusts its brightness and gets up to a reasonable speed
  13634. "Good, good."
  13635. >When you hear Sonata's singing voice from upstairs you're relieved to find that you barely can
  13636. >Concentrating and knowing the lyrics in advance, you're still unable to understand any of her words
  13637. >Thankfully she cuts it short and is soon rushing down the stairs
  13638. >Beep
  13639. >9:49 AM: I have to leave the house very soon. Please hurry.
  13640. "Sonata, quick!"
  13641. >"I am!"
  13642. >She comes to a sliding stop beside the couch and holds out her arms
  13643. >There's a bit of a blush on her face
  13644. >"Are you gonna tell me why I did that?"
  13645. "No time! Get behind the coffee table!"
  13646. >"Wait, I want to sit on the couch."
  13647. "Don't you think it'd be weird if I was facing away from my TV?"
  13648. >"Why?"
  13649. >She makes a move for the couch, so you hold her hand and guide her to the entertainment center
  13650. "Besides, she could see your reflection or something."
  13651. >"Aww."
  13652. >When you're on the couch and Sonata's pinching her lips shut again, you put on the most serious voice you can manage
  13653. "She's going to say something to me, about a necklace. Don't be surprised by it. You know, don't gasp or anything."
  13654. >"Mmmhhmmm."
  13655. "Uh, I didn't mean to insult you. I know you won't make any noise."
  13656. >"Mmmmmmhhhmmmmm."
  13657. "I'm just being careful. It's, you know. Important."
  13658. >She cocks her head and beckons you in impatience
  13659. "Okay. Here we go."
  13660. >Click
  13661. >A notification pops up while it's connecting:
  13662. >** A Friendly Reminder **
  13663. >** Your video call is being provided by your school group [Canterlot High School]! While your privacy is 100% guaranteed, please remember to keep things family appropriate. **
  13664. >It fades out to reveal a large box of messy pixels, as well as your camera preview in the top right corner
  13665. "Twilight? Can you hear me yet?"
  13666. >No response
  13667. "I think it always does this, give it a second."
  13668. >In an instant the pixelation is gone
  13669. >A girl with big, looping hair, wearing pajamas with fancy swirling patterns appears
  13670. >The large swivel chair she sits in blocks most of your view of the dim room
  13671. >"Good morning, Mister Anonymous."
  13672. >A TV can be heard faintly over the rumble of a swamp cooler
  13673. >The fluttering curtain in the corner of the screen catches your eye
  13674. "Uh."
  13675. >You move your mouth, but no words come
  13676. >She rolls her chair a bit closer to the desk, obscuring the curtain and the light it's holding back
  13677. >"A simple hello would be fine."
  13678. "...Hello."
  13679. >"My name is Rarity. I do hope you remember me."
  13680. "Yeah. I saw you once before."
  13681. >She hums
  13682. >"Let me cut to the chase, as they say. I am a very, very good friend of Twilight Sparkle's. I believe you two have... met?"
  13683. "Yeah?"
  13684. >"I am aware of who you are, and who your parents are."
  13685. "O-Okay?"
  13686. >"You seem like a nice man. I know this is risky, for multiple reasons, but I have to know."
  13687. >Rarity pauses
  13688. "What are you talking about?"
  13689. >She looks over her shoulder for just a moment
  13690. >"I'd like you to know that when you told us about those girls, and the others dismissed you, I stood up for you."
  13691. "Oh yeah?"
  13692. >"Yes, they had written you off very quickly, but I reminded them of your family's accomplishments, and your overall good behavior at school."
  13693. >How would she know how you behave at school?
  13694. "Are you an old family friend or something?"
  13695. >"I'm afraid I've never so much as met your family. Not that I would be opposed, of course! I-In fact, I'd be quite honored. As for how I know of your family, well, respectable people draw the attention of the self-respecting!"
  13696. "Okay..."
  13697. >She displays a friendly smile
  13698. >"By the way, I think it's an inspiration that you've become the man of your house. Very, very mature of you. Most boys at our school wouldn't be capable."
  13699. "Ha, it's nothing."
  13700. >You don't even take care of your yard
  13701. >"Oh but it is something! I thought it was an impossible rumor until the news story."
  13702. >It was just the local news, they'd do hour-long coverage of a balloon's ascent into the atmosphere...
  13703. >Besides, you thought only Kent watched that
  13704. "Saw the interview, huh? How embarrassing."
  13705. >"I didn't think so."
  13706. >She looks up and down, examining the little bit of you she can with her limited view
  13707. >"You were much shorter then. I didn't notice until you were standing so close to me a couple of weeks ago, but you're quite tall."
  13708. >Hopefully you're not blushing
  13709. >Confusion aside, a pretty girl is ruthlessly complimenting you
  13710. >"I wonder... are you seeing anyone?"
  13711. >Is this just a way to ask you out?
  13712. >Couldn't be, right?
  13713. >You recall your moment with that cashier woman at Taco Bell
  13714. >Much of your focus is spent in an effort to avoid that same embarrassment
  13715. "No. I am not."
  13716. >Perfect
  13717. >Talk like a robot, that's the trick
  13718. "I'm. I'm not. I mean."
  13719. >She sighs in relief and smiles
  13720. >"I'm glad!"
  13721. >Uh oh
  13722. >"I'm so, so happy to hear that!"
  13723. >Let her down gently, stud
  13724. "Why are you glad?"
  13725. >Rarity rolls even closer to the desk and clasps her hands together
  13726. >"Never mind that."
  13727. >You blink
  13728. >"Now, about Twilight."
  13729. "...What about her?"
  13730. >"Twilight is one of my best friends, so I must look out for her. I've been very worried recently. Something's been bothering her, and I wasn't sure what it was... it pains me to say this but I've realized it all. This is your chance to come clean."
  13731. "Wait, what!? Come clean about what?"
  13732. >"What you've done."
  13733. >You look over to your front door, and then up to Sonata
  13734. >She's lost
  13735. >That makes two of you
  13736. "What specifically have I done?"
  13737. >Rarity's hand hangs limp as she covers her mouth with her arm
  13738. >"Ohhh, you wouldn't make a lady repeat such things, would you?"
  13739. "I have no idea what you're talking about, so you'll have to."
  13740. >"Please. Your words are safe with me. We can keep this all between us."
  13741. "I don't have any secrets..."
  13742. >"Anonymous, Anonymous, I understand. Men have certain needs. N-Not that it makes what you did okay-"
  13743. >She waves her hands back and forth
  13744. >"-but it was just a mistake, right? We can move past it."
  13745. "I'm... going to end the call."
  13746. >"What? Wait!"
  13747. "Bye."
  13748. >"Stop! Please! I'll say it if I must!"
  13749. >Her hand shoots up to her webcam
  13750. >The intensity of her stare makes it feel as though she could snatch your arm through the screen
  13751. >Your cursor rests on the end call button
  13752. >In that moment of internal debate on whether or not to click, Rarity's quiet, anxious groan can be heard
  13753. >So, she's suffering too, huh?
  13754. "...If you stop being vague, I'll listen."
  13755. >"Yes, yes, of course!"
  13756. >Once again she peeks over her shoulder, and rolls closer to the desk
  13757. >Her stomach's probably making contact with it
  13758. >"I believe you and Twilight have entered into some kind of a relationship."
  13759. >Oh damn it
  13760. >"How much you've done, I'm scared to ask. But you are seeing her, for sure."
  13761. "I-I barely know Twilight. What makes you think this?"
  13762. >"You were with her all night, weren't you?"
  13763. "No."
  13764. >Not all night
  13765. >"Anonymous, I understand that you have desires. You can be honest."
  13766. "I AM being honest!"
  13767. >She raises her hands, lays them flat, and pats down the air
  13768. >"There's no need to shout."
  13769. "N-No need to... no need... to-"
  13770. >"Just admit it. I can talk to Twilight and make sure you two break it off gently."
  13771. "There's nothing to break off! Where did you get this?"
  13772. >"I-"
  13773. "Don't just say you know! If you accuse me of something, at least give me evidence."
  13774. >Her eyebrows sink a little
  13775. >She reaches to the left, off camera, and brings out something gray
  13776. >On second thought, presenting evidence is unnecessary
  13777. >Totally and completely unnecessary
  13778. >"Twilight had this when she got home a couple of hours ago. It's not ours. She didn't buy it. And what do we have here?"
  13779. >The camera's lighting shifts as she searches for a spot that's close enough to see what's written without it blurring
  13780. >And there they are
  13781. >Your father's initials
  13782. >"See?"
  13783. "What about it?"
  13784. >"Anonymous, this is proof!"
  13785. >She sets it down and adjusts her webcam
  13786. >"That you're the one who she's been seeing! For a while now Twilight has been very anxious. She looks sick all the time, goes without eating, leaves the house without saying anything... I've been worried to tears!"
  13787. "I-"
  13788. >"When I first saw the flashlight I was confused. Then I remembered the time you approached her."
  13789. "I don't-"
  13790. >"You told her that story for a reason, didn't you?"
  13791. "Stop..."
  13792. >The urge to swear and slam the laptop shut rises, so you close your eyes and rub your forehead
  13793. "I didn't tell her a story. I told her the truth."
  13794. >"Well, I'm not so sure."
  13795. "Excuse me?"
  13796. >Rarity clears her throat
  13797. >"Now, again Anonymous, I understand that you're a man and-"
  13798. "Get to the point."
  13799. >"Okay. Alright. Okay. Fine. I'll say it! You must have heard through the grapevines that Twilight becomes very emotional and vulnerable when faced with uncertainty. Not to mention how she's unfamiliar with our world's social norms."
  13800. >You shrug
  13801. >"So you got an idea, to make Twilight all riled up, and then..."
  13802. >She hugs herself
  13803. >"You-"
  13804. >A sharp breath
  13805. >"Y-You-"
  13806. >Another
  13807. >"Offered her the kind of comfort that only a man can provide a lady!"
  13808. >And an exhale
  13809. >"Oh my goodness. I actually said it."
  13810. >Your mind goes blank
  13811. >For fifteen seconds, all you can think about is the dog food commercial playing on Rarity's TV
  13812. >With her eyes shut she gently spins her chair a bit to the left and a bit to the right
  13813. >What all has she just accused you of?
  13814. "Hold on. Let's summarize here."
  13815. >Something moves in your peripheral vision
  13816. >You look up to see Sonata spin around and sit with her back against the coffee table
  13817. >When she's settled, she slumps
  13818. "...Damn it."
  13819. >Rarity's eyes open and her spinning stops
  13820. >"No need for swearing, Anonymous."
  13821. "Shut up."
  13822. >"Wh-huh?!"
  13823. "Do you realize what you've just accused me of?"
  13824. >As an excuse for a moment of time to sort your thoughts, you scoot forward and tilt the laptop screen back up to its proper position
  13825. >Now you have an even clearer view of Rarity's dumbfounded face
  13826. "You're saying I told Twilight a lie about those girls to get her worried, just so I could comfort her? That 'I don't know what all you two have done' shit you said makes it sound like I took advantage of her for sex. That's bad enough, but you were asking me if I'm single to see if I was cheating on Twilight, or cheating on someone with Twilight... right?"
  13827. >"...Excuse me for being cautious."
  13828. "That's not being cautious. That's jumping to conclusions."
  13829. >"Anonymous!"
  13830. >She raises up the flashlight and you swat at the air in frustration
  13831. "Yeah. It means I met Twilight at some point in the past and let her borrow my flashlight. So what?"
  13832. >"Sh-she didn't HAVE it before last night, and she was GONE all night!"
  13833. "How do you know she didn't have it?"
  13834. >She maintains her scowl in silence
  13835. "Do you think that little of Twilight's privacy? Snooping around in her belongings, messaging me on her account-"
  13836. >A thought hits you and you tense up
  13837. >Then you relax
  13838. >Rarity can't have read Twilight's past private messages. This site doesn't archive them
  13839. "...Besides. What sense does me telling her a false story about those girls make? Didn't she sort that situation out?"
  13840. >"Yeah! And she won't tell me anything about it! So clearly something strange happened and I think it's very obvious, in hindsight!"
  13841. "Then go ahead and lay it on me!"
  13842. >"F-Fine! I, I will lay it on you!"
  13843. >She sits up a bit more and straightens out her pajamas collar
  13844. >"You and those girls were working together. The day you told Twilight about their fake plans, you had them go into hiding. Then when you made your move on Twilight you told her to tell ME that she sorted the whole thing out, that there's nothing to worry about! But the TRUTH is that Twilight is still worried! You're still comforting her!"
  13845. >You scoff
  13846. "Who the hell do you think those girls are, to be doing that for me?"
  13847. >"Hired, probably!"
  13848. "I don't have as much money as you think I do. Besides, why pull off such a trick when I could just pay the girls to sleep with me instead?"
  13849. >Rarity cringes
  13850. >"Anonymous, that's... repulsive."
  13851. "But taking advantage of Twilight isn't? Is that why you're so quick to do it?"
  13852. >"F-F-FI-FIRST OF ALL! I am Twilight Sparkle's BEST FRIEND in the entire WORLD! A f-friendship between girls is dif-different from boys, okay?! I'm looking out for her!"
  13853. >She's full on yelling at this point
  13854. >"Second! Paying three women to have relations with you is OBVIOUSLY worse than doing whatever it takes to date the girl you love!"
  13855. "I don't love Twilight. We're barely even friends."
  13856. >"Stop lying!"
  13857. >As she becomes more angry, you become more calm
  13858. >Sensing that you now have the upper hand, you cross your arms and smirk
  13859. "All you're doing is exposing yourself."
  13860. >She gasps and crosses her arms, grabbing her shoulders
  13861. >"I wear something underneath..."
  13862. "Not that. I meant exposing the inconsiderate things you've done to Twilight."
  13863. >"I've been nothing but a good friend."
  13864. "So you'd be perfectly fine if Twilight went through your phone's text messages?"
  13865. >Again, she scowls in silence
  13866. "Well?"
  13867. >"You're just trying to change the subject. I already told you-"
  13868. >There's that flashlight again
  13869. >"-I have proof."
  13870. "Alright, look! I saw Twilight for all of five minutes last night. The reasons were not even remotely romantic. I realized she needed a flashlight and gave her mine. End of story."
  13871. >"Where did you meet her? Your house?"
  13872. "None of your business."
  13873. >"I-It is!"
  13874. "It isn't, because she asked me not to tell you. And now I can see why."
  13875. >That's the limit
  13876. >Even that might have been too much
  13877. >So you sit back and watch Rarity go from shocked, to offended, to... the verge of tears
  13878. >Her trembling lip instantly dampens your argument high
  13879. "Uh. Hold on, that doesn't mean anything really."
  13880. >"Just that Twilight... doesn't trust me..."
  13881. "No, no, it's more complicated than that, okay?"
  13882. >"Yeah. It's too complicated to include Rarity."
  13883. >Sniff
  13884. >"I'm only the one who convinced my parents to let Twilight stay with us."
  13885. >Sniff
  13886. >"I only converted the nursery into a suitable b-bedroom."
  13887. >Sniff
  13888. >"I only set up this account for her and taught her to use the 'Personal Computer' as she'd call it..."
  13889. "Oh man. Please don't do that."
  13890. >Tears stream down her face
  13891. >"Do what?"
  13892. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I felt cornered, so I went too far. I'm sorry."
  13893. >As if it were a pet cat, you bring the laptop onto your lap and give it your full attention
  13894. "Twilight trusts you a lot. It's just this one, small thing that she came to me for. You're an amazing friend to do so much for Twilight, and she knows it."
  13895. >Sniff
  13896. >"Anonymous..."
  13897. >What a strange series of emotions
  13898. >Embarrassed, to confused, to furious, to cocky, to apologetic
  13899. >It's so exhausting
  13900. >You just want to sleep
  13901. "Hey, we don't have to be enemies over this or anything, right?"
  13902. >"Enemies?"
  13903. "Yeah."
  13904. >She's unsure of how to react to the handshake you offer
  13905. >"Uh. Haha."
  13906. >She smiles and holds out her hand, then wags it up and down in sync with yours
  13907. "You've got a strong handshake for a lady."
  13908. >"Haha... very funny..."
  13909. "So. No need for us to yell at each other. No need for you to feel like Twilight doesn't trust you. Sound right?"
  13910. >"You really are a gentleman, aren't you?"
  13911. >The sleeve of her pajamas does a good job of wiping up her tears
  13912. >"But to be honest... no."
  13913. >Damn it
  13914. >"If there's even the tiniest chance that Twilight's naivete is being exploited, I have to do everything I can to protect her. I simply must know what it is you two have been doing in sec-"
  13915. >Light smothers the sides of Rarity's office chair
  13916. >"Oh goodness."
  13917. >It disappears
  13918. >She hunts and pecks a single key, then smoothly types something afterward
  13919. >** The other user has hidden your webcam. Feel free to stretch your face muscles! **
  13920. >She spins the chair around
  13921. >"As usual, you didn't call me."
  13922. >With the widened gap on the left side of the screen you have a clear view of a brown couch, covered with stains
  13923. >Its cushions have various holes that the stuffing pokes out of
  13924. >A cute, purple backpack lands on the furthest arm, and two pink boots hit and slide down the wall, landing securely on the back of the couch
  13925. >"So? I can walk home by myself. Last time you didn't come get me anyway."
  13926. >"Sweetie! That is NOT where your boots go and you know it!"
  13927. >"Shove off! Like you don't do it sometimes!"
  13928. >The chair spins a bit more as Rarity launches off of it and grabs the boots
  13929. >"I swear. How hard is it to leave them by the door?"
  13930. >"Ugh!"
  13931. >The girl is briefly visible as she stomps off to the right
  13932. >Some things are moved around, at least you guess as much from the sound
  13933. >Then Rarity sits back down and spins
  13934. >"...Sorry. That was my kid sister. So immature."
  13935. "Oh."
  13936. >"She stayed at a friend's house last night, so."
  13937. >You nod
  13938. >Unsure of where to lead the conversation, you just keep nodding
  13939. >And nodding
  13940. "So."
  13941. >"So..."
  13942. >Her mic pics up something
  13943. >A low, mechanical roar from another room that builds in intensity
  13944. >Then finishes off with a blast of pressure and normalizes into a steady rumble
  13945. >"Do NOT turn up the cooler! You know it'll trip the breaker in the summer!"
  13946. >"It's hot!"
  13947. >"Too bad!"
  13948. >The younger one's voice starts out quiet, and gets louder over time
  13949. >"When you're on the internet you care sooo much about the stupid breaker, but if I'm on Steam you don't give a crap!"
  13950. >"That's not true."
  13951. >"Just ask Scoots. You know how many games you've lost for us?!"
  13952. >The young girl, quite similar to Rarity in appearance, shows up on the edge of the screen
  13953. >Her clothes are much more modest than her big sister's - a solid red t-shirt and black shorts with no fancy, swirling patterns to speak of
  13954. >"Well..."
  13955. >"Hey! Are you in a call?"
  13956. >"What?!"
  13957. >"You are. Who is it?"
  13958. >She pops up over the arm of the chair
  13959. >"How can you tell? Ge-get away!"
  13960. >"Because it says in bold text right there that the other person's camera's hidden, duh. Who is... Anonymous?"
  13961. >"Back off!"
  13962. >"Are you talking to a boy? I'm gonna tell dad!"
  13963. >"You wouldn't dare!"
  13964. >They engage in the girliest wrestle match you've seen in your life
  13965. >Sweetie grunts as if she's using all of her strength as she pulls Rarity an inch or two toward the armrest
  13966. >Rarity is probably pushing on Sweetie's head, but she might just be checking her temperature
  13967. >If you were in a better mood you might laugh at them
  13968. >"Stop! It!"
  13969. >"Go to your room, little kid!"
  13970. >"Dad said you can't call me that! ...That's it!"
  13971. >She backs away from her big sister and dives right over the armrest
  13972. >Her foot kicks the side of the desk and sends everything shaking
  13973. >With a wobbling view of the action you watch Rarity wrap her arms around Sweetie's torso
  13974. >"You are the most embarrassing sister in the world!"
  13975. >"Who're you talking to? Who're you talking to? Who're you talking to!"
  13976. >The "Twilight is typing" message pops up
  13977. >Every time Sweetie types, Rarity frantically backspaces
  13978. >"Knock it off, Despairity!"
  13979. >"Go play with temporary tattoos or something!"
  13980. >Sweetie leans forward, grunts, and headbutts Rarity right in the chin, drawing her hands to protect her face
  13981. >"Gahh!"
  13982. >9:53 AM: /shwcam
  13983. >9:53 AM: /sowcam
  13984. >"Dang it!"
  13985. >9:53 AM: /shoecam
  13986. >9:54 AM: s/howcma
  13987. >Oh boy
  13988. >Poor Rarity just clutches her face while her little sister types faster than she's capable, on her lap
  13989. "Just do it normal speed, kid."
  13990. >She pauses, raises an eyebrow, and types much more slowly
  13991. >** The other user has re-enabled your webcam. **
  13992. >The kid gasps
  13993. >"It's him!"
  13994. >"Sweetie-"
  13995. >"It's that guy!"
  13996. >"Shut! Up!"
  13997. >Rarity takes a fistful of Sweetie's hair and pulls her away from the keyboard, eliciting an instant yell
  13998. >"Ouch! Ouch! Knock it off, idiot!"
  13999. >She grabs her sister's wrist and squeezes
  14000. >Seconds later Rarity has let go, Sweetie runs out of the room, and the camera feed vanishes
  14001. >** Call ended at 9:54 AM. **
  14002. ___
  14003. >A drop of sweat falls from your forehead
  14004. >You open your eyes and scan the dark gray sidewalk
  14005. >With shadow from the tree above you masking the details, the drop may as well have vanished
  14006. "Huh."
  14007. >A bit of cool air hugs the back of your neck as you sit up
  14008. >Your back shoves into the bench
  14009. >Your arms fall over the back
  14010. >Summer's definitely started. Thankfully school is about to end, too
  14011. >No more uneventful hour long lunch breaks
  14012. >Today was at least a bit better, since the math teacher had a small chat with you right after class ended
  14013. "Oh shit."
  14014. >Where is your algebra textbook?
  14015. >You pull the strap of your backpack onto your shoulder and start off for the front of the school
  14016. >Strutting through empty hallways is a guilty pleasure of yours
  14017. >Nothing here but lockers, so it's safe to enjoy yourself
  14018. >One foot in front of the other
  14019. >Marching to your destination like the CEO of some million dollar company
  14020. >A CEO who really needs an algebra textbook
  14021. >"Shut up!"
  14022. >You freeze up about a foot from the doorway
  14023. >"Can't handle the truth, can you?"
  14024. >"Shut UP! I weigh the same as when we got here!"
  14025. >"Then let's go step on the scale in the alchemist's room."
  14026. >Alchemist?
  14027. >"No."
  14028. >"HA! I'm right!"
  14029. >"Nooo!"
  14030. >"Just admit I'm right!"
  14031. >"You're NOT!"
  14032. >Sounds like one of them pushes the other into a desk
  14033. >Small objects rain off of it and pelt the carpet
  14034. >"...Fine, wanna fight? I'll beat the truth into you, fatty!"
  14035. >A large, striped ponytail pops out from the door way and waves around
  14036. >"Wait. Wait. We're not allowed to fight. Right, Dagi?"
  14037. >"You push me and then tell on me? You're the fuckin' worst. Besides, you OBVIOUSLY started it."
  14038. >The girl takes one more step away from the doorway, revealing her full form and the terror on her face
  14039. >Before you can even take it in, her arm is tugged and she's stumbling back into the class room
  14040. >"D-DAGI! Dagi! We're breaking the rules!"
  14041. >Two of them wrestle around on the floor, rolling into desks and punching at each other
  14042. >Though the more you listen, it sounds like only one of them is doing the punching
  14043. >The painful grunts are all from one girl...
  14044. >...maybe you should step in?
  14045. >A bang on what must be the teacher's desk makes you jump and silences the scuffle in an instant
  14046. >"ENOUGH! Sit down and eat your food!"
  14047. >There's a spell of silence before you hear chairs scoot out and the two girls drop into them
  14048. >And then it's just the sounds of chewing and scraping plastic plates
  14049. >Now that the argument's dissolved you feel you should head on in, but something is... off
  14050. >So you cross your arms and rest against the wall
  14051. >About a minute later she starts up
  14052. >"I've got it all worked out now. Our new plan."
  14053. >It's the commanding voice again
  14054. >Does she always sound like that, or is she still pissed?
  14055. >"What? You were serious about changing the plan?"
  14056. >"Yes. For good reason."
  14057. >"...Was there something wrong with the other?"
  14058. >She hums, presumably while chewing her food
  14059. >"It would have worked, but the reward is a bit small. Tonight I'll explain the new plan in full. It's very similar, but there will be a MUCH bigger payoff."
  14060. >"Awww! But I already memorized the words! 'Battle... you wanna win it... let's have a battle... battle of-"
  14061. >She sings in a monotone until she's cut off
  14062. >"We have to wait through the summer vacation period anyway. You'll memorize another."
  14063. >Wait, battle!?
  14064. >"...Okay. Can we use it another time though? I like it a lot."
  14065. >"Eat your food, Sonata, and clear your mind. We'll craft something more complex. It'll require full attention to learn, especially for you."
  14066. >"Hey..."
  14067. >The girl who got shoved into a desk snickers
  14068. >Your heart races
  14069. >The hell is this?
  14070. >Not long ago you would have assumed they were from drama, but after the incident with Shimmer you feel glued to the wall
  14071. >For several minutes you listen to the argumentative two bicker back and forth
  14072. >Every time they start up again over some petty nonsense, you want more for the commanding voice to interrupt
  14073. >"You can take the bed. It smells like someone puked all over it."
  14074. >"That's probably because you slept in it."
  14075. >"You know what?!"
  14076. >"No fighting~"
  14077. >"Stupid... fucking... ugh."
  14078. >Just go back to the important stuff already
  14079. >Lecture them some more
  14080. >You've lost track of the time. The bell could ring, and who knows if you'll get a chance like this again?
  14081. >Well, why leave it to chance in the first place?
  14082. >You could just approach them and ask for clarification
  14083. >With your hand laid flat against the wall you take one step toward the doorway
  14084. >Just before you take off into the most inconspicuous walk you can manage, you're frozen in place by the commanding voice from before
  14085. >Except this time it's more calm, a bit more quiet
  14086. >"Don't expect to get a lot of sleep. We're going to the 'Beats Me' shop again tonight. We'll arrive at closing time, have the shopkeeper show us how to work the machines, then tell him to go home. That technology could serve us. If I'm right about it... the humans won't know what hit them."
  14087. >Humans
  14088. >THE HUMANS
  14089. >That's a confirmation
  14090. >It's got to be
  14091. >You step away very slowly, and once at the end of the hall you take off
  14092. >Got to find her
  14093. >Got to tell her
  14094. >Twilight Sparrow
  14095. >Where is she?!
  14096. >The cafeteria, probably
  14097. >You reach another corner
  14098. >What is Beats Me?
  14099. >Other than obnoxious pun material
  14100. >When you get home, you can look it up on the internet
  14101. >...What if the bell rings?
  14102. >Sitting on this during class would be awful
  14103. >Got to hurry
  14104. >Got to hurry!
  14105. >Your back pack slips down your arm
  14106. >You pull it behind you, swing it forward to scoop it back up, but lose your grip
  14107. >It drops to the floor where your hasty feet slip over it
  14108. >The the sprint you'd built up betrays you, launching you head-first into-
  14109. >"Hey!"
  14110. >Three pounds on the glass beside your head wake you up
  14111. >"You are under arrest!"
  14112. "What the fuck-"
  14113. >The seatbelt keeps you from falling over
  14114. >"You're being detained and shit. Open up!"
  14115. >Sigh
  14116. >With your face inches from the window, you frown
  14117. >The girl on the other side presses her hands against the side of the car and leans in as well
  14118. >Her white hair is easy to see in this darkness. Even the purple ends on the front side come in clear
  14119. >The nose ring takes a bit of straining
  14120. >She raises a hand up in front of the glass and circles her index finger around
  14121. >"I don't got all night."
  14122. >You roll the window down, and unlock the door while you're at it
  14123. "What's with the yellow gloves?"
  14124. >"They're for cleaning, dork."
  14125. "I thought they might be a fashion statement."
  14126. >"Who'd wear yellow gloves for fashion?"
  14127. >You shrug
  14128. "Who'd bleach their hair?"
  14129. >"Ha, ha, ha."
  14130. >The jab to your shoulder shifts you in your seat
  14131. >"We've got a comedian. Hold up and I'll ask my boss if you can do stand up."
  14132. "About that, I thought you got fired?"
  14133. >"I did."
  14134. >The girl digs into her coat pocket and produces a pack of cigarettes
  14135. >"I guess I'm one of the only suckers willing to sit around all night in the shittiest convenience store in town."
  14136. >With one slipping slightly between her glove's fingers and a lighter tucked under her thumb she drops the pack back in
  14137. >Striking the flame takes a few tries
  14138. >Once she's got it, she snuggles up to the car to protect her light from the cool breeze
  14139. "Maybe your exotic appearance was good for tourism?"
  14140. >"Ha! Ha! Ha!"
  14141. >A couple more jabs to the same spot
  14142. >It's probably bruised
  14143. >"Fuckin' hilarious, what a jokester, you're killing me."
  14144. >She gives you a little smile, and you return one
  14145. >After taking drag she sticks her head right through the window and inspects the floorboard
  14146. >"Got a girl down here or something?"
  14147. >Smoke rises up into your face
  14148. "Wh-why would there be a girl down there?"
  14149. >She lifts up with a deadpan expression
  14150. >"Use your imagination."
  14151. "Uh..."
  14152. >"She hiding in the back? Shit, it's dark, man."
  14153. >The door opens up and now both her and the seatbelt constrain you
  14154. "Hey! Hey! Get off!"
  14155. >"Heeeellooooo? Who's the dirty bastard that took 'Non's virginity?"
  14156. "F-Fuck off!"
  14157. >You shove her out and fan smoke away
  14158. "I'm not with a girl. I'm not with anyone."
  14159. >"Hmmm. What is it then?"
  14160. >She scoots into the seat beside you, as much as she can, resting one shoe in the floorboard and the other on the asphalt
  14161. >"Are you high?"
  14162. "Come on..."
  14163. >You roll your eyes
  14164. >"You drunk?"
  14165. "Seriously? I've almost killed myself driving sober."
  14166. >"Hmmm. Let me smell your breath."
  14167. >She turns your head toward her by your chin
  14168. >Your heart skips a beat
  14169. >Her scrutinous golden eyes compel you to awkwardly open your mouth
  14170. "Uh."
  14171. >"Your breath smells suspiciously good."
  14172. >She rubs her nose and pulls away
  14173. >"Man! That's way too fuckin' clean! Suspicious!"
  14174. "Maybe you should stop smoking."
  14175. >She slams her hand down on the steering wheel, launching some ash into your floorboard, and gets up close again
  14176. >One side of her lips curls down
  14177. >"Maybe you should tell me why you're hanging out in a parking lot by yourself. It's after midnight."
  14178. "Go back to scrubbing the floor or whatever you were doing."
  14179. >"You're in an... unusually shitty mood, 'Non. What's wrong?"
  14180. >Her tone shifts to something more gentle
  14181. >As soon as that happens, you anticipate a touch on your aching shoulder
  14182. >"...'Non?"
  14183. >And there it is
  14184. >She gets a firm but cautious hold on your shoulder and rubs up and down
  14185. >Up and down
  14186. >The frustration this causes is quickly blocked out by nostalgic comfort
  14187. >Every time she does this, you turn into an open book
  14188. >Right now that's not really an option
  14189. "I just want to be alone."
  14190. >"Ugh. 'Non! You're gonna like, hurt my feelings."
  14191. "Don't do the whining thing."
  14192. >You yawn
  14193. "I've been up for fourty-eight hours... I have no patience."
  14194. >She yawns too
  14195. >"Why have you been up so long?"
  14196. "Because. I'm an idiot."
  14197. >"Why are you an idiot?"
  14198. "Stop."
  14199. >"Come on 'Non. It'd be a shame if I had to phone up your parents and tell them I caught you getting blown in the parking lot."
  14200. "Wh-whoa!"
  14201. >"While drunk off your ass. Boy that'd suck."
  14202. "Don't even joke about that. My mom would believe you."
  14203. >Though it's not as if your parents tend to take phone calls these days
  14204. >She rubs her chin a bit
  14205. >"Maybe I should call. Then she'd be like, 'our son is on the wrong path, he still needs a babysitter after all,' and I could quit this graveyard shift bullshit."
  14206. "No offense but I think that's the last job you're going to get, with your current look."
  14207. >She chuckles
  14208. >"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."
  14209. >Your conversation dies down, but the little massage on your shoulder is persistent
  14210. >The longer it goes on, the warmer and fuzzier your stomach gets
  14211. >Hold on
  14212. >The gloves
  14213. "Ew."
  14214. >You grab her arm
  14215. "You haven't been scrubbing toilets, have you?"
  14216. >Her silence is not very reassuring
  14217. "...Why don't you take them off? This place has the most disgusting bathroom I've seen in my life."
  14218. >"Awww. How sweet."
  14219. "Wh-what?"
  14220. >She reaches over with her free hand and pats your shoulder
  14221. >"You don't want me to stop comforting you."
  14222. "Not what I said."
  14223. >"It's more like what you didn't say, dude."
  14224. >She laughs as she pulls the gloves off and drops them onto the dash
  14225. >"I didn't want to take them off because I'm super forgetful. If I lose them my boss will freak out. Not even joking."
  14226. "Well, genius, you don't have to risk it."
  14227. >"...What?"
  14228. >Seriously?
  14229. >You take the gloves, flip them inside out and move toward the nearest coat pocket
  14230. >It's stuffed, with the cigarettes among other things
  14231. >So you reach around and work them into the pocket on the other side
  14232. "See?"
  14233. >"Ohhh. 'Non. How sweet."
  14234. >Her arm wraps around your neck and pulls you into her
  14235. "Hey!"
  14236. >"All that just to sneak a hug? Very cute, you little dweeb."
  14237. "That was NOT what I was doing."
  14238. >"So so so cute. It's just like old times, huh?"
  14239. >You're pretty sure you try to break out of her hold
  14240. >It could be that you were laying motionless against her chest the whole time
  14241. >Too tired to tell
  14242. >"Why don't you tell me what's wrong now?"
  14243. "...Gilda..."
  14244. >"An actual customer could pull in any second, so you should tell me while you can."
  14245. >Well
  14246. >Why not
  14247. "Whatever. It's a girl I know."
  14248. >"Fuckin' knew it! When did you hook up? What'd she do to you?"
  14249. "Whoa. You've got it backwards."
  14250. >"...What'd you fuck up?"
  14251. >Sigh
  14252. "Well. This morning I hurt her feelings."
  14253. >She waits a few seconds before grunting in impatience
  14254. >"Worst story ever."
  14255. >You try to sit up and she pulls you back in
  14256. >"That means give me the details. How'd you hurt her feelings?"
  14257. "Uh. She's... really jealous. She always thinks I'm spending time with another girl, you know? So I tried calling the one in question to clear things up."
  14258. >"Oh shit."
  14259. "Huh?"
  14260. >"Keep going. Just, oh shit you fucked up."
  14261. >You swallow hard
  14262. "Uh, well the first girl, I'll call her Taco, just listens in on the call. Second girl, Pajamas, picks up and starts kissing my ass. Then asks if I'm single."
  14263. >"Oh? You making this up?"
  14264. "No. Why would I make this up? Anyway, the call turns into a heated, awkward argument. After it ended and I tried to explain to Taco..."
  14265. >"...And she didn't listen?"
  14266. "Yeah. Pajamas said a lot of things that sounded suspicious, but didn't mean anything. Tacos didn't want to hear my explanations."
  14267. >She takes a drag and looks away to sigh
  14268. >"Taco didn't say anything at all?"
  14269. "W-Well, one thing."
  14270. >It feels as though a knot forms in your stomach
  14271. "She said 'you got mad at Pajamas for being vague, but you're vague with me all the time.' I got frustrated and left, drove into town, and searched all day."
  14272. >"Searched for what?"
  14273. "Um. I searched for... myself, man. You know?"
  14274. >Gilda pokes a finger into the top of your head
  14275. >If you weren't on the verge of falling asleep on her you'd care more about the pain
  14276. >"I'm not following. You're being vague with ME now. Why did you argue with Pajamas? When did you meet Taco? Also drop the code names, this isn't the witness protection program."
  14277. >Your scalp is spared for a moment, then she pats you on the side of the head
  14278. >"Don't fall asleep while I'm so confused."
  14279. "They're just usernames."
  14280. >"What?"
  14281. "Account names."
  14282. >She rests her hand
  14283. >"Wait. Is Taco like, your internet girlfriend?"
  14284. "Uhhh. Sure. She lives close by though. It's an argument about internet stuff... you wouldn't understand."
  14285. >"Dude, seriously?"
  14286. >She pushes you up, rests her arm on your shoulder and then her chin on her arm, putting herself uncomfortably close yet again
  14287. >"This is over an internet fight? Who cares?"
  14288. "Well..."
  14289. >"Just call up your real life friends and hang out. Forget about Taco and Pajamas, they'll be over it next time you jack in or whatever."
  14290. >The way she says it, as if it's the most obvious solution in the world
  14291. >Call someone up
  14292. >Hang out
  14293. "I don't have 'real life friends', Gilda."
  14294. >"That's not true. You have a bunch of friends. Sometimes your mom would call me and say I didn't have to check on you because you were at a slumber party or something."
  14295. "Yeah."
  14296. >You mash your hand into your face and then let it fall into the passenger seat
  14297. "Back then I did. These days I have pretty much n-no one."
  14298. >"Why?"
  14299. >She turns your head toward her by your chin again, and you look away
  14300. "Just didn't work out I guess. I don't want to talk about it, okay?"
  14301. >"That's fuckin' crazy. Don't you want friends?"
  14302. >What kind of question is that?
  14303. "Of course I do."
  14304. >"Then how can you not have any? You've got money, just throw it around and you can make as many friends as you want."
  14305. >Thoughts explode inside your head
  14306. >Your lips prepare for a hundred different sarcastic responses
  14307. "That's..."
  14308. >Your heart beats faster
  14309. >Your face warms up
  14310. "That's not the answer. That's the fucking problem."
  14311. >After feeling around at your side a bit you find and undo the seatbelt so you can scoot a bit further away
  14312. >Irritation builds as you wait for a hand on your shoulder again
  14313. >You imagine you'll just push it off this time
  14314. >But instead of comforting you, she taps on the door
  14315. >"Maybe I'm dumb. I don't get what you're saying. Explain it?"
  14316. "...I really don't want to talk about this."
  14317. >"Dude, you're all pent-up over it. You should let it out."
  14318. >She puts her weight on the steering wheel
  14319. >"Maybe I can help you."
  14320. >She's part of the...
  14321. "You're part of-"
  14322. >Yawn
  14323. >"...Part of what?"
  14324. >Maybe if you just say it, she'll let you go back to sleep
  14325. "I had friends so long as I had money to spend. The second I'd run out of allowance, they'd suddenly lose interest in me."
  14326. >You close your hand into a fist and dig it into your knee
  14327. "It got to where I wouldn't see anyone for weeks at a time. But once I could buy us a video game or something, I was everyone's closest pal. You... you know?"
  14328. >She says nothing
  14329. "So eventually I told them I was sick of it. I thought it'd play out like a cartoon, that they'd apologize and we'd all become actual friends... but... I haven't talked to any of them in years."
  14330. >"Man, that's kind of crazy. It makes sense, but it's crazy. You're telling me not even one of your friends stayed?"
  14331. "No."
  14332. >"...That sucks. I'll give you that, but-"
  14333. >She squeezes the hand on your knee
  14334. >"-that just means they were a shitty bunch of friends. You can make more."
  14335. >Is she not self-aware?
  14336. >Or maybe she's playing stupid
  14337. >Your tired and irrational brain wants you to believe she's trying to piss you off
  14338. "Everyone acts that way. I see it everywhere. Even Ra- even Pajamas... She wouldn't shut up about my parents' accomplishments, but I know she just meant my parents' money. She complimented me, but it's just because of the money."
  14339. >"Anonymous..."
  14340. "Maybe I could live with that kind of girl, and those kinds of fake friends. If I really had to, who knows? But here's the thing: I can't sustain it. I'm not my parents. Their work doesn't interest me. I tried to study it anyway, but it doesn't stick. You know? I don't care about it, and they know it. That's why they don't give a shit about me anymore."
  14341. >You brush her hand off of yours
  14342. >"I'm not going into their profession, and I'm sure as hell not going to mooch off their money after I graduate. My 'friends' would all be gone by the end of next year, so fuck them. Fuck everyone."
  14343. >Your heart won't calm itself
  14344. >Having all but said it straight out, you stare out the passenger window and cross your arms
  14345. >So embarrassing
  14346. >So exhausting
  14347. >As you wait for her to acknowledge it, a minute crawls by, and predictions of her angry defense play out in your mind
  14348. >She'll deny it, distort the facts
  14349. >Slam your door and swear at you
  14350. >You just wish she'd hurry up and do it
  14351. >"...Is this what they'd call a complex or something?"
  14352. "What?"
  14353. >"Like, maybe you push people away because you see things that aren't there."
  14354. "Things that aren't there? Seriously?"
  14355. >She shrugs
  14356. >"Well not everyone's like your childhood friends, 'Non. Maybe I don't count for much, but you've got me, for example."
  14357. >Still playing dumb?
  14358. >No, she must not see it at all
  14359. "A-Are you serious?"
  14360. >"Of course. You mean a lot to me. I hope I mean a lot to you t-"
  14361. "You think you don't count?"
  14362. >"Eh?"
  14363. "When you do it it's far worse than if someone else does."
  14364. >After a long pause she tosses her cigarette and grinds it into the asphalt with the tip of her shoe
  14365. >"Wait. You don't think that I talk to you because you have money, do you?"
  14366. "Gilda."
  14367. >"What? Do you think that? It's not true."
  14368. "Really?"
  14369. >"Yeah..."
  14370. "So you weren't going to ask me to lend you some cash for cigarettes? And you don't need help with the rent this month?"
  14371. >"Wh-"
  14372. "Don't act like that's not why you knocked on the window, or why you were so concerned about my mood. You know when my account gets refilled. And that's always when I run into you."
  14373. >You can't even look at her
  14374. >Short of breath, and with a burning face, you finally said it
  14375. >She can explode in anger now, maybe jab your shoulder a few more times
  14376. >She could at least
  14377. >But she doesn't
  14378. >Gilda slides out of the car and gently shuts the door
  14379. >The click is barely audible
  14380. >"I."
  14381. >She's quiet
  14382. >"I uh."
  14383. >What? Not even going to deny it?
  14384. >Is she going to guilt trip you?
  14385. >"Um. 'Non..."
  14386. >It's all a misunderstanding, is that it?
  14387. >Just a huge coincidence?
  14388. >Don't even bother
  14389. "I'm done with that stuff."
  14390. >You retake your seat and pull the belt back over you
  14391. >Once it's clicked in you rest your hands on the steering wheel
  14392. >The frustration fades
  14393. >There's relief, but much more powerful is some kind of fear
  14394. >You close your eyes and wait...
  14395. "Uh-"
  14396. >With a blurry, half-lidded peek out the window, you see her
  14397. >...just walking away
  14398. >Past a promotional sign, halfway to the front door to the store
  14399. >She's not going to yell?
  14400. >Or hit you?
  14401. "Wait..."
  14402. >You go to open the door, and stop yourself
  14403. "Gil-"
  14404. >Soon she's pulling the yellow gloves out of her coat and pushing the door open with her shoulder
  14405. >The bell rings out into the empty parking lot until the door shuts itself, leaving you in silence
  14406. ___
  14407. "Whoa..."
  14408. >A wall of cold air hits you as the front door opens
  14409. >It's worse than outside
  14410. >You step in, shut it and run your hand underneath the doorknob a few times until it's locked again
  14411. >Maybe teaching Sonata to use the AC is a good idea
  14412. >Where is she?
  14413. >You lean down near the coffee table and let your laptop slide out from under your arm
  14414. >Your keys hit the edge and fall into the carpet, your shoes roll under the table and you drag your feet over to your bedroom doorway
  14415. >The lights don't need flipped on
  14416. >The three or four blankets she's wrapped around herself would be impossible to miss
  14417. "Sorry, Sonata."
  14418. >You whisper to yourself and step over to the couch
  14419. >It does occur to you to return the temperature to something more reasonable
  14420. >But four blankets
  14421. >Could be FIVE blankets
  14422. >She's probably warm
  14423. >Adagio can sleep inside her hair
  14424. >From where you stand you're barely able to see the electronic clock on top of your microwave in the kitchen
  14425. >12:32
  14426. "Good... night..."
  14427. >Your weight shifts on its own, pulling you over the back of the couch
  14428. >Cushions smash into your face
  14429. >Your limbs fall here and there
  14430. >And the phone rings
  14431. "What... the fuck."
  14432. >It reaches far, but is pretty quiet
  14433. >So much so that maybe it's your imagination
  14434. >Scheming brain wants to stay the fuck awake
  14435. >You squeeze your eyes shut harder and sigh in contempt
  14436. ...
  14437. "OH!"
  14438. >Barely keeping your balance you jump up and stumble through the living room
  14439. >Your feet slip on the tile, sliding you right into the counter
  14440. >RIIING
  14441. "They never call at twelve in the morning. What gives..."
  14442. >You look to the clock
  14443. >5:06
  14444. "The hell!?"
  14445. >RIIING
  14446. "School's going great, what am I learning though?"
  14447. >RIIING
  14448. "...School's out, damn it. Everything is going good. I got a girlfriend. N-No, I can't say that."
  14449. >RIIING
  14450. "There's a girl I like. She's pretty, nice, really jealous... she eats a lot, like dad. She'll fit in."
  14451. >RIIING
  14452. "I've been reading the textbooks dad told me about. It's starting to click, maybe?"
  14453. >RIIING
  14454. >You raise your shaking hand over the house phone
  14455. "Summer's been fun. Met a girl. Studying. Okay. Okay..."
  14456. >A deep breath
  14457. >And a sigh
  14458. >You snatch up the phone and lean against the counter
  14459. "Hey! S-Sorry, I was asleep. Not that it matters, of co-"
  14460. >...
  14461. >...
  14462. "Oh."
  14463. >...
  14464. "Yeah, that's me."
  14465. >...
  14466. "You remembered right. Is there something you need?"
  14467. >...
  14468. >...
  14469. "WHAT? Are you serious? No, no, no! Don't call the police! She's still there right?"
  14470. >...
  14471. "Okay, keep her there! I'm coming over right now!"
  14472. >...
  14473. "D-Don't let her leave! Bye!"
  14474. ___
  14475. >He's standing outside when you drive into the lot
  14476. >After the sloppiest parking job of your life you fling open the door and rush out, only to freeze in place
  14477. >The trip down here was rushed to say the least
  14478. >"She could leave," "Got to hurry," and "Please don't call the cops" played over and over in your head
  14479. >Just about the only new thought you had on the way was "thanks for nothing, Kent" as you passed his house
  14480. >You have no idea how to explain this
  14481. >"Howdy."
  14482. >He's on his way...
  14483. >You shut your door and wave
  14484. >Might as well let him come to the car, right?
  14485. >Is what you think until he leans against a gas pump and beckons you over
  14486. >Alright
  14487. >Don't be awkward
  14488. >And don't say anything suspicious. Not too complicated
  14489. >First course of action will be figuring out what Aria has said
  14490. "Hey, sir. I got here as fast as I could."
  14491. >You rest your arms on a newspaper dispenser a few feet away from him
  14492. >"No worries kid, feels like I just hung up the phone. I'm glad you're here, really didn't want to go to the authorities."
  14493. "So uh, why were you going to do that? What all has she done?"
  14494. >He groans
  14495. >"Gosh, I'm being rude. Before that..."
  14496. >He holds out his hand
  14497. >You aren't prepared for the strength of his handshake
  14498. >Being pulled forward, stumbling a bit, it brings up a memory from your childhood: seeing your father over-correct his balance and send himself into shelves of junk food
  14499. >Now you feel bad for laughing at him
  14500. >"Haven't seen you in ages, Anonymous. You were practically in the womb!"
  14501. "I've stopped by here a few times but didn't go inside, so... it's nice to see you again, Tom."
  14502. >"Next time you talk to your dad, tell him he should hurry back. Hasn't felt right since he stopped popping in for coffee."
  14503. "Haha. I'll tell him."
  14504. >Tom nods his head, but his goofy smile disappears
  14505. >"Anyway. The reason I was going to call the cops."
  14506. >He stuffs his hands deep into his pants pockets
  14507. >"To tell you the truth, I just don't know what to do. Yesterday I got a call about a kid just sitting outside the store, coming in to use the bathroom and that's it. I told them to leave her be."
  14508. >After glancing at his watch, he sighs
  14509. >"I showed up at midnight and she was still there. So, it's chilly. I tell her she can come inside and talk if there's a problem. She comes in, ignores me and sits in the corner. Strange, but weirder stuff's happened here so I go back to work. She's here for hours, right? Shaking, rubbing her wrists and ankles. Mumbling. I'm no expert but it's pretty obvious the kid's on something."
  14510. "No, no, no, it's not like that-"
  14511. >"At least that's what I thought!"
  14512. >He bends his knees and shakes his head as he chuckles at your frantic, waving hands
  14513. >"I feel bad for her, so I ask if she's thirsty. She won't say anything. So I give her a soda and she stares at me, makes a weird face and takes it. Ten minutes later the twerp's a totally different person."
  14514. "What do you mean?"
  14515. >"Going on and on about how she's going to work for me."
  14516. "...What."
  14517. >"She takes a broom out of the closet and sweeps around. Every twenty minutes or so she wants another task! It's driving me crazy. And I was quick to say this wasn't a thing! I said, plain as day, 'we're not hiring right now,' and she'd just interrupt me and shout 'I'm Aria! I AM Aria!' ...But there's another thing she kept saying."
  14518. >Tom cocks his head
  14519. >"'I don't need them. I don't need Anonymous. I don't need them. I don't need Anonymous.' Eventually it clicked in my head. When I asked if the Anonymous she knows lives out by the woods, she acted funny."
  14520. >He rests a hand on your shoulder
  14521. >"Look, I'm sorry for calling at this time. I go home in a few hours and the kid's definitely got some problems. Can't call her parents, she won't say who they are. I'm hoping you can deal with her."
  14522. "She's got some issues going on at home is all. Nothing serious, don't worry, she's just... really emotional. I'll take care of it."
  14523. >"That's what I wanted to hear!"
  14524. >Tom plants his hand on your back and guides you forward
  14525. >The storefront blurs; you focus through the large glass windows on a girl in the back
  14526. >She reaches up to the highest shelf and prods a box around with her index fingers
  14527. >Once she's got it facing neatly toward the aisle, she scoots over to the next product and gives it the same treatment
  14528. >Tom pulls open the door and claps his hands
  14529. >"Kid! Report!"
  14530. >The girl stumbles backward, and rather than trying to stabilize herself, launches into a sprint down the aisle
  14531. >Grabbing on to a counter lets her swing around the corner
  14532. >"Shift Manager Tom! I tidied the entire ai-"
  14533. >She comes to an abrupt stop
  14534. >Though initially wide-eyed, she takes on a stoic expression and locks eyes with Tom
  14535. >"Surprise! I called in your friend!"
  14536. >She blinks
  14537. >This girl...
  14538. >For a moment it's as though you're meeting her for the first time
  14539. >A red bandanna with a skull and crossbones pattern hugs the top of her head
  14540. >A gag "BURNT TOAST - MY SPECIALTY" apron that's just a bit too large covers her torso
  14541. >And she looks more...
  14542. >...alive
  14543. >"What? Don't be shy. He drove straight down here to see you."
  14544. >"Uh."
  14545. >"Why don't you talk to him for a while?"
  14546. >She shakes her head
  14547. >"That has nothing to do with running a 'gas station,' Shift Manager Tom."
  14548. >"Well. Ha ha. You got me there I guess."
  14549. >He scratches his nose and looks all around the room
  14550. >You join in, to distract yourself from the tense silence
  14551. >There's one customer here: a girl in her twenties reading the back of a candy bar wrapper
  14552. >"...Why don't you give Anonymous a tour of the station?"
  14553. >"Sir..."
  14554. >"He's a valued customer. Goes way back. He's probably interested in knowing how things have changed around here. Huh Anonymous?"
  14555. "Sure. I'm curious."
  14556. >Aria's line of sight doesn't budge
  14557. >"He can look around the store himself."
  14558. >"I wasn't asking, you know! That was your next task."
  14559. >"S-sir!"
  14560. >Her eyes shut
  14561. >She sighs and takes off down the aisle to your right
  14562. >Tom gives you a quick pat on the shoulder and heads to an "employees only" door in the back
  14563. >Once you hear it shut, you hesitantly approach twin-tails
  14564. "...Hi, Aria."
  14565. >"These are our big sodas."
  14566. >She points to a black shelf packed with two-liter bottles laying on their sides
  14567. >"You aren't allowed to drink them unless you buy them. Not even a sip."
  14568. >Her finger waves over to a row of boxes, each presenting a bull mascot
  14569. >"Those are beef jerky. The next one is slim jim. All the other brown stuff is beef jerky too."
  14570. "Oh."
  14571. >She shakes her head and takes a few steps forward
  14572. >"We keep the chips here. They have the same rule as the soda bottles."
  14573. >She runs her finger down the multiple rows of chip bags, making sure to hit each brand at least once
  14574. >"There are chips in a tube, too."
  14575. >You follow around to the other side
  14576. "Hey Aria, I'd like to talk to you about something el-"
  14577. >"This ENTIRE row is candy. So is the other row. Some of it is from another country and that's why it looks like dirt. Basically this is the aisle for fat people."
  14578. >Aria moves on so quickly that she doesn't see the twenty-something year old's glare
  14579. "Uh. Hey-"
  14580. >"These are medicine."
  14581. >She holds up a big pink bottle of pepto bismol
  14582. >"This potion helps when your stomach hurts I think?"
  14583. "Yeah. That's right."
  14584. >She rolls her eyes and sets it back down
  14585. >"Humans can be pretty smart. These little white pills make your head stop hurting, and there are even ones that put your enemies to sleep."
  14586. >Her arms cross tightly against her chest
  14587. >"Apparently humans who aren't idiots exist. I wouldn't have known."
  14588. "...Ha..."
  14589. >"...Maybe you should get some of the white pills. Since, s-since you're so stupid you can't even fall in a tub right."
  14590. >She glances at you, then proceeds
  14591. >Around the end of the aisle again and you're at the soda machines
  14592. "Wait-"
  14593. >"This is the soda fountain. It has like, a huge-ass bottle of soda inside. Well it has to be a lot of bottles because there's ten flavors. When you push a button..."
  14594. >She cautiously taps at the Mountain Dew square
  14595. >Then she moves all the way over to the other side and jabs at the Pepsi button
  14596. >"...See? There's no delay. Maybe there are ten big bottles. But they never run out, they must go into the wall?"
  14597. "Ha ha ha... ha ha, Aria..."
  14598. >"What?"
  14599. >You can't help but chuckle a bit longer
  14600. >Her cold stare is unchanging, and soon you're not much in the mood to laugh
  14601. "Is that the end of the tour?"
  14602. >"This is coffee."
  14603. >She steps over to the other side and rests her hands on the granite countertop
  14604. >"It looks like chocolate or something but it tastes like shit."
  14605. "I kind of like coffee."
  14606. >"It tastes like SHIT."
  14607. "Okay."
  14608. >She pokes around at some pink sugar packets in the corner
  14609. >"These will make it taste better. But why bother? Soda tastes good in the first place."
  14610. >In her effort to tidy up she knocks a box over, spilling its artificial sweeteners
  14611. >"Damn it."
  14612. >She whispers and scoops them up
  14613. >You watch as she pours her handful into the box, then shifts them one by one to stand upright and face forward
  14614. >Her tour comes to a halt as she gives her full attention to this tiny, insignificant task
  14615. "Are you having fun here, Aria?"
  14616. >She doesn't respond
  14617. >Soon she finishes up the final row, straightens out her apron a bit and rests her hands on her hips
  14618. >"Maybe if you weren't so stupid I wouldn't have dumped them."
  14619. "What?"
  14620. >Before you know it she's standing in front of the cash register
  14621. >"Hurry up!"
  14622. "Alright."
  14623. >You stand beside her and flash an uncomfortable smile to the guy behind the counter
  14624. >"When you have soda and chips or whatever, you bring it here and pay for it."
  14625. "Cool. Is that the end of the tour?"
  14626. >"There's one more thing."
  14627. >She leads you over to the door and points over her shoulder to a display case
  14628. >"He wouldn't tell me what these are, but I have a feeling you're the kind of guy who would buy them."
  14629. >Row after row holds magazines with women on the cover, living it up in their birthday suits
  14630. >Stickers block out the good stuff
  14631. "Very funny."
  14632. >"...I wasn't trying to be funny."
  14633. >The cashier stifles a laugh
  14634. >Aria smirks
  14635. >Impatience sets in
  14636. "Okay. The tour's done. Can we talk?"
  14637. >"Um. No. I finished my task, so go home."
  14638. "...Please. Give me one minute."
  14639. >"No. Go home."
  14640. "I'm worried about you."
  14641. >"WORRIED about me?"
  14642. >She closes the distance between you and scowls
  14643. >"Go. Home."
  14644. "Of course I'm worried. I was scared you got... hit by a car or something. I've been searching pretty much since you disappeared."
  14645. >"I don't care."
  14646. >Her breathing speeds up
  14647. >She balls her fists
  14648. "I'm willing to talk about it. About everything. We can... figure this out."
  14649. >"Would you go home already!?"
  14650. "Twin-tails-"
  14651. >With both hands she shoves you into the edge of a shelf, sending you flat on your back in the floor
  14652. >A few beef jerky packages rain down around you
  14653. >The air inside your lungs escapes as her knees sink into your stomach, and her hands slap onto the tiles beside your head
  14654. >"Do not. Fucking. Call me that."
  14655. "Get off..."
  14656. >With one good push she's forced to her feet, but immediately dives down again
  14657. >This time squeezing her fingers around your throat
  14658. "Aria! What the hell!"
  14659. >"I don't need anything from you. I don't NEED anybody. I'm staying here."
  14660. >Cautiously, you dig your fingers under hers
  14661. "You... can't live here..."
  14662. >Her right hand loosens up and you slip in to interlock fingers
  14663. >After doing the same with the other hand you roll over, throwing her to the floor and giving you enough momentum to pop up by the cashier
  14664. >His mouth hangs open
  14665. >The candy bar girl watches from a couple aisles down, snack-filled bag in hand
  14666. >At least she's not holding out her cell phone
  14667. >But of course...
  14668. >...a security camera is watching anyway
  14669. "Hey, Aria?"
  14670. >She lays still on the floor
  14671. "How about we take this outside?"
  14672. >"Fuck off."
  14673. "We're scaring the customers. That hurts the store's image."
  14674. >"Fuck! Off!"
  14675. "Isn't that right?"
  14676. >You go to the cashier for backup
  14677. >He pouts, leans over the counter and nods his head to Aria
  14678. >"Sorry, intern. It's like, a total rep killer when the employees choke customers on the floor."
  14679. >"But he started it!"
  14680. >"Weeeeeeell, like, I dunno, you did throw the first punch."
  14681. >"UGH!"
  14682. >She gets up and runs to the corner of the room
  14683. >With a broom in hand she holds the door open with her back, stares into your eyes, and unscrews the head. Very slowly
  14684. >"Like, I'm still on your side, intern!"
  14685. >She heads outside and takes a left
  14686. >...Intern?
  14687. >You frown at the cashier
  14688. "Please don't encourage her."
  14689. ___
  14690. >The alley between the station, and some fast food place
  14691. >It's pretty dark but there's a light near the middle. You both gravitate to opposite ends
  14692. >Aria holds the broom handle out horizontally
  14693. "Drop the ninja stance. I'm not going to fight you."
  14694. >"Then you're gonna get your ass kicked."
  14695. "I know that I deserve it. But can't we just talk?"
  14696. >"Talk about WHAT?"
  14697. "How to fix things. And why you ran away."
  14698. >"Why I ran away!?"
  14699. >She stomps
  14700. >"WHY I ran away!?"
  14701. >The end of the broom handle slams into the ground
  14702. >"I'm sorry, you can't shop here after all. We don't serve the mentally retarded."
  14703. "That's... a really bad PR move."
  14704. >"You have ONE MORE CHANCE to go home!"
  14705. "Aria!"
  14706. >She steps forward, dragging her makeshift staff with her
  14707. "I can't... I can't go home without you. I told you, no matter what happens, you're one of my people now."
  14708. >A whistling sound from the right sends you stepping back
  14709. >Your right arm is grazed
  14710. "Hey!"
  14711. >It swings in from the left
  14712. >Again, you barely dodge
  14713. >Just as you've prepared to catch the next swipe she pulls it back like a spear
  14714. "Stop. I don't want to do this."
  14715. >"Do what?"
  14716. "Fight you."
  14717. >"Hmmm."
  14718. >She stops in the middle of the light
  14719. >Not moving a muscle
  14720. >"Then just take it away from me."
  14721. >Your heart races
  14722. >What a stupid challenge
  14723. >It'll be easy. You were gonna do it anyway
  14724. "Fine."
  14725. >You raise your hands up slowly, bit by bit, waiting for her to make a move
  14726. >She doesn't
  14727. >So you reach in from the edge of the light and before you've even closed your hand into a fist, the handle has circled around, risen up and comes whistling down toward you
  14728. >The sting on your chin, you expected
  14729. >But the force of the blow disorienting you, sending you into the brick wall, you did not
  14730. >With squinted eyes you fall on your ass
  14731. >"Nice one."
  14732. >The same stinging sensation hits your neck and you raise an arm over your head
  14733. >"What a fighter. Maybe you can train Sonata."
  14734. >While your face and neck are safe, she swings the handle in from side to side, striking your arm and shoulder repeatedly
  14735. >"What's wrong? What's wrong!? I'm strong 'for a girl,' right? Does that mean you're weak for a boy?"
  14736. "God damn it..."
  14737. >Your eyes refuse to open out of fear of being struck
  14738. >Every time you go to get up, she hits you even harder
  14739. "This is stupid..."
  14740. >"You know what's REALLY stupid? Thinking I'd ever..."
  14741. >Your elbow is hit
  14742. >"...EVER..."
  14743. >A burning sensation fills your left hand
  14744. >"...go back with you!"
  14745. >The tips of your fingers ache
  14746. >It's...
  14747. >Not a choice, Aria
  14748. >Your legs do a sloppy job of getting you off the ground
  14749. >For a moment, you rest awkwardly against the wall with both arms crossed in front of your head
  14750. >The broom handle catches you one more time on the arm before you charge straight into Aria and pin her to the gas station's wall
  14751. >"GAH!"
  14752. >You feel around to the left and find her lower arm, which you follow down to the handle
  14753. >With one hand on her wrist, you grab the weapon and pull
  14754. >Her grip is no joke
  14755. >It takes several seconds to break it free
  14756. >"Sh-shit..."
  14757. >The broom whistles one last time as it flies through the air, into the grass
  14758. >Aria tries to squirm away
  14759. >Pointless
  14760. >You grab her by the arms and press her up against the wall
  14761. "I can't leave you alone. You can't stay here. Do you understand me? "
  14762. >"Let me go!"
  14763. "The girl, the one who's after you, she told m-"
  14764. >"Let GO!"
  14765. "She told me about how dangerous th-"
  14766. >"let GO OF ME!"
  14767. >Aria always has to interrupt you
  14768. >Every single time...
  14769. >You squeeze her arms tighter
  14770. >And tighter
  14771. >Digging your fingers in until you get a vocal reaction out of her
  14772. >A quiet groan that captures your attention in full
  14773. "It's not a choice. For either of us."
  14774. >She puts a lot of effort into escaping to the right
  14775. >So you drag her to the left
  14776. >You spin her so that she's facing away, then bend her legs
  14777. "I have to..."
  14778. >Aria falls face first into the dirt with your knee resting on her thighs, and her arms held tightly behind her back
  14779. "...do this."
  14780. >Warmth of her skin on your fingers
  14781. >Brushes from her ponytails hitting your face as she tries desperately to get a look at you
  14782. >Her painful grunts as you put pressure on unexpected places
  14783. "I'm just doing what's right."
  14784. >Bringing her to a dead stop when she tries to roll away from you
  14785. >The feeble kicks on your lower back, delivered by legs she can barely move
  14786. "I'm doing the right thing. That's what this has all been about. Ever since the music store... no, ever since lunch that day. Maybe I went too far but I'm doing the right thing. You'll understand that eventually."
  14787. >Something moves beneath you
  14788. >She's managed to pull one leg up far enough to where her bare toes rest against the wall
  14789. "Just stop. Okay? Because I won't. This is the only way."
  14790. >Still, she fights
  14791. >The toes flatten out and, at an agonizingly slow speed, she pulls the rest of her foot on
  14792. >Her excited gasp drives you to wait it out
  14793. "I'm a dick. I know. But can't you understand? You HAVE to be reformed. I'm the only one who can do it. It's..."
  14794. >Her second leg moves even slower than the first
  14795. >You let off, just a little
  14796. "This is my responsibility."
  14797. >With both feet against the wall she grunts once again
  14798. >She uses the last of her energy to kick out from under you and roll into the light
  14799. >Immediately she lifts up
  14800. "Aria."
  14801. >A puzzling warmth builds in your abdomen
  14802. "Stop."
  14803. >You could pick her up...
  14804. "Just stop."
  14805. >You could carry her right to the car and stuff her inside
  14806. >Just like the very first night
  14807. >Instead, you watch her muster up strength to get onto her knees
  14808. >And onto her feet
  14809. >Then you grab her shoulders and force her down on her back
  14810. >"I'm gonna... kill you..."
  14811. >Her arms lay flat against the ground
  14812. >You let off enough for her to bring them up around her head
  14813. >And you let them fall down to rest straight out
  14814. >The important thing is that you decide where they stop
  14815. "Stop struggling, and this will be over."
  14816. >Her face contorts with disgust at your whispers
  14817. "We'll go straight back to the house. We'll work this out. Okay?"
  14818. >Just as you hoped, this fills her with another burst of determination
  14819. >Once again you have to struggle to keep her arms down
  14820. >Your fingers dig in around her wrists
  14821. >You realize that you're smiling. At the sensation of her pulse on your thumbs
  14822. >The way her legs shift your entire body while trying to get away
  14823. >Her sharp breaths that seem to finally hint at genuine fear
  14824. >The furrowed brow and squinted eyes
  14825. >Her scrunched up nose and contorted lips
  14826. >The tears rolling down the side of her face
  14827. "Come on. Stop. Stop and..."
  14828. >Aria's next sharp breath is a lot stronger than the ones that came before it
  14829. >Afterwards, you hear a quiet whine as she lets the air escape
  14830. >Her chest rises and falls very slowly
  14831. "...Uh..."
  14832. >Your mind races
  14833. >Images force themselves upon you:
  14834. >Approaching Twilight and her friends
  14835. >Excited to tell her about what you had heard
  14836. >Thrilled to be the one person who they could rely on to secure an advantage against a new threat
  14837. >Maybe you could help them, you wonder
  14838. >And after the city is safe again, you might even become part of the group
  14839. "This is..."
  14840. >Rainbow Dash scoffs
  14841. >Your story, she declares, is suspicious
  14842. >The way you kept correcting yourself on what the girls said and the convenience of how you learned about their supposed plan
  14843. >One by one the girls all agree with her, except Rarity who sits quietly and stares
  14844. >Even after explaining that you're nervous, they don't reconsider
  14845. "...the right..."
  14846. >You park outside a music store, at an address you'd just pulled off of the internet
  14847. >It's closed and yet some of the lights are on
  14848. >A brief screech comes and goes, followed by distant yells
  14849. >This is it, you think
  14850. >Everything works out perfectly
  14851. >No need to even talk to them. More direct measures are fine
  14852. >After all
  14853. >You're hunting monsters
  14854. "...thing..."
  14855. >Sonata sobs into your chest on the couch
  14856. >Aria ignores a chance at escaping over a petty grudge
  14857. >Adagio explodes in anger, after a stressful day of managing a group of three in a strange world
  14858. >Sonata lays against the coffee table and covers her face, none of your explanations dissuading her from feeling hurt and confused over Rarity's claims
  14859. >Aria rolls across the punishment room floor begging you to hit her, to give her more of a reason to run away from what she knows deep down could be her best option
  14860. >Bile builds in your throat
  14861. "Mpghh-"
  14862. >You let off, and stand up
  14863. >Your balance fails and you're soon staring up at the piercing yellow light and black sky
  14864. >With your arm pressed into your mouth, you take deep breaths
  14865. >Clearing your mind as much as you can
  14866. >Thinking only of the cool night air
  14867. >The bugs building on the hanging lamp's base
  14868. >Graffiti barely visible at the edge of the darkness
  14869. >Sounds of scraping dirt a few feet away from you
  14870. >And a red bandanna
  14871. >Covered from the top to the bottom with tiny, human skulls
  14872. >"I..."
  14873. >She sniffs and wipes her eyes
  14874. >"I hate you..."
  14875. >Her fingers slip under your arms
  14876. >She drags you deeper into the light's range, prompting you to raise your arm from your mouth to your eyes
  14877. >The first kick doesn't hurt
  14878. >It's just a light blow to your leg
  14879. >But every succeeding hit is harder
  14880. >Soon you're wincing and rolling over
  14881. >"Do you know how long you have to lay on a wooden floor before it hurts?"
  14882. >Her strange question is delivered with a mixture of a sob and a whisper
  14883. >You don't know what to say; you take a few more kicks to your side
  14884. >"No time at all."
  14885. >Aria switches feet and stomps into your back, over and over, forcing the air from your lungs
  14886. >"You don't know. Huh?"
  14887. >The stomping gets harder
  14888. >"You're not a slave."
  14889. >And harder
  14890. >"You're not 'nothing', right?"
  14891. >Gasping for air, you roll onto your back
  14892. >Before you can bother to block out the light, Aria's head does it for you as she drops over you the same way she did in the station
  14893. >"I hate you..."
  14894. >Her fist hovers above you for so long that you feel a couple of tears fall onto your face
  14895. >"I really... really..."
  14896. >Your eyes shut in advance
  14897. >"...hate you..."
  14898. >White pain fills your cheek and slowly changes to a burning one
  14899. >The force behind her punch leaves your cheek resting in the dirt
  14900. >Unsure of why, you look up to face her again, and you wait
  14901. >"I want you to die."
  14902. >Another blow, to your temple
  14903. >"Just. Fucking. Die."
  14904. >Your closed eye shuts twice as hard after it's struck
  14905. "A-Aria."
  14906. >"I hate you. I hate you so much."
  14907. >Perhaps because you spoke, she punches twice as hard
  14908. >Once into the side of your nose
  14909. >Again across your forehead
  14910. >And a couple of times straight to the mouth
  14911. >Your entire face burns, and it's complimented by what you're certain will turn into a terrible headache
  14912. >"You ruined ev-everything. Took aw-away ever...ything..."
  14913. >Though the hits only hurt more over time, the desire to protect yourself fades. Until consciousness seems as though it might slip away
  14914. >"Ad-Adagio... Sona-ata... ne-necklaces... Eques..."
  14915. >She sniffs
  14916. >"Equestr-"
  14917. >The punches stop so she can wipe away tears
  14918. >"We. We can nev- we can never go ba-ack."
  14919. >You wince as her hands press into your chest
  14920. >The gut feeling you've got makes you expect a headbutt
  14921. >A few seconds later the pressure on your chest disappears, and you sense the light through your eyelids
  14922. >"I..."
  14923. >She falls to the dirt
  14924. >In interruption to her sobs, she whispers one last time
  14925. >...
  14926. >"I want to go home."
  14927. ___
  14928. >How much time has passed?
  14929. >Ten minutes?
  14930. >Twenty?
  14931. >It's hard to tell, when you keep dozing off
  14932. >Your sleeves scrape against the dirt as you stretch out a bit
  14933. >Pain shoots into several different points on both arms, but at least you feel a little less stiff
  14934. "...You're still there, right?"
  14935. >There's no answer
  14936. >You hesitate to turn your head thanks to your aching neck
  14937. >Your left eye won't open at all and the right one puts up a fight
  14938. >The will to look at her just isn't there
  14939. >Getting up and walking to the car?
  14940. >Probably not happening
  14941. >So you do your best to get comfortable
  14942. "Back inside, when I called you twin-tails and you shoved me, I didn't understand why. Kind of felt like an overreaction. But after a few punches, I understood."
  14943. >You pause
  14944. >Subtle movements in the dirt beside you fill you with relief
  14945. >Followed by a short-lived fear of another blow to the head
  14946. "Well, I always understood. I'm really good at ignoring the big picture. Or sometimes the small, obvious things."
  14947. >Through your eyelids you sense the light above flicker
  14948. >At the same time, something rumbles from within the gas station walls
  14949. "...Yeah. That's it. My true talent. Telling myself that everything is okay. It's gotten me through a lot, and now... haha. God..."
  14950. >It takes all of your strength not to groan as you sit yourself up against the brick wall
  14951. "Now I have no idea what I've actually done. To you, to the other Equestrians, or to myself. It's a mess."
  14952. >Things you thought had gone perfectly, even
  14953. "Sonata, she isn't interested me in the way I thought, is she?"
  14954. >As expected, Aria says nothing
  14955. "I forced her into this situation and she's terrified of being abandoned. I wonder if her affections are an act, to stay in my favor? Sometimes she seems so uncomfortable..."
  14956. >Your chest protests your chuckle with stabbing pains
  14957. "There I go again. Acting as if there's any reason she WOULDN'T be uncomfortable. It really must be a talent."
  14958. >Another chuckle transforms into a cough
  14959. "Pretending you all wouldn't hate me. Acting like everything will just work out. Telling myself that Twilight would let it go. It all felt so possible... until now."
  14960. >Sounds of scraping dirt and a small thud against the wall suggest she's now sitting next to you
  14961. >You wait a long while in case she wants to respond
  14962. >She doesn't
  14963. "This is the end. So I'll be honest with you. About everything. "
  14964. >Starting from the beginning...
  14965. "At school, the day I kidnapped you, I overheard Sonata arguing with you over her... weight? For the record, I'm pretty sure you started it."
  14966. >Her foot stomps into the ground in warning
  14967. >You flinch, and then smirk
  14968. "It was really obvious that you weren't from this world. So I listened in to get more info. The way you guys fought was stressful then, but later I found it really funny. I went to tell someone about you right away."
  14969. >Your stomach sinks as you recall the long walk to the end of the cafeteria, the six girls in your sight the whole way
  14970. "In the cafeteria I found the girl who saved the school last time. Her name is Twilight Sparkle, and she's from Equestria. She's got several friends. I wish I could say that all I wanted to do was ensure the safety of my peers or something, but that's not true. It was my first thought, and afterward all I could think of was whether this would put me in good standing with the magical girl and her pals."
  14971. >You shake your head
  14972. "I wasn't very convincing. They thought I was lying, though it was mostly this Rainbow girl's fault. She was-"
  14973. >Perhaps?
  14974. "Maybe she's an incredible judge of character? Haha. I left, and waited out the day, getting a look at you three from far away when I could. I was pissed. When I got home I looked up that Beats Me store's address and closing time, and I'd made my decision. At first, kidnapping you was for proving my honesty. And then it hit me: a more complex plan, with a bigger payoff. The reason I kidnapped you..."
  14975. >Your lip quivers
  14976. "The reason I kidnapped you."
  14977. >There's no way to phrase the truth without revealing things you'd rather not >So you sit there and stall, with a heavy chest
  14978. >...
  14979. >"Well?"
  14980. "Huh?"
  14981. >"I'm listening. So go ahead."
  14982. "Oh."
  14983. >Her soft voice brings a smile to your face
  14984. "You girls were interesting. You're all very pretty, too."
  14985. >...
  14986. "I live alone. It's been that way for a long time. I have no friends to speak of. In those hours before I kidnapped you, I daydreamed about a life with you three. Sleeping next to each other, hanging out in the living room. Everyone working together to fix dinner. Helping Adagio with her ridiculous hair. Managing a diet for Sonata, and introducing you to video games. I wanted all of that, no matter what. I realized that if I took a risk or two I could force you to depend on me. You know. Forever."
  14987. >...
  14988. "It's frustrating. I already tried once to make a friend who'd desperately need me. It worked at first but now he and I have a terrible relationship. Why did I try it again?"
  14989. >Tears threaten to build in your black eyes
  14990. >You fight the urge
  14991. "Well there it is. I'm Anonymous, the lonely opportunist. Going by what I've done to you, just now and at the house, I'm a pervert too. I don't think reforming you the way I tried is even possible, and if it is, I apparently don't have the guts to go through with it anyway."
  14992. >With some forcing, your right eye opens and you look to the slouching Aria at your left
  14993. "I'm- I'm a hypocrite, too."
  14994. >"Hypocrite?"
  14995. "Yeah. Punishing you for forcing people to bend to your will? I tied you up for weeks, insulted you, tried to make you as uncomfortable as I could and I did it to make you think a certain way. To make you..."
  14996. >You look back to your lap
  14997. "...adore me. There's only one difference between us: the necklaces."
  14998. >She hums quietly in acknowledgement
  14999. "I told you before that staying with me was your best option. It was probably the worst. The suffering I've brought you, Sonata, Adagio, Twilight and Rarity is unforgivable. With all of you, and with Equestria's leaders too I'm sure. Twilight's really high up in her government, and she thinks you might be a threat. Here I am hiding you. I really don't know what I've gotten myself into. Or you three - the first girl who Twilight stopped was an old friend of your world's leader, so she's on parole. Would you be so lucky?"
  15000. >"No... we wouldn't."
  15001. "Would, would they execute you?"
  15002. >She shrugs
  15003. >"I don't think that ever happens in Equestria. But crueler things do."
  15004. "Would those 'crueler things' happen if you were caught?"
  15005. >Again, she shrugs
  15006. >"Abusing powerful magic is kind of a huge deal."
  15007. "That's what I was afraid of."
  15008. >After taking a moment to appreciate the calm, honest conversation with Aria, you grit your teeth and get on your feet
  15009. >As soon as you're standing up straight, the pain fades
  15010. "I've put myself in a shitty position. Obviously I can't give you your necklaces. It'd be irresponsible and dangerous for us humans, and for you three, too. I can't turn you in either because I don't want you to suffer anymore. There's no easy answer."
  15011. >"The 'end', huh?"
  15012. >She looks up to you
  15013. >"If you don't even know what to do, how can this be the end?"
  15014. "I'll probably end up experiencing those 'crueler than death' things you mentioned. Twilight will find out in no time."
  15015. >"Wh- are you serious?"
  15016. "I'll do anything I can to help you guys get out of this city, at least. If you keep to yourselves you can probably live on. Especially if I go to Twilight and confess something."
  15017. >"Something being?"
  15018. "Falling in love with three sirens and helping them sneak into Equestria, by convincing Twilight that they're up to something here."
  15019. >You nod
  15020. "She wouldn't be so stressed then. Her targets would be in a place where she could properly search for them. It's a good idea, isn't it?"
  15021. >The thought of a delighted Twilight sticks with you a while
  15022. >Smiling as she instructs workers on where and how to investigate
  15023. >Maybe then she could put this all behind her, and study the human world instead
  15024. "It's what she and I both deserve. I've done the wrong thing at every turn, so-"
  15025. >"So you'll just throw your life away? Did I hit your head one too many times?"
  15026. >Aria hops up on her feet and surveys the bruises on your face
  15027. >"If we're the same, why should only you face trial? Idiot..."
  15028. >The jab to your arm nearly knocks you over
  15029. "Y-You sure you're okay with being called my equal?"
  15030. >Her apron twirls around as she spins to look down the dark, empty alley
  15031. >"I like it a hell of a lot more than being your slave. And... it's not like I don't know that what Sonata, Adagio and I do is 'bad.'"
  15032. >She slumps down a bit
  15033. >"Sacrificing yourself for us? Why the hell would you even say that? Besides, it wouldn't fix everything."
  15034. "What?"
  15035. >"We don't have our magic. Can't work either, huh? We'd have to steal things. What then? Banished to the moon? Humans seem really proud about being able to get shit up there."
  15036. "I didn't... think about that."
  15037. >Where would they stay?
  15038. >Would they often go hungry?
  15039. >If they were arrested, how would the police react to their non-existent backgrounds?
  15040. "I. Don't know..."
  15041. >If they could just find work, it'd be fine
  15042. "...what to do, Aria. There's no way out of it. If I can't even sacrifice myself, what can I possibly d-"
  15043. >"Come ON!"
  15044. >She advances toward you
  15045. >You step away
  15046. >"I thought you were better than this!"
  15047. >Her glare puts you on edge
  15048. "Wh-what?"
  15049. >"You're an asshole."
  15050. "...Well."
  15051. >"You're a HUGE dick, obviously. I can't even think about you without getting pissed off."
  15052. >Aria paces to the right edge of the light, then to the left
  15053. >"But I get mad when I think about Adagio, too, you know?"
  15054. >The pacing continues
  15055. >What is she saying?
  15056. "I don't follow."
  15057. >Her arms shoot up in frustration and fall to her sides
  15058. >"She's really bitchy sometimes, and yells at me, but Adagio NEVER gives up. Even when it's really hard she tells us what to do and it works. That's what holds it together."
  15059. >The gag apron shifts upward as Aria lays a hand over her chest
  15060. >"So you can't give back my necklace. I get it. But you can't GIVE UP. A leader doesn't SACRIFICE himself for a half-assed fix. That's called running away!"
  15061. "Running away...?"
  15062. >"Yeah! If you really want to live with us? If you ACTUALLY care about us? Then prove it."
  15063. >She crosses her arms
  15064. >"Because if you stop acting like a leader now, you'll just be a pathetic pervert to me, who PRETENDED to be in charge."
  15065. "What...? I'm so confused."
  15066. >She rolls her eyes
  15067. "You think of me as a leader?"
  15068. >"Y-Yeah? A really fucked up one who I can't stand. But when you tell me to do something. Uhh."
  15069. >She scratches the back of her head
  15070. >"I feel like... I should... really do it..."
  15071. >Air shoots out of her nose and she shakes her head
  15072. "So, what? You want me to lead you after everything I've done?"
  15073. >"If you become a better leader, and make decisions for our sake, then whatever. I-"
  15074. >She peeks at you through the corner of her eye
  15075. >"I guess I... could give you... you know, a sh-shot."
  15076. "Are you serious?"
  15077. >Hesitantly, she nods her head
  15078. >The aches and pains that weighed on your mind moments before seem to disappear
  15079. >Leading the sirens for their sake, huh?
  15080. >Where would you begin?
  15081. >What changes would you actually make?
  15082. >You decide to keep your mouth shut until something comes to you
  15083. >...
  15084. >Nothing does
  15085. "Aria. You're filling me with hope, but at the end of the day I don't actually know how to 'reform' you or lead you."
  15086. >She hangs her head
  15087. "I want to take responsibility. I just don't know how."
  15088. >Fixing the situation with Twilight aside, what would it take to help these girls?
  15089. >You've only seen Aria genuinely happy and excited a single time: in the gas station
  15090. >Smiling wide and rushing to tell Tom about the task she'd completed
  15091. >What would it take to recreate that?
  15092. >What could you possibly-
  15093. "Wait."
  15094. >You briefly stare at the wall and rest your hand against it
  15095. "Wait, wait..."
  15096. >Then make your way out of the alley and back to the front of the store
  15097. >"Hey! What are you doing?"
  15098. >Aria calls out from the alley
  15099. >You look around, through the glass
  15100. >At the trashy cashier
  15101. >At shift manager Tom
  15102. >The soda fountain in the back
  15103. >A couple of customers who browse through the refrigerated soft drinks
  15104. >"Dude?"
  15105. >She joins you
  15106. >"What are you looking at?"
  15107. "Hey. Aria."
  15108. >"...What?"
  15109. "Do you like working here?"
  15110. >She considers the question for a few seconds
  15111. >"It felt really good, I guess."
  15112. "Would you keep working here for a long time if you could?"
  15113. >She sighs
  15114. >"I can't work here. That's why Tom called you. To get rid of me."
  15115. "Yeah. There are strict laws about that in my world, but my point is, would you do it if you could?"
  15116. >Again, she ponders
  15117. >"Yeah. I think I would."
  15118. "THEN-"
  15119. >You slide a couple feet and come to a stop in front of her
  15120. >Her vision's filled with the black sky above, a calm gas station, and your clenched fists shaking in front of you
  15121. "Then you're in luck, outlaw!"
  15122. >"Uhhh."
  15123. "Aria!"
  15124. >You stroke your chin
  15125. >Even it feels a little bruised
  15126. "I faced you in battle and, look at me. I'm barely standing! The simple act of breathing fills me with pain."
  15127. >"So?"
  15128. "Years from now I'll still have nightmares about the relentless beating you gave me."
  15129. >With confusion on her face, she cocks her head and sticks her hands into her apron pocket
  15130. "You're the strongest woman I've ever met. You'd call anyone out on their bullshit. Just the kind of person I'm looking for."
  15131. >"For... what?"
  15132. "My brand new company."
  15133. >You throw your arms into the air and imagine fireworks shooting out of the gas pumps
  15134. >Littering the sky with loud, colorful explosions
  15135. "Mercy Quartet. Mission statement: Fix everything."
  15136. ___
  15137. >You wake up again, and raise your head
  15138. >With hands rested on the steering wheel you sit in total darkness
  15139. >Passenger seat's still empty
  15140. >Aria continues to sit outside the-
  15141. "Ah."
  15142. >The gas station door is now entirely unobstructed
  15143. >She went inside, right?
  15144. >You lean back and lay your hands in your lap
  15145. >The moment you expected a yes or no answer out of Aria, she backpedaled
  15146. >First you had reminded her of the difference between a slave and an employee
  15147. "It's basically the same, except you get money and respect."
  15148. >She seemed intrigued at that point
  15149. >When you went on about teaching her to enjoy an honest life, she wavered
  15150. >And when you held out your hand and asked her if she was onboard she covered her mouth
  15151. >"Wait. Wait. I need to think."
  15152. >That much is only natural, but her next statement took the excitement out of you:
  15153. >"I got... caught up in the moment."
  15154. >So she sat down, immediately got hit by the door
  15155. >Yelled at a couple of customers and then sat back down a bit to the right
  15156. >Before heading to the car you told her,
  15157. "I understand if you don't want to be around me after everything. Take as much time as you need."
  15158. >By now the sun is about to rise
  15159. >At first you were terrified to get a "no"
  15160. >Now you're just anxious to hear an answer at all
  15161. >You consider turning on the radio to distract yourself
  15162. >That'd just make you more anxious
  15163. >With a grunt, you shut your eyes again and gently tap your leg with your fingertips
  15164. ___
  15165. >Something scrapes the window on the passenger's side
  15166. >You open one eye
  15167. >The door's handle moves
  15168. >Various colored bags hug the glass and display their stylish logos to you
  15169. >Sounds like a bottle falls and hits the cement
  15170. >"Shit."
  15171. >The colorful mountain slides down, a couple of bags rolling off in the process
  15172. >Then it comes back up and the handle resumes its resultless clanking
  15173. >"Fuck!"
  15174. >Muffled swears keep rolling in
  15175. >Eventually you think to reach over and pull on the lock
  15176. >Her door flies open
  15177. >The mountain tilts back and for a moment you're sure it's going to fall
  15178. >Against the odds she spins around and gets everything inside, most of it landing between the seats
  15179. >"Stupid metal box bullshit! Can humans make ANYTHING right!?"
  15180. >Cars work shockingly well, all things considered
  15181. >"'These things are just too easy to sit down in, let's make it FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE.'"
  15182. >She knocks a couple of bags into the floorboard as she jumps in, then pulls a two liter soda off of the ground
  15183. "Um."
  15184. >The door slams and she sighs with relief
  15185. >"I swear, dude."
  15186. "...Aria?"
  15187. >The bags laying on your lap are snatched up and stuffed above the glovebox
  15188. "What is all of this? I hope you didn't-"
  15189. >"Steal it? I wouldn't betray Shift Manager Tom. He-"
  15190. >As if an idea had just struck, her face lights up. She digs through her pile and lifts a big red bag that reads "Doritos"
  15191. >"He, he bought me these!"
  15192. "Really? Why?"
  15193. >Her raised eyebrow shouts "dumb question"
  15194. >"This is my pay. Like, for doing my job. He let me buy whatever I want. I got chips, beef jerky and soda. Mostly chips, but... now I wish I got more soda."
  15195. >She sets the bottle on her leg and faces the label toward you
  15196. >"I bought it, so I'm the only one who gets to drink it."
  15197. >As she stares down at her junk food, a smile appears on her face
  15198. >"If Sonata tries, you know what's gonna happen."
  15199. >Her fingers move to twist the cap, but she stuffs it back into the floorboard instead
  15200. >"It's hot... can you make it cold like you did to the beans?"
  15201. "Oh. Of course."
  15202. >She hums and grabs the Doritos
  15203. >"Let's go back."
  15204. "Aria? Does this mean-"
  15205. >"I get my own room, right?"
  15206. "S-Sure?"
  15207. >You think over what rooms there are to spare
  15208. >Making her sleep in the punishment room would be a bad idea
  15209. >The guest room's not really an option either
  15210. >Giving up your room doesn't sound great
  15211. >There is your parent's...
  15212. >Wait, this is beside the point
  15213. "So your answer is y-"
  15214. >"Just make sure it has a bed in it."
  15215. >She grips the top of the bag and attempts to tear it open, with no success
  15216. >"Oh, come on."
  15217. >You smile
  15218. "Okay. I won't make you say it, but I'm taking this as a yes."
  15219. >The bag hits you directly in the face
  15220. >It falls into your hands
  15221. >"Open it."
  15222. >You present it to her, fingers pinching opposite sides
  15223. >The squealing plastic backs a cringing Aria into the car door
  15224. >When it gives and the chips go tumbling around, she pulls it down between her legs and digs in
  15225. >Each chip she stuffs in her mouth earns a loud crunch and a faint "mmmm"
  15226. >Once she takes the time to swallow and breathe, she mumbles,
  15227. >"Thanks Anonymous."
  15228. "...Huh. That's weird."
  15229. >"Hm?"
  15230. "Is that the first time you've called me by my name?"
  15231. >"I guess? Probably."
  15232. "It felt weird."
  15233. >Much better than "idiot", "pervert" or "asshole"
  15234. "Felt good."
  15235. >She snerks
  15236. >"Don't blow your load."
  15237. "I didn't mean it like that."
  15238. >"I know. It feels good to hear your name."
  15239. "It does."
  15240. >Aria nods her head a few times
  15241. >"Everyone should get to hear their name at least once. It's something I feel strongly about. Now would you hurry up? I hate being in this thing. Brings back *memories*. Plus, we've gotta talk."
  15242. "About what?"
  15243. >"The Twilight girl. And what you're going to do for Adagio."
  15244. >You watch her chomp down on a few more chips
  15245. "I'll give her a job, too. I don't understand the question."
  15246. >Aria immediately shakes her head
  15247. >"She's not going to work for you."
  15248. "Why not? Can't you convince her to-"
  15249. >"No. She will never be your employee."
  15250. >Before she's even finished her sentence, another chip is on its way to her mouth
  15251. >You run a few fingers over your black eyes
  15252. "You're not making me feel too great, Aria."
  15253. >Bags shift around as she stretches her legs and sinks into her seat
  15254. >"A warning's not supposed to make you feel good, dude."
  15255. __
  15256. >Chilly air pours out from the front door
  15257. >It bathes the scrapes and bruises on your face with even more discomfort
  15258. >The living room's barely lit by the rising sun
  15259. >Your AC is still going strong
  15260. >The TV's on, though turned down low
  15261. >You flick on the lights
  15262. >"Hm?"
  15263. >Various pillows fall into the floor as a giant worm rises from the couch
  15264. >Its head end bobs, then bends in your direction
  15265. >"Anon?"
  15266. >Its attempt at climbing over the couch arm end with a collision with the coffee table
  15267. >You wince as a mostly empty soda glass rolls into the floor
  15268. "Careful."
  15269. >"It is you!"
  15270. >An arm forces its way out of the creature's mouth and grips the carpet
  15271. >"Finally!"
  15272. >It bends and straightens out frantically, making little progress each time
  15273. >Halfway to you, another arm comes free and feels around at the worm's base
  15274. >"Dang it."
  15275. >It finds a small string, and tugs
  15276. >Initially it seems to make things worse
  15277. >Once it switches to a shorter string the entire thing loosens up
  15278. >It sheds its outer layer sleeping bag and a few bunched up blankets unravel into the floor
  15279. >"Anon! Anon!"
  15280. >And up from this mess springs Sonata, with red eyes and a fearful expression
  15281. >"I'm sorry! I'm not mad any mo..."
  15282. >She freezes in a second sense
  15283. Her eyes wander up and down your entire body before settling on your face
  15284. >"Anon. Oh my gosh. What happened!?"
  15285. >Her hands go straight to your bruises
  15286. >You expect comforting warmth that you'd regretfully brush away
  15287. >Instead, it's like being attacked by an ice box
  15288. "Whoa! Cold!"
  15289. >She gasps and apologizes, repeatedly
  15290. "It's fine."
  15291. >"No really, I'm sorry!"
  15292. "I know you're sorry."
  15293. >She bounces nervously and rubs her hands together
  15294. >"I'll make it warm. I'm so sorry..."
  15295. >She's on the verge of tears
  15296. >Trembling lips and all
  15297. "Sonata, why are you so worked up?"
  15298. >"Here!"
  15299. >The hands make a return
  15300. "Gah! It's just as bad as before!"
  15301. >"Ohhh!"
  15302. >She sighs and rubs her hands against the front of her shirt
  15303. >"Sorry, sorry!"
  15304. "Sonata. Enough with the apologies."
  15305. >"Okay."
  15306. "My face doesn't need warmed."
  15307. >She pauses
  15308. >"...Okay."
  15309. "Why don't you tell me what's got you so scared?"
  15310. >"Oh. Um. Ummm. Y-You were gone all day."
  15311. >You nod
  15312. >"I was worried that I. You know. Uh. R-Ruined things."
  15313. "...As in our relationship?"
  15314. >She stares at the floor
  15315. "...Have you been crying?"
  15316. >She shrugs her shoulders and sways her arms
  15317. >What a hassle she's been through
  15318. >Worrying about this all day, then freezing all night
  15319. "Sonata. There's something that we need to talk about."
  15320. >On the drive back from the station you made your decision
  15321. >As gut wrenching as it will be to go through with, this kind of fear...
  15322. >It's the first thing that has to go
  15323. >"What? Tell me."
  15324. "Uh. Oh boy. I don't know how to say this. Um."
  15325. >You rest your hands on her shoulders
  15326. "We. W-We have to. Uh."
  15327. >It's alright
  15328. >It'll be fine
  15329. >Just be gentle
  15330. "Look. Let's go make you something for breakfast, and we'll discus-"
  15331. >You headbutt Sonata
  15332. >She yelps and falls to the floor
  15333. >Pain barely registers on your punished forehead, and the hand on the back of your head slides away
  15334. >"Could you move already?"
  15335. >After you get out of the way, Aria takes two big steps toward the couch
  15336. >Her collection of junk food pours onto the coffee table and her Pepsi bottle proudly stands at its corner
  15337. "Aria? What was that?"
  15338. >You reach under Sonata's arms and lift her up
  15339. >"Aria is back?"
  15340. "Yeah."
  15341. >You rub her forehead
  15342. "She's going to stay, too."
  15343. >"Why's it so cold? There has to be a better way to chill my soda. Oh!"
  15344. >Aria gives you a thumbs up
  15345. >"Sorry. I interrupted it. Go ahead."
  15346. "Hush..."
  15347. >Sonata looks to each of you
  15348. >"What is going on?"
  15349. "Things have changed."
  15350. >"What does that mean?"
  15351. "We're..."
  15352. >You're...
  15353. >It's...
  15354. "Jesus it's cold. One second."
  15355. >You run off to the hallway
  15356. >Sonata watches you go with a hand resting on her forehead
  15357. >"Wait. Why didn't Anon tie you up?"
  15358. >Aria puts on a little smile
  15359. >"The better question is why he didn't tie YOU up."
  15360. >Sonata covers her mouth
  15361. >"What does that mean!? What happened?"
  15362. >Silence
  15363. >"Aria, what's going on?"
  15364. >A quiet snicker
  15365. >"Is Anon... mad at me?"
  15366. >The bag of Doritos is noisily unraveled
  15367. >Aria stuffs one chip after another into her mouth and stares
  15368. >Her chewing is uncomfortably slow
  15369. >"Y-You're scaring me."
  15370. >You make your return
  15371. "It'll warm up soon. I'll teach you guys about the AC later."
  15372. >Sonata wraps her arms around your waist and buries her face in your chest
  15373. >"Please don't tie me up! I'll never get mad again!"
  15374. "What!?"
  15375. >Aria points her finger and bursts into mean-spirited laughter
  15376. "What did you say?"
  15377. >"Nothing."
  15378. >"She says you're gonna tie me up!"
  15379. >"N-No, I said you SHOULD be tied up."
  15380. >"Same thing!"
  15381. >Aria pushes the Doritos aside and leans over the back of the couch
  15382. >"No it's not."
  15383. "Guys."
  15384. >"Yes!"
  15385. "Come on."
  15386. >She hops over the back and pries Sonata off of you
  15387. >"This is your chance to start fresh and stop being a tattletale, so make the best of it."
  15388. >"Just tell me what's happening!"
  15389. >"You're at the bottom now, that's what."
  15390. >"What does that MEAN!?"
  15391. >"It means there's only one slave in this room, and it's not me!"
  15392. "Aria! Would you shut up?! I can handle it."
  15393. >She looks to you for a moment in surprise, before rolling her eyes and leaning against the couch
  15394. >Sonata grabs hold of your arm and whines impatiently
  15395. "Aria isn't a prisoner anymore."
  15396. >"Sh-she agreed to be good?"
  15397. "Uh, more or less."
  15398. >Aria goes back to munching on her chips
  15399. >"So Aria is your Equestrian slave now?"
  15400. "No. She's-"
  15401. >Aria's hand shoots up
  15402. "She's an..."
  15403. >It waves back and forth
  15404. "She's... what? Do you want to say it?"
  15405. >She nods, and you sigh
  15406. "Okay. Restrain yourself."
  15407. >"I'm no slave!"
  15408. >She pokes Sonata in the chest
  15409. >"'Cause I don't give in after a few days like a wimp."
  15410. >"What...?"
  15411. >"I waited it out, and now I'm a RESPECTED employee. I get money, my own room, and look at all this shit I can buy."
  15412. >Aria gestures wildly to the coffee table
  15413. >"Look at it!"
  15414. >"Employee? Huh? ...Wait! I'm not a slave!"
  15415. >"Pfft. You agreed to be a good little Equestrian slave and you know it."
  15416. >"Yeah, but I'm not now!"
  15417. >Sonata squeezes your arm tighter
  15418. >You tense up
  15419. >"I'm special to Anon!"
  15420. "Sonata, things have-"
  15421. >"He loves me! I'm his girlfriend!"
  15422. >Aria's cocky smile turns into shock, then disgust
  15423. >She looks to you for confirmation
  15424. "...Well. I never said that I loved her. And we haven't done anything. I mean, we never even kissed."
  15425. >Just like that, Aria's cocky smile returns
  15426. >"Never. Even. Kissed."
  15427. >"Anon?!"
  15428. >Sonata backs away, mouth hung in disbelief
  15429. >"How could you say that!"
  15430. "Look, it's not like I... unlove you... I just feel like things developed in an inappropriate context."
  15431. >Her expression stays
  15432. "...You feel pressured into being my girlfriend, don't you?"
  15433. >"No. I like being your girlfriend."
  15434. "You seem really uncomfortable around me sometimes. Like you're forcing yourself to look happy, and-"
  15435. >"Nooo!"
  15436. "-Sonata. I'm pretty sure I'm right about this."
  15437. >You rub the back of your hand
  15438. "Like yesterday, when you were on the coffee table."
  15439. >"What?"
  15440. >Aria chimes in, and you ignore her
  15441. "Out of nowhere it was like you desperately wanted to be somewhere else."
  15442. >"Nooo."
  15443. "Be honest. Did you feel like that at all?"
  15444. >She eyes the forest painting on the wall, then your shoes, in silence
  15445. "You feel that way because you have the fear of being tied up or abandoned on your shoulders. I can't... force you to live like that."
  15446. >"You're WRONG."
  15447. >Sonata shakes her head
  15448. >"I felt that way for another reason!"
  15449. "Huh? Why, then?"
  15450. >"Because I, I messed up. Really bad, and I didn't want you to know."
  15451. >She covers her eyes with one hand and lowers her head
  15452. >"I felt bad."
  15453. "About what?"
  15454. >"About..."
  15455. >Huff
  15456. >"A-About!"
  15457. >Groan
  15458. >"...Adagio. The day Aria ran away, I told Adagio that I'm your girlfriend, after you said not to, and I was really excited at first 'cause it WORKED Anon, she said that she was gonna reconsider you and stuff, and I wanted to tell you but then I remembered you saying not to tell Adagio and felt really really bad and I didn't want you to be disappo..."
  15459. >She takes a breath
  15460. >"Disappointed in me."
  15461. >The will you'd built up on the short ride home to make this change starts to crumble
  15462. >Could that really be it?
  15463. >Something so small?
  15464. "Sonata. Are you serious?"
  15465. >You smile
  15466. "That's not such a huge deal, you know?"
  15467. >"R-Really?! Then!"
  15468. >She perks up and opens her arms in invitation, just a little
  15469. >"Then, then!"
  15470. "I. Um."
  15471. >Something drives you to check with Aria
  15472. >The moment you see her angry frown, you realize:
  15473. >It's all the same
  15474. >"Then it's fine, Anon?"
  15475. >Sonata takes one step forward
  15476. >"You forgive me?"
  15477. "I forgive you, yeah."
  15478. >Her hug invitation becomes more blatant, and her relieved smile warmer
  15479. >You reach out and hold her arm away
  15480. "Hold on."
  15481. >"What?"
  15482. "That doesn't change things."
  15483. >"What?!"
  15484. "The point behind all of this is that becoming my girlfriend while I'm your 'master'... would always cause problems. It's not right. And on top of that, things are going to change. I want you to be focused on those changes."
  15485. >"...What are you saying?"
  15486. "That..."
  15487. >You can feel her hopeful, nervous stare
  15488. "We have to break up. Like I said, it's not that I dislike you. It's something that has to happen. Do you understand?"
  15489. >That stare shows no signs of ending for several seconds
  15490. >She might even have been holding her breath
  15491. >When you see her shoulders rise and fall again, it's accompanied...
  15492. >By a weak smile, scrunched up eyebrows and tear-filled eyes
  15493. >"Anon."
  15494. >She shakes her head very slowly
  15495. >"You just broke... my heart... into a thousand... pieces."
  15496. ___
  15497. >The box drops with a thud
  15498. >While you hover over it and scan the instruction on the side, Aria taps her fingers on the other end of the table
  15499. >Muffled sobs from the living room have both of you at your wit's end
  15500. >"I'm just saying, you gave me permission."
  15501. >She whispers to you
  15502. "Aria."
  15503. >You whisper back
  15504. >"It's not my fault she can't handle anything. All I told her was the truth. If she would just act like an adult, there wouldn't even be a problem right now."
  15505. >Your eyes move from word to word, but none of it really sticks
  15506. "Aria, I'm reading."
  15507. >"Just tell me this then. Am I a slave, or not?"
  15508. >Sigh
  15509. "What are you getting at."
  15510. >"Am I allowed to speak my mind or not? Getting mad at me just for talking, gee, that sounds like something a slaver would do."
  15511. >You push the box aside
  15512. >It's just an air mattress, how complicated could it be
  15513. "Don't pretend to be stupid."
  15514. >She mouths a "what?"
  15515. "You're trying to get out of trouble."
  15516. >There's a chair that sits in the corner of the kitchen with little purpose
  15517. >You slide it over and drop the box onto it
  15518. "The way you talked to Sonata was meant to upset her. That's why I'm unhappy with you."
  15519. >"That's not true. I told you, she's just LIKE this."
  15520. "You toyed with her because she's like this. It's called pushing her buttons."
  15521. >"I told. The truth."
  15522. >A few minutes ago, after Sonata stuffed her face into a couch cushion and began to cry, Aria went to work defending herself
  15523. >Following you into your parent's room and going on and on while you dug through their closet
  15524. >Pausing when she realized you were about to go upstairs and see if Adagio needed anything
  15525. >Now that the hairball's locked in your downstairs bathroom, the argument with Aria continues quietly in the kitchen
  15526. >Raising your voice would probably shut her up
  15527. >But maybe shutting her up isn't the best choice
  15528. >With the chair resting in your hands, you stop next to her on the way out
  15529. "Aria."
  15530. >"Mhm?"
  15531. "Remember back when you spat in Sonata's face?"
  15532. >"Eh..."
  15533. "And she came and told me?"
  15534. >"..."
  15535. "And asked me not to punish you for it? Or punish you at all?"
  15536. >She rolls her eyes
  15537. >"That has nothing to do with this."
  15538. "In a way it does. It says something about you."
  15539. >"Oh yeah?"
  15540. >Her head, which was leaning to the right, cocks to the left
  15541. >"What?"
  15542. "There's no hierarchy anymore. Starting right now. I want to make that clear, but: when Sonata was higher than you, she tried to use it to make things easier for you."
  15543. >"So?"
  15544. "And when you got higher, you gloated about it, got her all worked up, ruined my plan of breaking it off gently, and now you're trying to get me to say it was SONATA'S fault."
  15545. >"It... was..."
  15546. >Her whisper becomes even more quiet
  15547. >Her shoulders sink
  15548. "I- Look. I've got to take this to the guest room. Give it a few minutes, okay? Instead of telling me I'm wrong over and over, would you please think about what I said? We can talk about it more in a few."
  15549. >"But-"
  15550. "I'll think about what you said too."
  15551. >"...Um."
  15552. >You lean down a bit to meet eyes with her in her slouching state
  15553. >"Wh-whatever. Just fuck off then."
  15554. >...Well
  15555. >After sliding the air mattress back to the center of the chair, you head off
  15556. ___
  15557. >You're sweating
  15558. >Thanks to this shrimp's body heat (her back and hair sandwiching one arm, her thighs and legs sandwiching the other)
  15559. >Thanks to the heightened anxiety you feel toward this girl, due to Aria's warning
  15560. >And thanks to your over-correction on the thermostat
  15561. >Having to pass right by the weeping Sonata to get to the staircase was the worst part
  15562. >If Adagio were more talkative to you, she'd probably have some choice words
  15563. "Here we are. End of the line."
  15564. >At the top of the stairs, you turn and carefully slide through the guest bedroom doorway. Her hair doesn't quite fit
  15565. >Though she always looks away from you when you're around, this time you can at least tell she's staring at the chair outside the room
  15566. >And then at the coffee table near her spot by the wall, which is joined by a flattened plastic mattress and black air pump
  15567. >And finally at the box laying on top of a big blue, fuzzy pillow
  15568. "Surprise."
  15569. >You sit her down on one end of the table and get comfortable behind the other
  15570. >Unsure of what to say, you watch her thoroughly examine each of the room's additions
  15571. >Though the coffee table has been here the entire time, and was simply out of her reach
  15572. >She lays a hand flat on it and curls one finger at a time, taking in its texture
  15573. >"Presents?"
  15574. "...Uh, no. Bare essentials."
  15575. >"Damage control?"
  15576. "No? What do you mean?"
  15577. >She takes the blue pillow, rolling the box into the floor, and places it on her lap
  15578. >"The cold. I thought perhaps you were desperate to make me forget about your failure."
  15579. >She puts on a smug face and leans against the wall
  15580. >Her tone is lowered slightly as she quotes:
  15581. >"You'll get hungry, sleep on a park bench, and miss the wooden floor. At least it stays warm in here. You said this to Aria."
  15582. "That's still true. I was just gone..."
  15583. >"Well, you're here now. Why is Sonata in such distress?"
  15584. "Uhh."
  15585. >"Why haven't you announced Aria's defection? Something gone wrong? Does it have anything to do with the sorry condition of your face?"
  15586. >Her eyebrows sink, and her lips curl into a cruel smile
  15587. >Maybe it wasn't so bad when she didn't talk
  15588. "Everything is fine. I had a wake up call recently..."
  15589. >AKA getting the shit beat out of you
  15590. "...the effects of it are causing some small problems."
  15591. >"Elaborate."
  15592. >She snaps her fingers to direct your attention
  15593. >Snaps
  15594. >Her fucking
  15595. >Fingers
  15596. >"What was this wake up call?"
  15597. "I'll tell you later."
  15598. >"Then leave."
  15599. "What!?"
  15600. >A burst of anger suggests standing up and yelling
  15601. >But you hold your breath for a moment, then exhale slowly
  15602. "See this?"
  15603. >You raise the empty box up and then discard it over your shoulder
  15604. "It's your bed."
  15605. >"This flat piece of garbage?"
  15606. "You've got no room criticizing things for-"
  15607. >Dial it down
  15608. >Stay calm
  15609. >"...Excuse me?"
  15610. "It's not aired up is all."
  15611. >You scoot next to the pump
  15612. "You might have to do this on a regular basis, so-"
  15613. >She stands up
  15614. >Your heart skips a beat
  15615. >Her threatening posture and mountainous hair go a long way; as short as she is, it feels like she's towering over you
  15616. >"By all means, human, finish your sentence."
  15617. "F-Forget about that. Haha, just look at the pump."
  15618. >"No room criticizing things for..."
  15619. >She takes a step
  15620. "Nothing, nothing. Pay attention."
  15621. >She takes another
  15622. "Look at the pump, shrimp."
  15623. >Her eyes go wide for a moment, then glimmer with violent intent
  15624. "...L-LOOK AT THE PUMP!"
  15625. >You flip the switch
  15626. >A puny but confident motor pipes up, louder than you expected
  15627. >Adagio hops an inch off the floor
  15628. >The back of one hand covers her mouth, and the other raises, balled into a fist
  15629. "...It's just a pump!"
  15630. >God it's loud
  15631. "IT'S JUST A PUMP."
  15632. >"WHAT?"
  15633. "IT'S SAFE. IT JUST AIRS UP THE MATTRESS."
  15634. >A swift kick sends a small piece of black plastic flying across the room
  15635. >A much harder second kick silences the pump and rolls it across the floor
  15636. "...Seriously?"
  15637. >Her shoulders are tensed up, and her eyes opened wide, focused on the demon contraption
  15638. "It's a pump. It shoots air into the... god."
  15639. >You reach over and bring it back to the mattress
  15640. >Adagio's foot waits raised above as you re-attach it
  15641. "It's harmless."
  15642. >"Don't do it again."
  15643. "Adagio."
  15644. >"I'll kill it again."
  15645. >You rest your forehead in one hand, and shift the mattress around with the other
  15646. >Once it's connected you pull the pillow over and set it on top
  15647. "Don't kick it. Please. I don't even know where to go to buy one of these."
  15648. >Her foot lingers in the air
  15649. >Sigh
  15650. >You reach under, flip the switch and then smother as much of it as you can without dislodging it
  15651. >Though still annoying, it's far easier to listen to
  15652. "See?"
  15653. >Her suspicious stare shows no signs of disappearing even after she sits down
  15654. >After the mattress has come to life and the silenced pump is stuffed back into the box, her eyes follow along
  15655. "This is a bed. Not a real one, obviously, but it's pretty sweet."
  15656. >It moves around as you pat it
  15657. "Much better than the floor."
  15658. >Expecting Adagio to try it out, you kick the pillow to her again from under the table
  15659. >She sits up, brings her legs up to her chest, yawns, and looks at the wall to her left
  15660. >She'll probably use it once you've gone
  15661. >Hopefully
  15662. >You stand up
  15663. "Are you hungry?"
  15664. >"..."
  15665. "I can make you a sandwich or something. I'm going to go grocery shopping soon, so we'll have more."
  15666. >"..."
  15667. "Well, if you decide you want anything."
  15668. >Back to the usual it seems
  15669. >You bend over to take the pump - for its own safety - but change your mind, sitting down again
  15670. "It's true, Aria defected. Kind of. Here's the thing though: It wasn't her idea."
  15671. >Unless your eye is playing tricks on you, her hair shifts toward you
  15672. "Even if you weren't happy with her, why send away your only ally?"
  15673. >You wait patiently for an explanation that doesn't come
  15674. "Maybe it has to do with Sonata's slip-up."
  15675. >"Huh?"
  15676. >Her attention returns to you
  15677. >In response, you clasp your hands together and lay them in the center of the table
  15678. "Bingo? It's all I can think of. Both happened on the same day."
  15679. >Adagio's face is smug as usual, but there's a hint of... nervousness?
  15680. >That'd be a first. Brainstorm, go
  15681. "Pushing Aria to my side. Like I said, it doesn't make sense to ditch your ally, so you must be hoping for something to happen."
  15682. >Her eyebrows raise
  15683. "Something between those two. No, between the three of us?"
  15684. >Her eyes squint ever so slightly
  15685. "Aria definitely isn't a fan of Sonata and I dating, for whatever reason. And it's already fueled an argument."
  15686. >She swallows hard
  15687. "You gambled away your only friend because you thought it might cause. Uh. ...You thought it would break my control over them! That's it. Now that I'm aware, I'll double down on keeping those kinds of arguments in check."
  15688. >"B-But! You weren't supposed to find out!"
  15689. >Her mouth hangs open, perhaps in awe of your speedy deduction
  15690. >"My plans! They're... how did you..."
  15691. >She rests her hands on her chest, grits her teeth and squeezes her eyes shut
  15692. >"They're ruined. How could I be so careless?!"
  15693. >You put on a big smile
  15694. "Don't worry."
  15695. >Rubbing it in her face was your first idea, but all things considered, you should hold back
  15696. "Don't be embarrassed. The other girls were bound to give me those clues eventually. You don't need your 'plans' anymore, anyway, I'm changing things to-"
  15697. >That face of a vulnerable woman who, after losing her last chance at bringing you down, had dropped her tough act... is gone
  15698. >In its place is a cold, dismissive stare that says "you're an idiot"
  15699. "...Oh."
  15700. >Your smile didn't last long
  15701. >She hums a single, somber note
  15702. >"Is a house made more stable, once you learn it's been built with cards?"
  15703. "...Of course not."
  15704. >"There you have it. I don't care in the slightest if you've caught on to my intentions, or the obvious problem on your hands. They weren't much of a secret in the first place."
  15705. "I can protect it. If I focus on the problem, it won't ever ruin things."
  15706. >"Protect a house of cards? It'll collapse sooner rather than later. On top of that, ask yourself if it's worth protecting in the first place."
  15707. "So you think, what? That I can't control them? That they'll come running back to you?"
  15708. >"I think you're a human, who lives in a big, comfortable house, whose idea of 'danger' is not getting what he wants. I think you're a human who believes companions can be earned with spankings and violation, after weeks of sleeping bound on the floor."
  15709. >Without thinking about it, you feign a disgusted expression
  15710. "No... I mean... at first. That's what I was going to talk to you about. I'm going to change things."
  15711. >"Change."
  15712. "Yeah. I realized how dangerous it is to be hunted by Equestrians, and how terribly I've treated you. I want to start over and work together."
  15713. >"Just like that. Forget everything that's happened?"
  15714. >You avert your eyes in embarrassment
  15715. >"Do you think that's all it takes, or that I would ever believe you? Has your simplistic human brain convinced you that I would accept YOU of all people into my group, and treat you as I treat Sonata or Aria?"
  15716. "That's not what I had in mind. I'd still be the leader, but-"
  15717. >"You! Leading me!"
  15718. >Anger builds as you listen to her condescending laugh
  15719. >"Listen close. This dynamic that you've created - one girl whose head is filled with thoughts of love, competing with another who is determined to be second-in-command - it'll end itself. You'll go through new lectures every day and find that nothing changes. While trying and failing to pick up the pieces, time will run out. The Equestrian will find you. You'll rush into this room, fall to the floor, and beg me to take control. When that happens?"
  15720. >She kicks the table into your stomach, then lifts and slams her feet down toward your fleeing hands, one at a time
  15721. >"Don't forget my necklace."
  15722. >You stand
  15723. >Still unable to look at her, your eyes take to the ropes to her left
  15724. >The frustration builds upon itself in the silent moment before you respond:
  15725. "Are you sure you want to piss off the person who decides whether you sleep in a bed or on the floor?"
  15726. >"Haha."
  15727. >Adagio yawns, and grins with half-lidded eyes
  15728. >"What a weak, short-lived change that was, hm? Giving up in less than a minute. Anonymous... a leader, you are not."
  15729. "I..."
  15730. >You sigh into the palm of your hand
  15731. >That, too, was never much of a secret
  15732. ___
  15733. >With the chair in place under the doorknob, you approach the staircase empty-handed
  15734. >There's not even time to think about what she said; having told Aria you'd consider her argument, you feel pressured to do so before the discussion starts again
  15735. >Your feet move as slowly as they could down the steps. One arm slides down the rail
  15736. >For most of the way down it feels as though you're weighing your points against hers rapidly. Taking in what she intended, what happened, why it needs to stop
  15737. >Her angsty face and sarcastic mannerisms play out in your head
  15738. >But by about halfway down, you notice that Sonata is no longer crying, and after that you realize that your thoughts aren't amounting to much
  15739. >It's just emotion
  15740. >You continue on, Aria still occupying your mind's eye
  15741. >Yelling
  15742. >Cursing
  15743. >Punching
  15744. >For a moment, you swear you actually hear her hushed, pissy voice
  15745. >"Look at me you mental retard."
  15746. >Oh
  15747. >A few more steps down, the back of the couch comes into view
  15748. >Aria sits on the left side and stares down at what must be the emotional Sonata laying flat on the other
  15749. >"Sonata!"
  15750. >Shouldn't listen in, right?
  15751. >You start to turn around to head back up, so as not to interrupt whatever she's trying to do
  15752. >Of course, that idea dies fast
  15753. >You sit down and rest your arms in your lap
  15754. >"You're going to make me mad, and then you're going to look like Anonymous."
  15755. >Sonata lets out a muffled, frustrated groan
  15756. >"I'm serious. I'm going to count to three."
  15757. >Aria raises up her fist
  15758. >"One."
  15759. >A finger pops up
  15760. >The count crawls, with nearly five seconds before the "two"
  15761. >Then she stops, with a peace sign floating in the air
  15762. >...
  15763. >Another muffled groan sends Aria into the couch arm, where she lets out a heavy sigh
  15764. >She springs forward again and tugs Sonata up by the ponytail
  15765. >"OW."
  15766. >"I said TWO, so you better stay up."
  15767. >Sonata scoffs
  15768. >"It's only scary when Dagi does it, stupid."
  15769. >"Y-You want scary!?"
  15770. >Aria raises her fist, hesitates, then lowers it
  15771. >As soon as her hair is released, the gloomy siren faceplants the couch again
  15772. >"God damn it Sonata, it's not that big of a deal."
  15773. >"It IS though."
  15774. >"Why do you even like him? He's an asshole."
  15775. >A weight sinks into your arms, and they slide down the sides of your legs
  15776. >Sonata's pulled up again and Aria gets inches away from her
  15777. >"The only butthole here is you. I wish your face was beat up, instead of Anon's."
  15778. >"He is a COMPLETE asshole. He hit you and tied you up. Don't you even care?"
  15779. >"Only because he had to."
  15780. >"No, he said he DIDN'T have to. Even he knows he's an asshole. I know it, Adagio knows it, the Twilight chick probably knows it. I bet he's in the news back home for being such an elusive ASSHOLE."
  15781. >"You better shut up. And don't EVER say that girl's name again."
  15782. >Aria grabs Sonata's shoulders and shakes her a bit
  15783. >"About Twilight Charkle. We have to deal with her, so stop being a baby. Accept that he's an asshole and that he never loved you."
  15784. >Come on...
  15785. >Sonata shoves Aria away and falls backwards herself
  15786. >They both cross their arms
  15787. >"You know what? I think you're jealous."
  15788. >"Pffffffffffft!"
  15789. >Aria breaks into a short, wheezy laugh
  15790. >"I think you should be jealous of me, if anything."
  15791. >"Talking out of your butt as usual I see."
  15792. >"What!?"
  15793. >Interrupting seems like a very good idea at this point
  15794. >...then again, those details have to come to light eventually
  15795. >You rest against the wall in awful anticipation
  15796. >"He like..."
  15797. >"Whuuuut? Saw you naked? Wow, big deal. OOPS! I meant small deal, 'cause like, your boobs are tiny."
  15798. >"Shut the fuck up. That's not what I was going to say."
  15799. >"Then whuuuut?"
  15800. >Aria looks at the carpet for a while, enduring a few more annoying "what"s
  15801. >Then she waves her hand back and forth
  15802. >"...Whatever. I was talking out of my ass."
  15803. >Your eyebrows shoot up, half in confusion, half in relief
  15804. >"We're sidetracked. This is about you not being a mopey loser."
  15805. >Sonata's arms fly into the air
  15806. >"I got dumped like TEN MINUTES AGO!"
  15807. >"Shhh! And I don't care! You can't date him!"
  15808. >"Why not!?"
  15809. >"Because!"
  15810. >"'Cause you want to date him?"
  15811. >Aria slaps both hands onto her face
  15812. >When they slide off, they shoot right to Sonata's collar and pull
  15813. >"No, because he's our leader. ...In this world. Would you date Adagio? No. So you can't date him either. It's fucking weird. But even if it weren't weird you'd still be single, because HE. Broke up. With YOU."
  15814. >Sonata opens her mouth, no doubt with another sarcastic response readied
  15815. >Something seems to catch in her throat
  15816. >She swallows, fidgets around, shrugs her shoulders...
  15817. >"He... he did. He broke up with me, huh?"
  15818. >That weak smile returns
  15819. >Sonata chuckles
  15820. >Scratches her cheek
  15821. >Then bursts into tears
  15822. >"Wh-wh-why doesn't he liiiike meeeeheeeheheheeeeeeee!"
  15823. >Aria props a leg up on the coffee table, knocking off a few bags of chips
  15824. >Since she's looking away, not so much as shaking her head or cursing, you suppose she's spent
  15825. >You can relate. Sleeping is the most tempting thing in the world right now, regardless of the sunrise
  15826. >Falling asleep right here on the stairs would be acceptable
  15827. >But, seeing Sonata like this...
  15828. >Is too much
  15829. >You pull up on the railing until you're to your feet and brace yourself
  15830. >"He DOES like you, fucktard."
  15831. >"...Huh?"
  15832. >You sit right back down
  15833. >Aria throws the bag of chips to Sonata
  15834. >"God, do I have to explain this crap to you? He said himself that he had to do it."
  15835. >"B-But-"
  15836. >"He stopped the car on the way here just so he could bitch and moan about it."
  15837. >"...what?"
  15838. >"Yeah. 'Ohh Aria, ever since I met Sonata my life's been ten times better! I won't be able to fall asleep without her next to me! I won't have anyone to cuddle with! Woe is me!' He wouldn't shut the fuck up about it."
  15839. >Sonata doesn't say anything, but after a loud sniff, scoots closer to Aria
  15840. >"That's not even the worst part, he turns into a total pushover when it's about you. He said he's giving you his bedroom, and sleeping on the couch."
  15841. >"What!?"
  15842. >Aria raises an index finger to her mouth, and nods her head
  15843. >"You're like his stupid prized cow. That's why you can't be the leader's girlfriend. Besides, we've got a real chance here."
  15844. >"Give me... his bed?"
  15845. >"We have to make this work really well so we can convince Adagio, and fuck up Twilight."
  15846. >"He really does like me..."
  15847. >"Adagio told me to switch sides you know, and Anonymous isn't being a complete idiot at the moment, so-"
  15848. >Aria punches her palm
  15849. >"-we HAVE to do this. If we show Adagio that we're doing fine without her, I think she'll go 'well it was my plan all along' and join our side."
  15850. >Sonata scoots even closer, pausing Aria's speech
  15851. >Eager to hear more of it you sit forward on your step
  15852. >"Aria."
  15853. >Sniff
  15854. >"Wh-what?"
  15855. >"He likes me, but he broke up with me anyway."
  15856. >"...Yeah."
  15857. >"So this emotional torment in my heart was pointless."
  15858. >Aria scoots away
  15859. >"I guess."
  15860. >Sonata goes searching for the bag of chips behind her
  15861. >"He. He made me cry, even though he loves me."
  15862. >"Likes you. I said he likes you."
  15863. >"He broke up with me even though he still wants to call me honey and stuff?"
  15864. >Sonata practically punches the bag to secure a few chips to toss into her mouth
  15865. >"Honey?"
  15866. >"He shattered a poor girl's heart for NO reason?"
  15867. >"There IS a reason, I literally just said what it was."
  15868. >"It makes me so MAD!"
  15869. >She punches into the bag again
  15870. >The chips she retrieves crack into pieces in her fist
  15871. >"Mad at... him?"
  15872. >"YES!"
  15873. >She raises her hand above herself, tilts her head back, and with shut eyes and an open mouth, lets the shattered chips rain all over the place
  15874. >Fuck
  15875. >Gilda's not around to clean that these days
  15876. >"I wasn't trying to make you mad at him. You better not say that I was."
  15877. >"I won't. I'll freaking tell him how dumb he is."
  15878. >Like her companion, Sonata rests a leg on the coffee table
  15879. >"That's better than being sad I guess. But use that anger toward Twilight."
  15880. >"Twilight!?"
  15881. >"It's basically her fault that he broke up with you."
  15882. >"WHAT!?"
  15883. >Aria looks to her right, and you can see a devious smile on the side of her face
  15884. >"Yeah. It was DEFINITELY Twilight's fault, so we have to work together and stop her. Partially for revenge. For making Anonymous... let me... make you... cry."
  15885. >That
  15886. >Was almost an actual apology
  15887. >Must be a rare thing to hear from her, since Sonata's angry yelling stops, and her leg slides off the table
  15888. >"...Aria..."
  15889. >"If you say it I'm going to hit you."
  15890. >Sonata scoots a little closer, a smile appearing on her face and leaving Aria's
  15891. >"I-"
  15892. >"Shut up."
  15893. >The distance between the two shrinks bit by bit
  15894. >"I for-"
  15895. >Aria covers Sonata's mouth
  15896. >"This is my button, and you're trying to push it. So stop."
  15897. >While mumbling into Aria's hand, Sonata latches onto her arm and pulls down with all her might
  15898. >Soon her face is free and she lunges into Aria, wrapping her arms around her neck and pulling her into a hug
  15899. >"I forgive you!"
  15900. >"G-GE-GET OFF."
  15901. >That weight in your arms seems to be gone completely
  15902. >You stand up again and rest your hands on your hips
  15903. >Perhaps Adagio underestimates her own companions?
  15904. >"I forgiiiiive yoooou!"
  15905. >"So-so-sona-sonata, STOP."
  15906. >You smile, watching your employee get smothered with unwanted affection
  15907. >That anxious, imaginary barrier that was keeping you between floors disappears
  15908. >When the right moment arrives you'll march downstairs and do whatever you can to keep this exact mood going
  15909. >Sonata giggles
  15910. >Aria squirms in a circle, trying to free herself
  15911. >"Sonata. I'm not kidding. You're PISSING. Me. OFF. Stop."
  15912. >The giggling intensifies
  15913. >Being part of this would be nice
  15914. >The wait for that perfect moment becomes tedious
  15915. >"I'm not gonna say it again.">Her attacker snorts with laughter and rubs her face into her cheek
  15916. >"Aaaaria said soooorry! Aaaaria said sooooorry!"
  15917. >"...Get the fuck OFF OF ME!"
  15918. >Sonata's big, blue ponytail twirls around as she spins, having been violently shoved away by the right shoulder
  15919. >When she comes to a brief stop, she's nearly standing up
  15920. >Then she falls
  15921. >She panics, twisting and grabbing at the large standing pillows
  15922. >One joins her in a plummet to the floor, during which the back of her head smacks loudly into the corner of the coffee table
  15923. >You gasp
  15924. >"...Oh, fuck. That was definitely YOUR fault. You just knocked over my soda, too."
  15925. >This is the moment to be acting on, probably
  15926. >You rush down the stairs
  15927. ___
  15928. >"Don't push so hard, I don't want them to break..."
  15929. >Instead of shoving, you poke at the chip bags with both index fingers
  15930. >Slowly, very slowly, each slides into place in the top cabinet
  15931. >Aria sighs in relief
  15932. >"Finally. That's the last of them."
  15933. >She gets on her tiptoes and hooks the cabinet door with a finger
  15934. >It...
  15935. >Doesn't shut all the way
  15936. >Close enough for her, apparently
  15937. >She heads back into the living room and grabs her prized possession
  15938. >Two whole liters of Pepsi. Still a bit shaken up from its tumble
  15939. >You open the fridge
  15940. "Put it anywhere."
  15941. >She rolls it onto the empty top shelf
  15942. >Huh
  15943. >Thought you had more food than this
  15944. >Definitely need to go shopping
  15945. >With the last of Aria's purchases in place, you turn your attention to the table
  15946. >More specifically, the girl sitting there, burying her face in her arms
  15947. "Alright. We're ready."
  15948. >Aria spins a chair around and sits leaning on its back
  15949. >With the dry erase marker you found in the drawer, you write on the fridge's whiteboard:
  15950. >"Mercy Quartet Initiation Meeting"
  15951. >Then stand proudly beside it
  15952. >Sonata doesn't even stir when Aria nudges her
  15953. >"Wake up."
  15954. >She whines, though
  15955. "It's okay. She can rest if she wants-"
  15956. >Aria glares
  15957. "-is what I would have said before. But now Sonata's got an opportunity, like the one Aria has. And I don't think she'd want to miss out on it."
  15958. >...
  15959. >Sonata raises up
  15960. >Her eyes still red from crying, and her posture weak and mopey
  15961. >"Excuse me if I'm not feeling so well after my INJURY."
  15962. "It's not really an injury, is it?"
  15963. >"What? I was knocked out for like, months."
  15964. "Unconscious people don't sob."
  15965. >She slaps the tabletop
  15966. >"I meant it FELT like I was knocked out, Anon!"
  15967. "Alright. Alright."
  15968. >You hold your hands up and nod your head
  15969. >It's tricky to fight off two urges at once. The first to point out how much worse shape your own head is in, and the second to baby Sonata and let her skip the meeting
  15970. "I'm sorry your head hurts, but we need to talk."
  15971. >"About what?!"
  15972. >You point the marker at the board and smile
  15973. >"What? Is that our name?"
  15974. "Yes, and we're here to discuss terms, and our group's goals."
  15975. >"It's dumb."
  15976. "...What?"
  15977. >"That's the dumbest name I've heard in my life."
  15978. >She turns her nose up at you
  15979. >"And I live with a girl named Aria, so that's saying something."
  15980. >It strikes you as unbelievable that Sonata would openly taunt Aria
  15981. >A girl who seems to regularly beat the stuffing out of her
  15982. >A girl who shoved her into a table not half an hour ago
  15983. >Aria's new expression is probably asking you to lecture Sonata
  15984. >But how do you stay mad at a girl who brings so much pain on herself?
  15985. "Hey."
  15986. >You lean onto the table, opposite of Sonata and drop your voice to something more gentle
  15987. "I know you don't feel so great. I'm sorry about your head. Looks like it hurts pretty bad."
  15988. >She inspects your hand on her shoulder
  15989. "We can be head injury buddies."
  15990. >...She doesn't buy it
  15991. "Look, I think we're all feeling pretty bad. Aria's been tied up for ages, you know? This is the first time she's ever gotten to sit in this house at ease."
  15992. >You look to Aria
  15993. >Her eye contact takes you off guard, so you quickly return
  15994. "Adagio's still locked up. She might look tough, but I bet she'd love to come down from there."
  15995. >She melts into the table, toward your caressing hand
  15996. "This meeting is about making everyone feel better, permanently. So can you work with me for that?"
  15997. >She looks up to you and whines, with vulnerability, rather than sass
  15998. >"...Okay Anon."
  15999. >You stand up with so much excitement that you bounce on your heels a couple of times
  16000. >The whiteboard shifts right as you underline the company name
  16001. "Alright! Welcome to the group!"
  16002. >Writing "terms" in big bold letters is the next thing that comes to mind
  16003. >Even for these two, it's probably obvious that you have no idea what you're doing
  16004. "The big thing about our group is that there are no more slaves, and no more iron-fist leaders. I'll serve as the boss, who makes sure we're on the right track, and you guys will be my employees. If you ever have suggestions or questions, feel free to bring it up."
  16005. >Aria looks pretty comfortable
  16006. >You take your chair and sit the same way
  16007. "My money isn't infinite, though. In fact it might be hard to pay you guys consistently. So I'll give you other benefits to make up for it."
  16008. >"Like what?"
  16009. >The tougher of the two sirens sits up straight
  16010. >"Like bedrooms?"
  16011. "Yeah. Anything you want in exchange for working for me."
  16012. >"I want those."
  16013. >She grabs onto the chair with one hand, leans back and waves the other all around
  16014. >Pointing to each of the cabinets resting under the ceiling
  16015. >Most of which are currently filled with her junk food
  16016. "What? Why do you want cabinets?"
  16017. >"Because."
  16018. "...Can't we share them?"
  16019. >"No. SOMEONE will end up eating my chips if they're in EVERYONE'S cabinets."
  16020. >She discreetly gestures to Sonata
  16021. "Are you going to ask for the fridge, too?"
  16022. >"No... there's only one fridge."
  16023. "Hm."
  16024. >There are plenty more places in here to store stuff. Why not?
  16025. "Fine. The top cabinets are Aria's, and can only be used by her."
  16026. >She smiles
  16027. "Do you have any others?"
  16028. >"Yeah, what room do I get?"
  16029. "Oh yeah."
  16030. >"I want one with a bed, and a door. And a bathroom."
  16031. >At that rate she'd rarely have to leave it, would she?
  16032. "Only my room has its own bathroom, but my parents' room should work fine."
  16033. >She crosses her arms
  16034. >...Oh
  16035. "You want my room."
  16036. >Sonata spins around and throws her hands into the air
  16037. >"EXCUSE me!? That's Anon's room! And he kind of had PLANS for it!"
  16038. >"I think it makes sense to give it to the girl who deserves it."
  16039. >"I, I deserve it!"
  16040. >"Ha."
  16041. >"I do!"
  16042. >Uh oh
  16043. >You scratch the back of your head
  16044. >"Just like you deserved the bed in the nurse's office?"
  16045. >"Oh my GOD are you still mad about that?"
  16046. >"I was never mad. It just wasn't fair."
  16047. >"One of us had to sleep in the floor when Dagi moved in. Might as well be the one who's practically a boy, huh?"
  16048. >"You know what?"
  16049. "You know what? I'm keeping my room."
  16050. >They both go quiet
  16051. "If it's going to be such a big deal, I'll take it off of the table."
  16052. >The girls look at each other, and fidget around a bit
  16053. >Their silence is pretty awkward
  16054. >After a while Aria raises her hand
  16055. >You call on her as if she were a student
  16056. >"I. Uh. That argument was..."
  16057. >Her face goes red
  16058. >"m-my fault, or whatever. So just give Sonata the room."
  16059. >The other siren's face lights up and she claps her hands together
  16060. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that, Aria."
  16061. >She scowls at the threat of extending her time in the spotlight
  16062. "Okay! Moving on. My mom and dad's room should work for you. The bed's bigger than it needs to be, just like mine."
  16063. >She raises her hand again
  16064. "...Aria?"
  16065. >"No one's allowed in my room without permission, and if the door is closed, no one's allowed to even knock, okay?"
  16066. >Well aren't you territorial
  16067. "That's fine. No one's allowed in your room."
  16068. >She clenches a fist in victory
  16069. >Sonata leans out of her chair with a devious, toothy smile
  16070. >"Oh I know why you want privacy so badly."
  16071. >"...Trying to push my buttons again?"
  16072. >"I think you're more than capable of THAT..."
  16073. >You nearly drop the marker
  16074. "Moving on!"
  16075. >The three of you spend some time spitballing some general rules
  16076. >Though Aria doesn't quite understand what a TV is, she jumps in on the discussion of how it will be shared
  16077. >Your approach starts very business-like, assigning time slots
  16078. >That doesn't sit well with the sirens, and beyond that...
  16079. >They should learn to share the things that everyone owns
  16080. >Once everyone is content with the outlined terms, you clear the whiteboard and move on to topic number two:
  16081. "Reforming the Sirens."
  16082. >They watch you write it out in big letters
  16083. >"But weren't you already doing that, Anon?"
  16084. "...Not really. This is a different kind of reform. Instead of fear and..."
  16085. >Guilt draws your eyes away from the girls
  16086. "...Instead of that kind of stuff, I want to give you three a chance to live honest lives."
  16087. >"Honest?"
  16088. "Yeah."
  16089. >"Do I have to do a job?"
  16090. "Yes."
  16091. >Sonata grunts
  16092. "We'll all have to do jobs once I graduate. For now, we have my family's money to carry us. That lets us focus on a big problem."
  16093. >You take the marker again and write "Twilight Sparkle" on the board
  16094. "Sonata, do you already understand how illegal your use of magic has been?"
  16095. >She nods
  16096. >Something tells you she's more upset about having to work than about being hunted by the government
  16097. "It's dangerous. Twilight is some kind of official from Equestria, and she's spending every moment of every day looking for you. If she captures you, well, I can't give you honest lives."
  16098. >Aria punches her fist
  16099. >"So we capture her and tie her up."
  16100. "Yeah. Wait what?"
  16101. >"And beat the crap out of her."
  16102. "No! No, no! We don't do that at all!"
  16103. >"...What else can we do? Come on."
  16104. "Let's just figure out what we know."
  16105. >You add "is a pony?" under her name
  16106. "First off. She's not human. You two are the Equestria experts. What can you tell me about her?"
  16107. >Aria launches into an explanation of the different races
  16108. >"Earth pony is the one I saw the most. That's what you want. They kick hard as hell, but other than that, pushovers."
  16109. >She stands beside you and borrows the marker to draw a squiggly circle, with four lines, an oval head and an extremely sharp tail
  16110. >"And this is a Pegasus."
  16111. >Aria duplicates the first drawing, but adds a couple of baseball mitts on the back
  16112. >"They can fly fast as hell. If one chases you, you're going to get caught."
  16113. >The third drawing has some kind of growth on its face
  16114. >"And then there's Unicorns. This is what you DON'T want."
  16115. "Oh?"
  16116. >"Yeah. They can cast spells."
  16117. >She circles it
  16118. >"Hundreds of spells. Thousands. They don't need enchantments, and they're arrogant."
  16119. >Then she scribbles into the circle until it's nearly filled with black
  16120. >"But that doesn't matter here, right? She's a human, and humans can't do anything."
  16121. >Aria takes her seat again
  16122. "Hm."
  16123. >...
  16124. "Ponies aren't this ugly, are they?"
  16125. >Your marker hits you in the side of the head
  16126. >At least you manage to catch it
  16127. >"They're like, obnoxiously pretty, Anon! And they think they're sooo special."
  16128. >Sonata takes your side next
  16129. >She presses her palm into the board and smudges out each of the doodles
  16130. >"Don't even worry about ponies. We can deal with her while she's a human girl. That means she's delicate."
  16131. >She clutches her heart
  16132. >"Like me."
  16133. >You hum, tapping your chin and staring at Sonata's ruffled hair
  16134. "So there's just three races? No others?"
  16135. >As Aria formulates her answer, she shifts around in her seat
  16136. >"Well, technically there's... another..."
  16137. "What is it?"
  16138. >"...You don't even have to worry about it."
  16139. "What? Why? Tell me."
  16140. >"It's... there's something called an Alicorn. It's a mix of all of the races. Strength, wings, and magic."
  16141. >Your jaw drops
  16142. "Why would you think that wasn't important?"
  16143. >"Because you could probably count the number of Alicorns on one hand."
  16144. >She wiggles her fingers
  16145. >"They're gods, and they're even worse than Unicorns. But gods don't hunt down petty criminals."
  16146. >You decide not to acknowledge her shaky voice
  16147. "So Twilight's not an Alicorn?"
  16148. >"Don't even worry about it. She's probably an earth pony."
  16149. "I see."
  16150. >The girls spin around in response to a faint noise from outside
  16151. >One you're not used to hearing here
  16152. >"What was that?"
  16153. "Someone pulled in."
  16154. >"Did what?"
  16155. ___
  16156. >You stand by the front door
  16157. >The girls wait inside the punishment room
  16158. >Whoever's here takes their sweet time
  16159. >Sigh
  16160. >You step outside and walk past the hedges
  16161. >To the right, behind your car is one you don't recognize
  16162. >The kid balancing on rocks nearby's a different story
  16163. "Hey!"
  16164. >She slips off, spots you, glances over her shoulder and then heads your way
  16165. >"Hi."
  16166. "What's up?"
  16167. >"Nothing. Waiting to go home."
  16168. "You didn't drive here, did you?"
  16169. >Sweetie scratches the inside of her ear and chuckles
  16170. >"Yeah right."
  16171. >With the same hand that was just scraping ear wax, she offers a handshake
  16172. >"I'm Sweetie Belle. Did you lose a fight or something?"
  16173. >You choose to wave your hand instead
  16174. "Anonymous. Yeah. I lost a fight. What's going on? Is Rarity here?"
  16175. >Her eyes roll into the back of her head
  16176. >She stuffs her hands into her pockets and groans
  16177. >"Unfortunately."
  16178. "Why?"
  16179. >"She's having one of her episodes."
  16180. >You both look out to the cars
  16181. >If you squint, you can see the back of Rarity's head through three windows
  16182. >"She's talking to dad on the phone."
  16183. "Oh?"
  16184. >"They're fighting."
  16185. "Oh..."
  16186. >"Yeah. Rarity's fighting with dad and dad is fighting with mom."
  16187. >Energy leaves Sweetie's voice
  16188. >"We came here to talk to Twilight."
  16189. "She's not here."
  16190. >"You sure?"
  16191. "Very."
  16192. >"Well, can you let Rarity look for her? The longer it takes, the better. Your house is big, so it's perfect."
  16193. >It is?
  16194. >You kneel down and talk face to face
  16195. "Is the argument that bad?"
  16196. >"I dunno dude. I've never heard dad yell like this. He was like, honey if you believe I'd do such a thing, you really are a stupid cunt!"
  16197. "What?!"
  16198. >The shock of the crude, scratchy, manly impersonation kills your balance for a split second
  16199. >"Yeah, he called mom a cunt."
  16200. "Don't... don't say that."
  16201. >"What?"
  16202. "That word."
  16203. >"Cunt?"
  16204. >You cover her mouth for a moment
  16205. "That's a bad word."
  16206. >Sweetie blinks, apparently indifferent
  16207. "Uh, why do you need to talk to Twilight?"
  16208. >"Ummmmmm. It's no big deal. But it's sort of my fault. ...Dad was rude to Twilight, and I saw it, and I accidentally told mom. But Twilight's as nice as it gets, she'll be like, it's fine! I wasn't offended!"
  16209. >She goes back to scratching her ear
  16210. >"Dad's just not good at being polite is all."
  16211. "Oh. That's not that big of a deal."
  16212. >"...Yeah..."
  16213. >The faint sound of a car door flinging open catches your attention
  16214. >"SWEETIE BELLE, GET OVER HERE!"
  16215. >The kid flinches, but is quick to march
  16216. >You consider following, but maybe approaching Rarity while she's arguing on the phone would end badly
  16217. >...
  16218. >Sweetie returns, kicking up dust as she walks
  16219. >"She said to tell you to bring Twilight to the car."
  16220. "She's not here..."
  16221. >"I told her, and she started-"
  16222. >She twirls her index finger around her temple
  16223. >"-crying. What a baby."
  16224. >Seeing the alarm on your face, she shakes her head
  16225. >"Don't freak out, dude. She gets like that sometimes. It's fine."
  16226. "Are you sure?"
  16227. >"Just between you and me... my sister's a bit of a drama queen."
  16228. >Sweetie kicks up some more dust
  16229. >"I dunno what to do. She's going to go crazy if she doesn't see Twilight. She's not going to talk to you, either. Her makeup is all messed up."
  16230. >You stand up and, hesitantly, make an offer:
  16231. "How about we meet up at Taco Bell in thirty minutes?"
  16232. >"Ooh! I love Taco Bell! Are you buying? Tell me you're buying."
  16233. "No, I meant I'll bring Twilight to you."
  16234. >"Well, can we buy food too?"
  16235. "Huh?"
  16236. >She sways left and right with a big smile
  16237. "We'll... we'll see."
  16238. >"YES! WOO!"
  16239. >Sweetie spins around, punching and kicking
  16240. >"I'm ready! Ready for the Bell!"
  16241. >Her relentless assault on thin air continues
  16242. >"Bell is my middle name, dude!"
  16243. >Then she takes off
  16244. >"Okay! Thirty minutes. Bring our nerd! Bring your walleeeeeet!"
  16245. >She zips around the side of your car, hops into hers, and you wait
  16246. >It's not long before Rarity pulls out, and you watch her car disappear down the dirt road
  16247. ___
  16248. >You find yourself driving with extreme caution minutes away from Canterlot High
  16249. >With a girl asleep, snuggled up to the car door
  16250. >The smile she wore still faintly visible on her mostly blank resting face
  16251. >Part of you wants to let Twilight deal with a little bit of her sleep debt
  16252. >Your new position as "boss" insists you don't
  16253. >Calling her name doesn't work...
  16254. >At the next stop sign you reach over and firmly shake her shoulder
  16255. >"Hmm?"
  16256. "Can we talk?"
  16257. >"Of course, Anon!"
  16258. >She shows you an eager smile
  16259. >"Given a list of ten thousand humans I could pick and choose for conversation, you would be at the top."
  16260. "Really?"
  16261. >"Yes. Yes!"
  16262. >She rubs her knees
  16263. >"Yes, yes, yes."
  16264. "Why?"
  16265. >Then fiddles with her seat belt a while
  16266. >When it's resting comfortably, Twilight reaches down under the seat and pulls up a book
  16267. >"Oh, these beautiful Fall trees. What I'd give to rest right here in this painting."
  16268. >Her finger traces over the warmly colored leaves
  16269. >"In a sense I already am. Up here."
  16270. >Your eyes dart between the stick figure family decal on the car in front of you and the red-eyed, messy-haired girl poking her forehead
  16271. >"It's as though I have been granted freedom after years of incarceration. My heart is singing. I can... breathe."
  16272. >She touches your arm
  16273. >You grip the steering wheel tight
  16274. >"I shouldn't tell you, really. In all honesty Anonymous I have broken many rules with you that were stated by Princess Celestia herself. Even her name and title are privileged information at this time."
  16275. "So, coming to me for help was..."
  16276. >"A moment of weakness. Sharing information about Equestria with beings from a world so little understood?"
  16277. >Her words grow hesitant and sad
  16278. >"I fear what my Princess would say. Or what she would do."
  16279. >As your destination comes into view, however, she perks up again
  16280. >"But you're my lucky charm. And I know I can trust you with this, at least."
  16281. >You pick out a parking spot
  16282. >"It's because of you... giving me the idea of an enchantment..."
  16283. >You pull in
  16284. >"That I ended up finding it."
  16285. >And you display pretend curiosity
  16286. >She lifts herself up to dig into her pocket
  16287. >A golden chain dangles from her fist
  16288. >Twilight presents it to you and, slowly, extends her fingers
  16289. >In her palm is a red gem
  16290. >Beautiful, though not as genuine as your mother would sometimes pretend
  16291. >Or as genuine as your forced look of awe and words of congratulation suggest
  16292. >"This is all I need. I can go back home, sort it out, and put it to rest. When the time comes to return to this world I will do so with a smile, and a mission to collect as much human literature as I can. All... thanks to you."
  16293. ___
  16294. >You're dragged through Taco Bell's front door
  16295. >The cool air is welcoming, but your mind struggles to ignore the two girls speaking in whispers outside
  16296. >Rarity was initially shocked by your condition
  16297. >When reminded of her own family situation, she moved on
  16298. >"You promised my baby sister a meal," she practically mumbled, "so why don't you two go on?"
  16299. >So here you are, Sweetie's painful grip on your wrist guiding you up to the counter
  16300. >She lets go and does a little dance
  16301. >"Best day. Ever! Best day. Ever!"
  16302. >Order ideas are listed one after another. This taco or that burrito, weighed as if it were a life or death decision
  16303. >Though she debates with herself thoroughly there are repeating ideas
  16304. >Only three or four
  16305. >Following from the back of her head it seems like she's reading off of the dollar menu
  16306. "What are you doing?"
  16307. >"Huh?"
  16308. >You let a customer pass by and then join her
  16309. "Why the dollar menu?"
  16310. >"...Well, I want to get a soda too. If that's okay."
  16311. >She grins and holds her hands together
  16312. >"Please be okay with it."
  16313. "Well, the numbered orders come with a soda. Let's stick to those."
  16314. >"Don't think I'm gonna be one of those people who go crazy with other people's money."
  16315. >She wags a finger at you
  16316. "Don't worry about it. Order what you normally do."
  16317. >"...I was."
  16318. >Sweetie turns back to the menu
  16319. >As realization hits, your eyes drift from the side of her head, to Twilight Sparkle through the large window. Cupping a cell phone and speaking with highly animated hand gestures
  16320. >Rarity taps her arm here and there. No doubt reminding her to stay quiet
  16321. ___
  16322. >She looks ready to defuse her soda
  16323. >Her trembling fingers poke at the sides and then retreat as the ice shifts around
  16324. >"So. Much. Sprite."
  16325. >Next she picks it up and marvels at her ability to lift it, a second time
  16326. >"It weighs like forty pounds I bet."
  16327. "Not quite, haha."
  16328. >Some time passes
  16329. >Both of you turn to check on the girls outside
  16330. >You agreed to buy her food, not babysit her, so you're direct:
  16331. "What's happening out there?"
  16332. >"Hm? Oh. Uh..."
  16333. >Sweetie fidgets with a stack of napkins
  16334. >"She's talking to dad maybe? Or mom, definitely mom."
  16335. "What about? Are you okay with telling me?"
  16336. >For a while you interpret her awkward expression as a silent no
  16337. >But half a minute later she responds:
  16338. >"Like a week or something ago, I was watching YouTube and the internet started being slow-"
  16339. >She squints momentarily
  16340. >"-probably Despairity torrenting things again. So I paused it and went to get a drink. When I walked into the Kitchen my Dad was talking to Twilight."
  16341. >Sweetie spins the receipt around and takes note of the order number
  16342. >"And then he hit her on the butt."
  16343. >...
  16344. >"Like a football player! You know? Like, good job, star Nickelback player, you won the game. You know?"
  16345. >She forces a laugh
  16346. >"My dad was just being nice. He didn't know that you only do that to other guys."
  16347. >The receipt is spun around a second time
  16348. >Her waiting goes from charmingly energetic, to anxious and uncomfortable
  16349. >In your current state no words come to mind
  16350. >So you sigh and lean back
  16351. ___
  16352. >Outside, you first spot your car door hanging wide open
  16353. >Then to your right you find Rarity, head resting in one hand, and Twilight, head nearly inside a familiar gym bag
  16354. >Though much smaller this time
  16355. >...Surely she wouldn't tell Rarity about the investigation?
  16356. "Hey, Belle. Were you serious about wanting one of those crunch wrap things?"
  16357. >Her lit up eyes give you your answer
  16358. >You dig out a bit of cash, stuff it into her hands and hold open the door
  16359. >Rapid fire thanks fade quickly as she charges for the counter
  16360. >By the girls, you announce your presence with a yawn and lean on the edge of their table
  16361. >"Hello again Anonymous!"
  16362. >The dork pulls her head out of the bag
  16363. >"We've got everything sorted out!"
  16364. >Rarity taps her shoulder again
  16365. >"Nothing in particular, though. Just things!"
  16366. >You spin a chair around from a different table and sit
  16367. "How'd you sort it out?"
  16368. >"Simple, really. I told Rarity's mother that-"
  16369. >"Anonymous, if you could mind your own business?"
  16370. >You look to Rarity, whose eyes are now covered
  16371. "It's funny hearing that from..."
  16372. >Shoving your drink's straw into your mouth is about all you can do to shut yourself up
  16373. >Rarity drops her hand into her lap
  16374. >"Care to finish your sentence?"
  16375. "No, not really."
  16376. >"Well, I'm not surprised."
  16377. "...About?"
  16378. >"You staying silent, even though I know what's on your mind."
  16379. >You bite your lip and glance at a now tense Twilight
  16380. >No need to disturb her happy mood
  16381. "Anyway, do you guys want anything? I've got enough cash."
  16382. >Rarity rolls her eyes Is that a no?"
  16383. >"Changing the subject, another one of Anonymous' habits."
  16384. "Excuse me?"
  16385. >"And I don't NEED any cash I'll have you know."
  16386. "It was just a friendly offer... I already fed Belle, I might as well."
  16387. >She taps all five of her fingers on the shiny table
  16388. >"I said I DON'T NEED it, Anonymous."
  16389. >Her hushed yell is still far too loud for comfort
  16390. >A couple of customers on their way out look over their shoulders
  16391. "Hey... calm down."
  16392. >"I am calm."
  16393. "Uh, Twilight, maybe we should all get going."
  16394. >"OH, GREAT! That's perfect. Maybe she should go with you? You could drive back to your little paradise in the woods."
  16395. >...
  16396. >"You go right ahead and teach her-"
  16397. >Finger quotes pop up
  16398. >"-human relations. Everything will sound brilliant and romantic with you pulling her strings."
  16399. >Rarity grabs something from beside her purse, and presents it as her smoking gun
  16400. >A book
  16401. >On the cover, a bright and warm Fall forest
  16402. >"Yeah! That's right! She told me allll about your little training program."
  16403. >The confusion on your face must be pissing her off even more
  16404. >"Where are you two at? Timid hellos? Awkward first date? First kiss? Tell me, Anonymous."
  16405. "Would you-"
  16406. >"She's not a virgin anymore! Is she!"
  16407. "Rarity."
  16408. >"You slept with her and I even know when and WHERE!"
  16409. >At your hands slamming onto her table, she flinches, eyes shut tight, one arm raised in front of her face
  16410. >She shrinks into the corner made by the back of the chair and the fence surrounding the area
  16411. "...Shut. Up."
  16412. >"O-Okay."
  16413. >Her voice is just above a whisper
  16414. >Rapidly, your anger turns to a powerful mixture of confusion and embarrassment
  16415. >You look to Twilight for some kind of explanation
  16416. >Her shaky voice is muffled by the gym bag covering her mouth:
  16417. >"Maybe my explanation should have been a bit more clear."
  16418. ___
  16419. >"It has to be today."
  16420. >Twilight tends to ease up quickly if she has the pleasure of explaining something
  16421. >This time was no different
  16422. >As she gave Rarity the innocent details on your nonexistent tutoring sessions - in which you taught her day to day interactions between humans of different ages and personality types - her shoulders lowered and her smile returned
  16423. >At the end she added in that this was a good time for her to return to her home
  16424. >With a bit of excitement, she digs deep into her bag and pulls out a thick, shiny brown book
  16425. >On the front is a white feather symbol
  16426. >"Goodness! I almost forgot to give this to you!"
  16427. >She strokes it a couple of times before laying it into your hands
  16428. >"This is a ma-"
  16429. >She leans closer
  16430. >So does Rarity
  16431. >"Magical book. It's used for long distance communication and, believe it or not, communication across different worlds."
  16432. "Huh?"
  16433. >"...It's like talking on a personal computer. Write in one book, the words print themselves in the other."
  16434. >You can't tell if she's proud of her world's technologies, or proud of her explanation
  16435. >"I need you to keep this close and write once a day if you can. Just to check in and let me know how things are. Now, keep in mind that this book is normally reserved for those in my government and has next to no restrictions. It's very important that you write the correct code on the line on page 1-"
  16436. >Rarity interrupts
  16437. >Shocked that Twilight would trust such an item with you, rather than her, the conversation regresses
  16438. >But this time Rarity is calmed to silence more quickly
  16439. >The discussion slows to the point that Sweetie showing up outside again becomes the new topic
  16440. >Before you know it, Rarity's storming off to her car, Sweetie's shaking your hand and Twilight's thanking you again
  16441. >You sit in your car and watch her pull her trusty gym bag into the back seat of theirs
  16442. >She's buried back there
  16443. >...
  16444. >You've never been more exhausted in your life
  16445. >Seeing Rarity hop out of the driver's seat, seemingly under Twilight's frantic instruction, is something you're unprepared for
  16446. >Her shoe scrapes to a stop on the road beside your car
  16447. >...
  16448. "What's up?"
  16449. >...
  16450. >You shut your eyes and sigh
  16451. "I'm tired. Too sleepy to argue. Okay?"
  16452. >...
  16453. >"Anonymous?"
  16454. >You open them up again to a similarly tired, frustrated face
  16455. >"Would you consider telling me what's going on? What's actually going on?"
  16456. >She rests her hands on the half-raised window
  16457. >"If only so that I'll be able to sleep tonight?"
  16458. >That's the right tactic for appealing to you
  16459. >But, it's hopeless
  16460. >You tap the cover of Twilight's magical book
  16461. "She already told you. If you don't believe it, I'm sorry."
  16462. >Her fingers tug on the glass as she backs away, with spiteful eyes
  16463. >"She forgot to tell you the code. 'Loans and Hesitant Travels.'"
  16464. >Huff
  16465. >"What will you discuss with her?"
  16466. "I don't know."
  16467. >"Why would she give this to YOU?"
  16468. >This girl...
  16469. >You shut your eyes
  16470. >After ten seconds or so, she stomps away
  16471. ___
  16472. >Back at home, just after sundown, you prepare the couch for one hell of a sleep session
  16473. >Your two employees had mixed feelings about Twilight's departure
  16474. >Sonata innocently assumed that it solves all of your problems
  16475. >Aria helped you explain that the fake necklace is, at best, a bit of time bought
  16476. >Still, the worst problem on Sonata's mind was you neglecting to order her anything this afternoon
  16477. >With her asleep in your bedroom and Adagio hopefully asleep in the guest room you lean into your new bed when you notice:
  16478. >To your right, light coming in through the bottom of your parent's bedroom door
  16479. >Knowing how tired Aria must be, you knock
  16480. >When she doesn't answer you crack the door
  16481. >...and find her sitting in the corner
  16482. "Aria?"
  16483. >She's silent until you step inside
  16484. >"What happens when you break the rules? Do you get punished, or do I get something?"
  16485. "Oh. I'm sorry."
  16486. >You scratch the back of your head and say you'll be going to bed
  16487. >"Wait, idiot. Did you want something?"
  16488. "Just wondering why you're in the floor."
  16489. >"I don't know."
  16490. >The bed's properly made, with a giant pillow and thick, fuzzy blankets
  16491. "Don't like the bed?"
  16492. >"The bed's fine."
  16493. "Aria, if something's wrong, you can tell me."
  16494. >She looks down at the floor and sighs
  16495. >"...I just don't want to sleep in a bed when Adagio's on the floor."
  16496. "Is that all? Remember that box I carried up to her?"
  16497. >You grab Aria's wrists, gently pull her onto her feet, and lead her to one end of the bed
  16498. "That was a bed."
  16499. >"Really?"
  16500. "Yeah, a comfortable one too."
  16501. >"...Are you lying?"
  16502. >You pull the covers up over and push her into the pillow
  16503. "No. Everyone gets a bed. Everyone gets to sleep. Let's all sleep."
  16504. >As you're leaving, she stops you again
  16505. >"Wait! This pillow sucks."
  16506. >She shoves it into the floor
  16507. "Seriously?"
  16508. >"I want... uh, I want that one you made me use."
  16509. >After a moment you catch on, and head into the punishment room to find it
  16510. >When you present it to Aria you can tell she feels a bit better
  16511. "Don't worry."
  16512. >She raises a hand to catch it
  16513. "I'm sure it still smells like me."
  16514. >Then opens it up to let it fall beside her
  16515. >She frowns and stutters out something you can't understand
  16516. "Just a joke... I'm going to sleep... too tired."
  16517. >The light's turned off and the door shut
  16518. >You fall onto the couch
  16519. >Soon after, a girl slides over the back and on top of you
  16520. "What are you doing."
  16521. >She speaks in an angry whisper
  16522. >"Why were you in Aria's room?"
  16523. "Checking on her."
  16524. >"Why didn't you check on me then?"
  16525. >She grunts, seeing you shut your eyes and look for a comfortable position
  16526. "You don't need help sleeping. Aria does. Don't get all jealous."
  16527. >Sonata sits up
  16528. >Knees press painfully into your stomach
  16529. >"I guess that makes sense. Aria doesn't like to sleep by herself."
  16530. "Really?"
  16531. >"Don't say that though, or she'll get mad."
  16532. >Sonata waits for your response before realizing you're nearly asleep
  16533. >"Anon. I'm going to propose something... and I don't want to get lectured. It's been a looong day and we're both very tired. Aria's not the only one who hates sleeping alone..."
  16534. >You wake up fully again
  16535. >With lungs filled to the brim you sigh, scoop her up and carry her to your room like a princess
  16536. >Sonata gives you a big smile, until you put her down and turn around
  16537. >"Where are you going?"
  16538. "To bed."
  16539. >"Anon! Pleeeaase?"
  16540. >Temptation sets in
  16541. "Aria thinks you and I are a bad idea, and I agree."
  16542. >"But-"
  16543. "We have to convince Adagio that we're a capable team."
  16544. >"But!"
  16545. "We, we can't do this sort of thing."
  16546. >You step out and grab the doorknob
  16547. >...
  16548. "...For now."
  16549. >And close it
  16550. >You feel a bit frustrated looking at the door and imagining her gleeful expression
  16551. >Regret weighs down on you as you drag your feet to the couch,
  16552. >collapse,
  16553. >and finally... fall asleep
  16554. ___
  16555. "Wake up already!"
  16556. >Standing outside your house with the girls, you pat Sonata's head
  16557. >"Two more hours... please..."
  16558. >It's warm, not hot
  16559. >The wind feels nice and gently shakes the rows of trees across the road
  16560. >It's a perfect day and you're facing it with a full night of sleep
  16561. "It's your first day of work!"
  16562. >Sonata groans in disgust
  16563. >Aria stands up from the rocking chair on your left, having finished tying her bandana
  16564. >"Ready."
  16565. "Your first job, Aria..."
  16566. >You point to an ocean of weeds, tall grass and an embarrassing amount of random items littered in your front yard
  16567. >The tall grass is on you, but everything else is hers
  16568. >"Wow, lame task."
  16569. >She steps off the porch and gets a good look
  16570. >A tug on your sleeve draws your attention
  16571. >"I'm allergic to weeds. If I touch them I die. And really Anon I'm at my best when I'm not sweating or feeling tired. You understand, right?"
  16572. >She turns around to investigate your line of sight
  16573. >Aria, bent over with both hands wrapped around a red weed, unknowingly presents her back end and the purple pants that snugly rest against it
  16574. >She wiggles left and right as she searches for the best possible grip
  16575. "Maybe I should supervise you guys."
  16576. >Sonata's too sleepy to work, but not too sleepy to swing at you
  16577. ___
  16578. >Down the road, with a fold-up chair and battery powered radio in your hands, you guide Sonata to her task
  16579. "I've got the perfect job for you."
  16580. >"What? Are you gonna look at my butt all day? In a place you don't even go!"
  16581. >She gestures towards the woods
  16582. >"We've been in here once and it was awful."
  16583. "The chair is for you."
  16584. >You stop by a dirt trail and set it up
  16585. >Sonata stares in confusion
  16586. >Once sure you weren't joking she's quick to sit back and relax
  16587. >"What kind of job is this?"
  16588. "Lookout duty."
  16589. >She takes the radio
  16590. "There's a pretty good chance that Rarity or someone else will show up. They'll be in a car. The things on the road."
  16591. >"I know."
  16592. "Watch through these trees. If you see a car, get up and run-"
  16593. >You point toward the dirt path which leads deeper into the woods
  16594. "that way. It'll lead you to the house faster than you would think."
  16595. >"So I have to sit here all day?"
  16596. "Long enough for Aria and I to do our chores."
  16597. >She thinks it over
  16598. >"I guess this job is okay. But I'm gonna be bored."
  16599. "Got you covered."
  16600. >Sonata gasps at the radio's static
  16601. >You play with the dial
  16602. >It fades into Spanish music, then a talk show, Classic Rock and more Spanish music
  16603. "Play with it, find something you like. And get comfortable! You're going to be doing this every day!"
  16604. >"What!?"
  16605. >You head down the dirt path
  16606. >"WHAT!"
  16607. >And grin
  16608. >"EVERY DAY!?"
  16609. >A little spin nearly tips the chair over
  16610. >"NOOOOOOOOOooooooo... okaaaaay..."
  16611. ___
  16612. >You press the tip of your pen to the top line on page one
  16613. >A chill runs down your spine
  16614. >There are eight lines in total. The top of the page is filled with instructions
  16615. >"...do not attempt to analyze, remove or duplicate this item's enchantments. Illustrations should be sent on odd-numbered pages. If multiple contacts are registered here, designate per page in the provided box. The cover's insignia will glow when new messages are available. Black ink is heavily recommended..."
  16616. >After skimming them, you continue writing Twilight's code on the top line
  16617. >It's difficult not to back away as ink bleeds its way onto the empty second page, letter by letter
  16618. >"Needless to say, everything written in this book, by you or by your contacts, is confidential."
  16619. >You inch closer to the words, almost in disbelief
  16620. >"Sharing the contents of this book with anyone other than your contacts, the superior who issued it to you, or to your Princesses, is absolutely forbidden."
  16621. >Then inch away again
  16622. >"Accidentally rewarding this book to citizens, criminals, or members of enemy nations especially, due to negligence, warrants a severe punishment."
  16623. >The writing stops briefly before finishing up on the bottom right:
  16624. >"Communications begin on page ten."
  16625. >Slowly, you turn pages, examining the strange swirling symbols that fill them along with an alphabet you don't recognize
  16626. >Page ten is another story
  16627. >"Please write as soon as you see this."
  16628. >Unsure of what you're doing, you move your hand a few inches below and write,
  16629. "Twilight?"
  16630. >A response fades in quickly
  16631. >"Thank goodness, she gave you the right code. I've been worried all day."
  16632. "Sorry, was busy."
  16633. >Not used to writing things by hand, you keep your responses short
  16634. >"No worries."
  16635. >...
  16636. >"Anonymous, please remember to write regularly."
  16637. "Ok. Try to relax."
  16638. >You stretch your arms above your head and smile
  16639. >"It won't be easy after all that happened."
  16640. "Don't worry. I'll continue without you."
  16641. >"What do you mean?"
  16642. "I'll look for the girls. If I see them I'll write."
  16643. >You lay back on your couch with the book open on your stomach
  16644. >"Thank you, but please be careful."
  16645. "Say, how long will it take to check the necklace for enchantments?"
  16646. >Twilight's response takes much longer this time
  16647. >Probably carefully calculating her answer in fear of losing her know-it-all status
  16648. >In the meantime, Aria opens the door, bandanna and apron crumpled into a ball and thrown into the corner
  16649. >"Done."
  16650. >She rests her hands on her hips as you walk to the window to pull up the curtain
  16651. >The right half of the yard is covered in patches of dirt
  16652. >Random junk from this morning has all been moved into the shed, except for a box which is packed full of weeds
  16653. >It's impressive work for only a handful of hours
  16654. >Eager to return to the book, you give her a thumbs up and turn around
  16655. >"Excuse me."
  16656. "Huh?"
  16657. >...
  16658. "What?"
  16659. >You shrug and turn around again
  16660. >This time she grabs your arm
  16661. >"Really? A certain other employee got a pat on the had just for waking up, and I bust my butt all day for a thumbs up?"
  16662. >She looks away
  16663. "I see how it is."
  16664. >You smile and raise your hand
  16665. >"Hey. I didn't mean-"
  16666. >Aria freezes
  16667. >Her hair flattens and stands as you give her four enthusiastic pats on the head, then an affectionate rub for good measure
  16668. >"GE-"
  16669. >She shuts her eyes and sinks into her shoulders so far that she gets a double chin
  16670. >"STOP-"
  16671. "You did a very good job Aria. I'm proud of you."
  16672. >"...Sto..."
  16673. "You're awesome."
  16674. >"Sssto... oh man-"
  16675. >She ducks under your arm, runs straight to your parent's bedroom and slams the door
  16676. >Probably shouldn't push her, but teasing comes too naturally
  16677. >Back on the couch, you need only wait about a minute longer for Twilight's reply:
  16678. >"The first test is complete. No traces of enchantment were found. Hiding enchantments is common, and several layers of protection are possible, so it could take days or even weeks to be certain."
  16679. "Sounds rough."
  16680. >Weeks would be nice
  16681. >Maybe it's enough time to make the Sirens convincingly civil?
  16682. >Your thoughts drift from Aria and Sonata to... Adagio... and you find yourself wanting a lot longer than that
  16683. ___
  16684. >The next day goes even smoother than the last
  16685. >Sonata, having seen the work Aria put into the yard, suddenly adores her low effort job and complains little about waking up to it
  16686. >With the random garbage cleared out of the way you dig out the lawn mower and spend a good hour figuring out why it won't start
  16687. >Eventually, the grass is cut and the walkway is clear
  16688. >The yard looks good for the first time in years
  16689. >Aria hides away in her bedroom before you can compliment her work
  16690. >Feeling especially good today, you sit back and relax, ready to write to Twilight when Sonata pops in through the Kitchen window and yells,
  16691. >"CAAAAR! CAAAAAAAAR!"
  16692. >The book falls
  16693. >After gesturing towards the floor, and waiting for Sonata to hit the dirt, you open the front door in time to see a familiar truck pull up
  16694. >A family friend of sorts pops out with a box in her hands, slowing once she gets past the hedges to look over Aria's handiwork
  16695. >"That's a first."
  16696. "In a long time..."
  16697. >She puts the box on the nearby rocking chair and stands tall
  16698. >"Whoa!"
  16699. "It's nothing. Kent and I fought. Already got him back."
  16700. >"Oh, boy. Guys are dumb."
  16701. >Your face is gently poked
  16702. >After your last conversation it seemed as though you'd never speak to Gilda again
  16703. >Yet here she is, smiling at you
  16704. >"What's up 'Non?"
  16705. >You step back and invite her in
  16706. >"No thanks. Can't stay. In fact I'm in a hurry."
  16707. "Why are you here?"
  16708. >Slowly, her smile fades
  16709. >"...You've grown up a lot, haven't you?"
  16710. >She checks out every corner of the yard
  16711. >"Maybe things hold you back, but you're not a kid anymore, huh?"
  16712. >You don't know what to say
  16713. >When she faces you again, it's with obvious shame
  16714. >"...Maybe some people hold you back."
  16715. >Gilda takes the box and thrusts it into your arms
  16716. >It's plain brown, covered by dust and recently taped shut
  16717. >"It's all there... with interest, too."
  16718. "You mean-"
  16719. >"Don't worry. I'm not lying."
  16720. >She winks
  16721. >"I even counted it to make sure."
  16722. "But how can you afford that? ...You don't have to pay me back, alright? Rent's not a joke."
  16723. >"I didn't-"
  16724. >She sucks in some air and lowers her head
  16725. >"...I didn't... use the money for rent... I saved it. All of it."
  16726. >The conversation comes to a screeching halt
  16727. >You try to be upset, but don't feel anything
  16728. >With the box resting on the floor beside your feet you turn the doorknob left and right, mulling over how much money she could have just handed you
  16729. >"I know you don't want to hear this, but I think I'm right about you pushing people away. Maybe, m-maybe because of people like me. You'll do better with better people in your life. So I-"
  16730. "Gilda-"
  16731. >"I got you a friend!"
  16732. >Her smile returns, though it's forced
  16733. >"She's a chick. Don't get any ideas though. She's a ton of fun, a bit of a butthead when she's mad... a lot like you! And between you and me, she really wants to make some more friends."
  16734. >She takes a step back
  16735. >"The important thing is that she's super loyal. Unlike some... people. So, I want you to give her a chance."
  16736. "Who are you talking about?"
  16737. >"You'll see tomorrow. Or the next day. Whenever she shows up."
  16738. "You gave her my address?"
  16739. >Gilda's shocked, only just realizing she might have disrespected your privacy
  16740. >"Sh-she's cool, don't worry. I... aw, did I fuck up?"
  16741. >Honestly, yes
  16742. >"...I'm sorry. I'm... I... I'm gonna go."
  16743. >She steps off of the porch
  16744. >Once you hear the dirt road crunch under her boots, you follow after
  16745. "Hey!"
  16746. >Her door hangs open
  16747. >An irritating tone invades your ears
  16748. "I don't want you... out of my life. That's not what I was trying to say that night. I mean, that'd be like-"
  16749. >You rest a hand on her back
  16750. >"...that'd be like losing my sister or something."
  16751. >She doesn't say anything
  16752. >After a tense seven seconds she nods her head
  16753. >Then jumps into her truck, slams the door and heads off without so much as looking back
  16754. ___
  16755. >The girls watch closely as you press the sharp side of a kitchen knife into the middle of the tape
  16756. >You have to remind Sonata twice not to get so close, before you slice it in two
  16757. >With the flaps pulled down you sit back and let them investigate
  16758. >"Holy. Shit."
  16759. >Aria takes a lumpy pile of cash in both hands and carefully raises it up, taking note of the varying numbers and portraits
  16760. >"Holy FUCK! Whose is this?"
  16761. "Mine."
  16762. >Sonata digs under the bills and retrieves some change
  16763. "I've been lending it to that girl off and on for years, but she gave it all back."
  16764. >"Seriously?"
  16765. "Yeah. There should be thousands of dollars here."
  16766. >Sonata hums
  16767. >"Is that a lot?"
  16768. "Well, sort of. It depends on what situation you're in."
  16769. >"What about ours?"
  16770. >You take a particularly crinkly five dollar bill from both ends and flatten it against the edge of the box
  16771. "My parents cover the bills and the food, which is expensive. We can spend this on anything we want."
  16772. >Aria's eyes open wider
  16773. >The cash pours from her hands back inside the box and she picks it up from the bottom
  16774. >"We have to hide it."
  16775. "Don't worry. No one knows we have it. Let's leave it in my closet for now."
  16776. >She sticks her face into the box to admire it all again
  16777. >Meanwhile Sonata, for some reason, doesn't seem excited or intrigued
  16778. >She sits back on the couch and holds a quarter up to her mouth, licking it back and forth
  16779. "SONATA! Haven't you ever heard of ass pennies?!"
  16780. >"No..."
  16781. >You snatch it away and wipe it down on your pants leg
  16782. "Jesus."
  16783. ___
  16784. >During the next several days, a schedule is born
  16785. >Seven in the morning you wake up the girls and check on Adagio
  16786. >Sonata takes her little radio down the dirt path in the backyard
  16787. >While Aria does talk back when you give her a task, she does it to the best of her ability, every time
  16788. >The girl is so efficient that sometimes you're left with nothing to do
  16789. >Luckily you always need to report to Twilight
  16790. >You look forward to it
  16791. >Knowing that she's happy eases your guilt
  16792. >Thanks to your box of money, you've begun paying your employees consistently
  16793. >10 dollars a workday for the sake of preserving the cash as long as possible
  16794. >It's plenty of money to Aria, who's developed a list of things she wants, ranging from specific brands of junk food to an electric fan
  16795. >Sonata hasn't even bothered to keep count of hers
  16796. >Today you follow her out to her spot
  16797. >"This is gross."
  16798. >It rained a little last night, so it's cold and damp
  16799. >Every time she feels her shoe sink into the ground she hops to a new spot
  16800. "I found your money on the kitchen counter last night."
  16801. >"Oh."
  16802. "You should keep it in a safe place."
  16803. >Sonata opens up her chair and quickly sinks into it, arms wrapped around her torso
  16804. >"Okay."
  16805. >She takes her radio out of her pocket to flip it on and fiddle with the dial
  16806. >Once she's got some pop rock song going, she hugs it and closes her eyes
  16807. "You don't seem very excited about the money."
  16808. >"...Should I be?"
  16809. "Well, Aria's is. She even said thanks when I paid her yesterday."
  16810. >Sonata looks at the ground
  16811. "Is it because you're not being paid that much?"
  16812. >"No, it just seems... pointless."
  16813. "What?"
  16814. >"Money. Things are getting bad, so I don't think we're gonna need it."
  16815. >You rest against a tree
  16816. "What does that mean?"
  16817. >"You know..."
  16818. "I don't."
  16819. >You do
  16820. >Sonata is extremely hesitant to continue:
  16821. >"We never used money anyway, you know? We just got what we needed right away."
  16822. "Sonata..."
  16823. >"Why even bother with money? It's pointless."
  16824. >She pulls a quarter out from her coat pocket and raises it into what little direct sunlight slips through the trees
  16825. >"It looks pretty, but I have something worth more than a million bits. All money does is make people mean anyway."
  16826. >She flips the coin
  16827. >In a moment, it's lost behind her in the mess of grass and weeds
  16828. >...
  16829. "You don't have shit, Sonata."
  16830. >Her eyes open wide
  16831. >Well, what was she expecting?
  16832. "I thought we covered this."
  16833. >"I'm not... a slave anymore."
  16834. "What difference does that make?"
  16835. >She turns her radio down a little and drops it into the cup holder
  16836. >"So it's MINE again."
  16837. "Is it?"
  16838. >"Y-Yes!"
  16839. >You feel so frustrated that your lip trembles
  16840. "Don't you understand the point of all this?"
  16841. >"Tell me, Anon. Tell me what the point is."
  16842. "To teach you guys to live an honest life."
  16843. >"Aria tried that. They almost called the guards on her. You said that we can't work in this world unless it's for you."
  16844. "So-"
  16845. >"S-So, it's the same as Equestria! No one trusts us, no one wants us around. Why give them that choice? ...You'll understand if you see it. If you just give it back. It'll solve all of our problems in a day."
  16846. >With a hand on each arm rest you lean down over Sonata, who sinks further into the seat
  16847. "It's not about how fucking easy it is, Sonata. Using magic like that is wrong!"
  16848. >She stares up at you in silence
  16849. "Don't you understand that? Don't you feel guilty stealing from people? I mean-"
  16850. >Pressure builds around your eyes
  16851. >A bit embarrassed, and wanting to calm down, you stand up
  16852. >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  16853. >...
  16854. "Watch the road."
  16855. ___
  16856. >On the outside of your front yard, you sit with your back against the unruly hedges
  16857. >Aria's been trimming them since she woke up, but progress is slow
  16858. >Still manages to make it up to your spot though
  16859. >You feel her pants leg against your cheek as she snips away above your head
  16860. "That's kind of nice."
  16861. >"Idiot."
  16862. >Your hair and lap fills with nature
  16863. >Should probably move
  16864. "Can you bring me to my couch?"
  16865. >The trimming stops with a forceful snip
  16866. >"No?"
  16867. "Carry me."
  16868. >"Are you stupid?"
  16869. >You shrug
  16870. "If you do it I'll give you an extra ten dollars."
  16871. >Aria's insults stop dead in their tracks
  16872. >After a moment you hear her stuff the trimmers into the hedges and kneel down next to you
  16873. >"This is dumb."
  16874. "Good luck..."
  16875. >One hand squeezes underneath your leg and awkwardly grips your thigh
  16876. >The other forces into the hedge and presses against your back
  16877. >She makes three attempts, each time her grunt becoming more angry
  16878. >"...FFFFFFFUCK this!"
  16879. >She drops you from about an inch off of the ground
  16880. >"You weigh a thousand pounds!"
  16881. "My doctor said I could benefit from gaining a little weight."
  16882. >Aria seems genuinely embarrassed
  16883. >You stand up and stretch
  16884. "Sorry. I was just joking around, but that was a good effort. I'll give you the money."
  16885. >She gasps as you scoop her up, the same way you did to Sonata the other night
  16886. >"Wh-what the fuck?"
  16887. "Forget about the hedges for now, I'll buy a tool that isn't rusted from top to bottom."
  16888. >She rests her hands between her thighs as if afraid of letting them hang, but also afraid of touching you
  16889. >Inside the house, you drop her to her feet
  16890. "Can you sit down with me for a minute?"
  16891. >"Why."
  16892. "I want to talk to you about something important."
  16893. >This catches her interest
  16894. >Probably because she realized you brought her inside so that Sonata can't possibly hear
  16895. >She kicks off her shoes, sits down and rests her feet on the coffee table
  16896. "You're making really good progress."
  16897. >"What do you mean?"
  16898. "Your mind is way more open to change than I expected."
  16899. >Aria hums and scratches her leg through her pants
  16900. >"Working? It was never a crazy idea to me. It's just not how we did things."
  16901. "...Which do you like better?"
  16902. >She thinks for a while
  16903. >"Getting anything I wanted was obviously nice. But working feels... good."
  16904. >Time to be blunt
  16905. "Do you still want your necklace back?"
  16906. >You stare at the black void of your powerless TV and listen for any signs of conflict in her response
  16907. >Then tense up as Aria's reflection goes at yours
  16908. >She pulls you closer by the chest of your shirt and frowns with deep disapproval
  16909. >"Are you trying to tempt me?"
  16910. "Huh?"
  16911. >"Are you fucking stupid? I'm trying to learn to forget about my necklace, and you're asking me if I want it back?"
  16912. "Uhhh..."
  16913. >She drops you against the couch arm and shakes her head
  16914. >"I thought you trusted me a little bit more than that."
  16915. "I wasn't trying to trick you."
  16916. >You wave your hands
  16917. "Uh..."
  16918. >She turns away
  16919. "...look. I talked to Sonata. I don't think she's as strong as you."
  16920. >"She isn't, I kick her ass all the time."
  16921. "Tougher at heart, I mean. I don't think Sonata can leave that lifestyle behind, especially now that she knows my world will never fully accept you."
  16922. >It takes a bit of time, but Aria turns back to you looking a bit less angry
  16923. >"So I'm tougher in the body and in the heart?"
  16924. "I'm not trying to stroke your ego. I need your help."
  16925. >To your surprise, she scoots a bit closer, roughly to the middle of the couch
  16926. >"What kind of help?"
  16927. "Well I've discovered that trying to tell someone how to think is pointless. I want you to help me convince her."
  16928. >"Of what, exactly?"
  16929. "That money isn't useless. That manipulating people, taking their things, maybe even damaging their lives, is awful."
  16930. >You rub your face
  16931. "You can... use the example of what I did to you guys. It's the obvious thing to bring up to her. I don't want you to think I'll get mad if you do. Remind her how I treated her, and you-"
  16932. >You tense up, lightly pressing against your temple
  16933. >An attempt to change the subject fails as you open your mouth, but can find nothing else to say
  16934. >You shut your eyes and rest against the cushions
  16935. >Since she's heard clearly what you expect her to do, you let her leave on her own
  16936. >...
  16937. >"I've done bad stuff, you know."
  16938. >With one opened eye, you see her standing and brushing dirt off of her clothes
  16939. >"Plus, I got you back pretty good."
  16940. >Aria pulls off her apron and shakes it clean, over your coffee table
  16941. >"I'm not saying you're a good guy or anything. We're all assholes, you know? And I don't think you're a bigger asshole than we are."
  16942. >She slips the apron onto you, then steps back
  16943. >Clearly made uncomfortable by your dumbfounded stare, she looks away and crosses her arms
  16944. >"Anyway, I'll do it."
  16945. "Really?"
  16946. >"Yes. Sonata's kind of stup... stubborn, so it might take a while. And don't get mad at me if she comes bitching to you about what I say."
  16947. ___
  16948. >Something catches your attention
  16949. >Footsteps in the yard, then on your porch
  16950. >Leaving her post? It's like she's trying to piss you off even more
  16951. >You approach the door and inhale, prepared to call her name, but you stop yourself on a hunch
  16952. "...Hello?"
  16953. >Their shoe scrapes the wood
  16954. >"Hi?"
  16955. >Some girl?
  16956. "Are you Gilda's friend?"
  16957. >"...Yes."
  16958. >You crack the front door, your eyes snapping first to her bright, multi-colored, unruly hair
  16959. >Then to her untrusting eyes, white tank top and black shorts
  16960. "What's up?"
  16961. >She looks over you in the same way
  16962. >"You..."
  16963. >Then vigorously rubs her nose
  16964. >"You're a guy."
  16965. "I am."
  16966. >"You're THAT guy."
  16967. "You're that girl."
  16968. >She checks out your property
  16969. >"Didn't know you lived like a hick. Aren't you rich? Like, millionaire rich?"
  16970. "...You shouldn't believe everything you hear."
  16971. >"Yeah."
  16972. >She turns back around, even more cautious
  16973. >"Especially things I hear from you."
  16974. >A bit of that frustration you just had regarding Sonata is more than happy to return
  16975. "Calling me a liar?"
  16976. >"Ha."
  16977. "...Twilight backed me up, you know. She already dealt with the girls."
  16978. >"I heard that. I also heard microwaving your cell phone recharges it. And guess what? I DON'T believe everything I'm told."
  16979. >Now you share her unfriendly stare
  16980. "Hang out with Rarity a lot?"
  16981. >"Hey man. She's far from the only person who doesn't like you, but she takes it so far."
  16982. "Oh?"
  16983. >"Yeah, she thinks those girls are in hiding and stuff. In reality they left town and you found out in advance. People move all the time. Easy as one, two, three."
  16984. "You know a lot about people you've never met, don't you?"
  16985. >"Was that sarcastic? ...Whatever, dude. You got the attention you wanted. I heard Twilight's been hanging out with you."
  16986. >Her arm extends quickly, startling you
  16987. >With a cocky smerk Rainbow Dash pats your shoulder, harder each time
  16988. >"Judging by how she's been lately you're a stick in the world's deepest mud puddle. I'm out."
  16989. >She freezes in the middle of the yard just before kicking an empty bucket
  16990. >"Crap."
  16991. >Rainbow explains that she doesn't actually know where she is
  16992. >Even though she had been given directions she drew a blank and had Gilda drive her
  16993. >She had dropped her off on the dirt road left of the house, a place only a family friend would think to go
  16994. >Fortunately for Sonata, who is posted to the right, there's no griping in her immediate future
  16995. >Rainbow considers calling Gilda
  16996. >And reconsiders, given that she'd get pissed if she bailed
  16997. >Eventually the girl caves and demands that you bring her to the nearest bus stop
  16998. >On the edge of the woods, you freeze and let Rainbow pass you up, having spotted a very anxious Sonata making strange hand gestures at you from beside your hedges
  16999. >You shake your head and move on
  17000. ___
  17001. "Should have just let me drive you."
  17002. >"Like I'm going to get in a car with you."
  17003. >You look back at her and wave a pointed finger to the surrounding trees
  17004. "Driving you is too risky, but walking through the woods is fine?"
  17005. >She doesn't reply
  17006. "What the hell do you think I'm going to do?"
  17007. >"Who knows."
  17008. "Isn't this more dangerous? Seems like the kind of place you'd get mugged, or raped, or..."
  17009. >You bicker back and forth
  17010. >By the time you're over halfway to the other side you notice...
  17011. >Her voice sounds kind of strange
  17012. >"Why does the crime rate matter?"
  17013. "I'm just saying, how often do teenagers get kidnapped by teenagers?"
  17014. >"Would you just drop it?"
  17015. "What?"
  17016. >Some twigs crunch as you come to a stop
  17017. "Just forget that you implied I might kidnap you, to be an asshole?"
  17018. >"Dude. Come on."
  17019. "What do you guys say about me behind my back?"
  17020. >"...Uh..."
  17021. >You close the distance
  17022. >"I don't know."
  17023. "You don't know."
  17024. >She rushes past
  17025. >Wanting to get back to the house you try to drop it
  17026. >But the specific crime she's hinted at digs under your skin
  17027. >You pick up the pace and stop in front of her again
  17028. "Why don't you answer my question? What do you think, that I manipulated Twilight?"
  17029. >...
  17030. "That I tricked her into sleeping with me? Even if that were true, how the fuck does that translate to kidnapping you?"
  17031. >Her shoulders rise up
  17032. "I'm getting sick of Twilight's friends thinking they know more about her personal life than she does. She's fine with me, so how about you-"
  17033. >"Who cares! Let's go!"
  17034. >Her voice cracks twice in a single sentence
  17035. >She rests her hands on her waist and looks around
  17036. "...Are you... afraid of me?"
  17037. >"What?"
  17038. >You get closer
  17039. >She backs off
  17040. "Oh my god. You actually think I'm going to do something."
  17041. >"We-well-"
  17042. >Rainbow groans
  17043. >"You had to go and talk about the woods and rapists and stuff."
  17044. >While lightly stepping in place she looks in every direction for a way out
  17045. "Scared of being raped?"
  17046. >"Who the heck isn't scared of that?"
  17047. "Scared of being kidnapped by hicks?"
  17048. >"Sh-shut up, dude!"
  17049. "Scared of-"
  17050. >"Shut up shut up SHUT UP!"
  17051. >She continues on the path you had been taking alone
  17052. >Letting her get lost in here would be kind of funny, but far more cruel
  17053. >You take her by the arm
  17054. "Dork. We're going straight through."
  17055. >Your hand slips down to her wrist and she gives in to be pulled through some particularly tall grass and low-hanging branches
  17056. ___
  17057. >You stand in the middle of the road and stretch
  17058. >Rainbow emerges from the woods behind
  17059. "Here we are. Hick town part two."
  17060. >She looks both ways before joining up
  17061. "You haven't said anything in like five minutes, what's wrong?"
  17062. >"Nothing."
  17063. >After looking her over with light and up close you notice that she's drenched with sweat
  17064. >On top of that, she's pale
  17065. "Jesus. You look terrible."
  17066. >"Screw you, dude..."
  17067. "No, I mean you look like you're going to pass out."
  17068. >She takes a deep breath
  17069. "Were you actually that afraid?"
  17070. >"...n... n..."
  17071. >Ahem
  17072. >"No."
  17073. >She moves back, under the shade
  17074. >"Where to..."
  17075. >The poor girl slouches a bit while reading all nearby signs and store names
  17076. >What a nervous wreck
  17077. >If you had known a friend of Gilda's scared so easily you would have dropped the subject
  17078. "Hey, there's a convenience store right here. Let's..."
  17079. >You take her by the wrist again
  17080. "Come on."
  17081. ___
  17082. >"Ahhhhh."
  17083. >Rainbow slams an empty fountain cup on the table
  17084. >"That hit the spot."
  17085. "I sure hope you enjoyed yours..."
  17086. >You prod your half-filled cup of Hawaiian Punch
  17087. >"Shouldn't have told me to fill up your cup."
  17088. "Who likes this stuff?"
  17089. >"I do. Sorry man, just thought you shared my good taste."
  17090. >Rainbow leans back in her chair until it threatens to tip
  17091. >"I'll drink yours if you don't want it."
  17092. "Feel free. Though, aren't you afraid of cooties?"
  17093. >The snerk and eye roll suggests no
  17094. >She takes your cup and chugs all that's left
  17095. >"So how do you know Gilda?"
  17096. "She was my babysitter."
  17097. >"That makes sense. She was mine too."
  17098. "Really?"
  17099. >Rainbow nods and pokes your cup as you had just done
  17100. >"You kind of reminded me of her when you led me through the woods. She used to do the same."
  17101. "When?"
  17102. >"When we had to go from house to house at night. Not that I was afraid of the dark or anything. Couldn't risk getting lost..."
  17103. >Right
  17104. >The cup comes closer and closer to tipping as the chat goes on
  17105. >"Hey, level with me. I won't go telling anyone. What did you do to Twilight?"
  17106. "I didn't do anything. Ask her. She's swamped with work from her world."
  17107. >Rainbow's smile fades
  17108. >She looks you in the eyes
  17109. >You feel obligated to stare back, letting your expression normalize as well
  17110. >The two of you sit alone in this tiny little air-conditioned cafeteria, while a nearby microwave hums and a customer up front loudly requests a certain brand of smokes
  17111. >It becomes uncomfortable
  17112. >Before you break and open your mouth, Rainbow slaps her hands onto her lap
  17113. >"Want to get out of here?"
  17114. "Oh, yeah."
  17115. >Outside, the previously quiet road feels different
  17116. >A little more alive
  17117. >No one has left their houses, and the other stores are as dead as usual
  17118. >It bothers you as you walk and talk
  17119. >A sound, maybe music?
  17120. >Like an ice cream truck
  17121. >Over time it gets closer. An energetic beat and colorful lyrics paint the dull surroundings
  17122. >You both stop, turn and...
  17123. >...a girl with curly blonde hair trips, her gray hoodie having snagged on a tree branch, and loses grip of her radio
  17124. >"Gahhhh!"
  17125. "Oh boy."
  17126. >Rainbow laughs
  17127. >"Who the heck is that?"
  17128. "Her name is... Bella."
  17129. ___
  17130. >Your front door flies open
  17131. >Sonata dashes through, pulling the wig from her head
  17132. >Once the hoodie is unzipped she strips it off and falls spinning onto the couch
  17133. >"Awesome as I wanna be!"
  17134. >Her legs raise in sudden jerks, launching shoes into the floor
  17135. >"La la la la, nothing you can do, to beat me!"
  17136. >You take a quick look around the nearly pitch black yard before shutting the door
  17137. >Hard to believe you were out so late
  17138. >In contrast to the gleeful girl on the couch, a livid Aria peeks out from mom and dad's room
  17139. "Hey, we're back."
  17140. >"Where the fuck have you been!"
  17141. "Uh... the city..."
  17142. >Sonata jumps up to take the radio from your hands and caresses it
  17143. >"We were hanging out with my new best friend!"
  17144. >"Excuse me?"
  17145. >"The coolest girl EVER born."
  17146. >She forms a gun with her hand, aimed at Aria, and pulls the trigger
  17147. >"Everyone in town knows it, too."
  17148. "They don't."
  17149. >"She plays guitar, sings, and HER HAIR-"
  17150. >You nearly fall over with Sonata clinging to your shirt
  17151. >"Aria her hair is practically enchanted with magic. All colors of the rainbow!"
  17152. >"Who the hell is she talking about?"
  17153. "Her name is Rainbow Dash. She's a friend of-"
  17154. >"DASH!!"
  17155. >She makes a woosh noise and spins, then falls
  17156. >"Aria! Aria, guess what?"
  17157. >"What?"
  17158. >"She's going to teach me to sing! We're having lessons!"
  17159. >...
  17160. >Aria takes your shirt and drags you into her new bedroom
  17161. ___
  17162. >"What is wrong with you?"
  17163. "Are you mad?"
  17164. >Sigh
  17165. "I'm already exhausted with all this talking and keeping tabs on Sonata."
  17166. >"I've been sitting in this room with the lights off for HOURS!"
  17167. "Why didn't you turn them on?"
  17168. >She slugs your shoulder
  17169. "Whoa! Don't hit your boss!"
  17170. >"I didn't know what was going on, obviously I didn't turn them on."
  17171. >She paces back and forth
  17172. >"Is Rainbow an enemy?"
  17173. "Depends, I guess. Anyone would be an enemy if they knew too much."
  17174. >"I mean, is she like Twilight."
  17175. "No, no... she's fine."
  17176. >Never thought you'd say that about Dash
  17177. "Besides, it was nice seeing Sonata so happy. Even if I had to interrupt her every time she tried to mention you guys."
  17178. >Aria rolls her eyes
  17179. >"Great. So I sat here scared to even get myself a snack, while you and the princess were out having fun with the 'coolest girl ever'."
  17180. "Sorry, I didn't plan it that way."
  17181. >"Yeah? Why does it feel like you're not gonna plan it any differently in the future?"
  17182. "It wasn't even that great."
  17183. >"OH? What all did you do, then?"
  17184. "Well first Sonata needed to rest, so we took her to get a soda. Rainbow didn't like the station on the little radio, recommended another, and that sparked a music discussion..."
  17185. >Her tapping foot and tightly crossed arms practically order you to go on, and urge you to downplay any fun that was had
  17186. >You're the boss here, damn it
  17187. "The girls hit it off and we decided to walk into the city and. You know. A little window shopping, we checked out a music store, thrift shop... got food... and..."
  17188. >Aria's cold stare falters into something a bit more vulnerable
  17189. >Considering things from her perspective, of course she's upset
  17190. >All this time stuck here with terrible living conditions... and before this their day to day was a mixture of fear and trespassing
  17191. >Her adventure at the gas station might have been the most fun she's had in a long time
  17192. >So, what?
  17193. >Dress her up?
  17194. >Introduce her to Dash?
  17195. >One cousin out of nowhere is already pushing it
  17196. >Especially when the only thing Twilight's friends know about you is an association with three mysterious, missing girls
  17197. "I know it sucks. It'll be different someday."
  17198. >"Yeah."
  17199. >The bed squeaks under her weight
  17200. >"Whatever. Mind leaving me alone? I've got some laying around to do."
  17201. "Aria..."
  17202. >She could watch TV
  17203. >With... Sonata
  17204. >What else is there?
  17205. >You consider what you might like to do if stuck in a similar situation
  17206. >The laptop, for sure
  17207. >There's a way to give her the same thing and keep that to yourself
  17208. "It's perfect! It's better for games, too!"
  17209. >"What?"
  17210. "Hold on."
  17211. ___
  17212. >The top of your head stings, and everything on top of the desk shifts
  17213. >A quiet snicker can be heard behind you
  17214. >This time you stand up at a safe distance, transfer the monitor from the box you carried it in to the desk, and plug everything in
  17215. "This stuff is fragile, in case that wasn't clear by my last three warnings."
  17216. >"Yeah? Then stop shaking the desk."
  17217. "I'm serious, Aria-"
  17218. >You step aside and present it all
  17219. >The tower, screen, mouse, keyboard and headphones
  17220. >No tangled wires or random peripherals strewn about
  17221. >Impressively tidy considering how rushed the setup was
  17222. "How should this be expressed?"
  17223. >You scratch your chin
  17224. >"I get it, it breaks."
  17225. "Not just that, I mean how valuable this machine is."
  17226. >This catches her attention with no hint of subtlety, as moments later she stands to inspect the PC more closely
  17227. "All of this stuff combined is worth more than one thousand dollars."
  17228. >"WHAT? How?!"
  17229. "This isn't a bunch of junk. It's a product of my world's technology. All of these parts work together to create a digital world, where you can do anything. Paint pictures, watch videos, play games, read books, everything."
  17230. >The power button clicks
  17231. >White text appears on a black screen
  17232. >The only chair you could get was one of the uncomfortable kitchen ones
  17233. >Good enough for now. You plant it in front of the desk and sit down
  17234. >After signing into your account, the screen fades in to reveal a photo of a married couple holding hands
  17235. "Uh..."
  17236. >Click, click, click
  17237. >It fades into a desert landscape
  17238. "This is called the desktop. It's your base of operations. These little icons are 'programs' that let-"
  17239. >A portion of folders and shortcuts are blocked off by Aria's hand
  17240. >Her fingers stretch as she cautiously presses her palm against the screen
  17241. >Then pulls away
  17242. >Once sure she won't be burned, she feels across the cracked ground, the blue sky, and timidly pokes at a cactus
  17243. >You weren't expecting to impress her that quickly
  17244. >Excitement builds as you imagine what's going through her head
  17245. "Pretty cool, huh?"
  17246. >No response
  17247. "There's so much to do on this thing that some people replace their entire lives with one."
  17248. >So many things you want to show her
  17249. >It turns into white noise
  17250. >There's Notepad, may as well
  17251. >The white box pops up and you start typing
  17252. >"Hello Aria. How are you tonight?"
  17253. >"...Hello..."
  17254. >"Computers are cool, right?"
  17255. >Aria sheepishly nods her head
  17256. "You know it's not talking to you, right?"
  17257. >You guide her hand to the keyboard and mash random keys
  17258. >She looks to both and realizes what's happening
  17259. "There's more stuff."
  17260. >You feel like Bob Ross swinging the brush around in paint, with an observer so easy to wow
  17261. >She even gasps when you use the fill tool to change white void to a light blue sky
  17262. >When you play some random rock song, Aria's excitement maxes out
  17263. "Let's make you your very own account, okay?"
  17264. >"Huh?!"
  17265. "A fresh desktop that you can use however you want."
  17266. >"R-Really?"
  17267. >Her name flashes by followed by a mostly empty screen and blue wallpaper
  17268. >You get up and sit her down in the chair
  17269. >For half hour or so she quietly listens to your instructions, which you give while getting some things set up
  17270. >One being signing into your Steam account
  17271. >You've only got a handful of games installed
  17272. >It's the most exciting thing you have to offer her, so you ask her if she wants to try one
  17273. >The very first thing that catches her eye is an open world RPG of considerable difficulty
  17274. >Your dad's favorite game
  17275. >Attempts to steer her away are taken as insults
  17276. >"So I'm too stupid?"
  17277. "It's a bit tricky for beginners."
  17278. >"That's like saying I'm too stupid."
  17279. "No it's not."
  17280. >"Forget it, I don't even want to try video games."
  17281. "Sometimes you're really difficult, you know that?"
  17282. >"Well you said you like it, so I want to see it. But if I'm too RETARDED-"
  17283. "Okay, okay."
  17284. >You launch the launcher
  17285. >Then launch the game
  17286. >Aria jumps at the loud splash screen and brings the headphones down around her neck
  17287. "This game is old though. If it frustrates you, there are plenty of others."
  17288. >As rowdy as Aria can be, she can sure focus when she wants to
  17289. >"First by carriage, and now by boat..."
  17290. >The girl's inches from the screen during the intro movie
  17291. >"Wake up. We're here. Why are you shaking? Are you okay?"
  17292. >A blue-skinned, shirtless man appears on screen
  17293. >"Stand up. There you go. You were dreaming... what's your name?"
  17294. >She stares at a black text box for several seconds before whispering,
  17295. >"Aria."
  17296. >The ensuing laughter isn't appreciated
  17297. >You help her name herself, then go to work writing the most important controls on a few sticky notes and placing them on the wall
  17298. >Walking through the boat is confusing, and a plank leading to the dock stresses her out
  17299. >Then the experience slows to a crawl as she carefully considers each race she could be
  17300. >Her class is internally debated for even longer
  17301. >By the time she steps out of the character creation area, she's a lizard with the power to open locked doors once a day, who favors short-bladed weapons and enchantment the most
  17302. >You would have guessed Aria's attention span to be much shorter, especially when reading is involved
  17303. >But the inspection of the many menus carries into a talk with a local elf of the small town
  17304. >Every chat topic clicked is carefully read
  17305. >Listening to the soothing music and sitting back on the bed gets a little too comfortable
  17306. >And soon...
  17307. ___
  17308. >"You N'wah!"
  17309. >The sound of a fist clashing with armor jolts you awake
  17310. >Aria's standing, leaning over the desk and clicking wildly
  17311. "What's going on?"
  17312. >Ignored
  17313. >You get up by her side and-
  17314. "You're almost dead!"
  17315. >She glances at her nearly empty health bar and bites her lip
  17316. >The blue-skinned attacker's injured as well
  17317. >Not nearly as much
  17318. >THWACK
  17319. >Her character falls to the floor
  17320. >"No no no! No!"
  17321. >As she waits for the stun to wear off, she tugs on one ponytail
  17322. >Red flashes light the bedroom
  17323. >It feels like an eternity before Lizard Aria stands back up
  17324. "Hey, you should swing harder!"
  17325. >"What?!"
  17326. "Hold the button for a second before you swing your sword!"
  17327. >"HUH?"
  17328. >Swish
  17329. >Swish
  17330. >Swish
  17331. >THWACK
  17332. >"O-Oh man!"
  17333. >THWACK
  17334. >Swish
  17335. >Swish
  17336. >THWACK
  17337. >Much larger chunks of his health disappear
  17338. >Before long they're about even
  17339. >Aria's free left hand rests on top of the monitor
  17340. >The clicks get louder and louder until
  17341. >"OOPH..."
  17342. >He collapses
  17343. >The tense battle music fades into something peaceful
  17344. >She falls to her chair and gasps for air
  17345. >Panting, resting her hands on the edge of the desk, Aria looks up at you
  17346. >"...I.."
  17347. >And smiles
  17348. >"You saved my life!"
  17349. "Oh?"
  17350. >"He was going to KILL me."
  17351. "Looked like it!"
  17352. >"He..."
  17353. >She has to pause and calm herself down
  17354. >"He murdered the tax collector. I didn't want to kill him, but he went crazy. I wasn't going to... oh god, I'm dying... I need to report this..."
  17355. "Why not use his bed to rest?"
  17356. >Aria looks at you like you're insane
  17357. >"That's so creepy."
  17358. "I guess it is."
  17359. >She has a clunky walk around the swamp town, her feet and head moving one at a time
  17360. >Every time the low health catches her attention she panics all over again
  17361. "Did I not explain saving?"
  17362. >"What?"
  17363. "...I should explain saving."
  17364. ___
  17365. >"Wake the fuck up!"
  17366. >You open your eyes, then shut them tight in response to sunlight flooding in through the door open door
  17367. >"Hey!"
  17368. >Aria slams it and drops something onto the coffee table
  17369. "What?"
  17370. >"Look, man!"
  17371. >Aria's got both hands on the table, with her face inches away from a... box?
  17372. "Where did this come from?"
  17373. >"It was on the porch. I think the chick gave us more money!"
  17374. "...No, this was delivered by a truck."
  17375. >She lets you flip it onto its side
  17376. "What time is it? We can't oversleep like th- no way!"
  17377. >"What?"
  17378. >The tips of your fingers struggle to catch the edge of the tape
  17379. "This is from my parents!"
  17380. >Aria reads the label stating the country and address it came from
  17381. >The excitement from her end of the table deflates in seconds
  17382. >"So it's not money?"
  17383. >The tape takes a healthy chunk of cardboard with it
  17384. >Past the flaps, and some packing peanuts, is a stuffed animal with a note taped on
  17385. >"Letter soon"
  17386. "Are you serious?"
  17387. >Out comes the modestly sized brown bear, wearing a black suit and an expression even goofier than yours
  17388. "Hahaha! This is awesome!"
  17389. >She takes the note
  17390. >"Where are your parents?"
  17391. "Working. Out of the country. It's hard for them to find time, so this kind of thing is rare."
  17392. >"I don't care."
  17393. >That comes out as one big groan while she drags her feet into their bedroom and closes the door
  17394. >You hold up the gift
  17395. "Not sure if anyone told you, mom, but I'm not five anymore."
  17396. >Either way, you happily clear a spot on the entertainment center for the little guy
  17397. ___
  17398. >The following four days are a mighty test for your social abilities: Rainbow's over each afternoon for a very loud practice session
  17399. >She seems to genuinely like her new student...
  17400. >...and love being worshiped as a "musical genius"
  17401. >The lessons involve playing the vocals on that band game that was really popular a few years back
  17402. >At the moment Sonata's singing a slow-paced pop song
  17403. >You can sense the incoming lecture. Her voice is frail and shaky. Not using her "diagram" or whatever >"Doesn't this make you worried?"
  17404. >Aria's hushed voice from the nearby hallway startles you into spilling soda onto the kitchen counter
  17405. >Forgot she was there
  17406. >You set the bottle down and stand by her side
  17407. >It's dark, as usual, and the black punishment room door is open
  17408. "Worried about what? Rainbow being here?"
  17409. >"Duh."
  17410. "Yeah, it's a little scary. But it's under control."
  17411. >"I've been sweeping this hallway for a while."
  17412. >A few exaggerated sweeps that lift the broom end higher than Aria's head, catching no filth of any kind, prove her point
  17413. >"It's getting hard to do my job."
  17414. "Call it quits for today. We'll start setting your tasks after she's left. I think it's worth it. You girls need to get used to being around humans other than me."
  17415. >Through the kitchen doorway, you watch Sonata dance
  17416. >Her pitch shifts as Rainbow presses one hand on her back, and another on her front
  17417. >After a short lecture her voice stabilizes, more confident than before
  17418. >"...Why does Sonata get everything?"
  17419. "What was that?"
  17420. >"I said..."
  17421. >Huff
  17422. "You're mumbling. I can't hear you."
  17423. >Aria pokes at her bandanna with the tip of the broom handle
  17424. >"It still feels like Sonata is your favorite."
  17425. "Why?"
  17426. >"She sits around on the job. She gets your bed. She gets to leave the house. She gets singing lessons. As for me? I get to spend my free time nagging her about the necklace thing."
  17427. >She unties the bandanna, stuffs it into her apron's pocket and removes that, too
  17428. "Hey. It's not like that... she's a stranger to hard work, so I gave her an easy but important job."
  17429. >You feel a bit panicked when she lowers her head
  17430. >"Do you think I'm worth less than her?"
  17431. "...What do you mean 'worth less?' I told you yesterday that I'll give you all the things Sonata has as soon as possible. All I can manage for now is the computer-"
  17432. >"I like the computer."
  17433. >Worried you might take it back, huh?
  17434. "Well, it's there as step one. Know what I mean?"
  17435. >"...Yeah. Yeah. I know things will change. I guess this is about something else. That I don't really want to talk about."
  17436. "What is it, then? You aren't scared I'll get mad are you?"
  17437. >She shakes her head
  17438. >Rested against the wall, just out of view from the living room, she rubs her left wrist
  17439. >Every second she takes preparing her words slumps her that much closer to the floor
  17440. >"...You didn't... touch Sonata... at all, back then. You did it to me though. Even in front of Adagio."
  17441. >Your heart skips a beat
  17442. >"...I..."
  17443. >Huff
  17444. >"...feel like I'm some kind of extra, or, or I feel like some kinda... f-failed Sonata."
  17445. >A look at your face lets her know you're uncomfortable (and confused, at that last bit)
  17446. >"Like, you know why you kidnapped us, I'm not gonna, um, I won't go over it. But keeping that in mind, the things you kidnapped us for-"
  17447. >HUFF
  17448. >"-AND I DON'T want to be a part of, to be crystal clear, just talking about the stuff YOU want, since you're, well, the one who started this, and-"
  17449. >She quiets down even more and looks away from you
  17450. >"-it feels like what you wanted right from the start was for me to be a toy, and Sonata to be the real deal. ...It's hard to forget that."
  17451. >Got to say something. But you wonder if matching her gloomy mood and stammering out a basic apology will really mean much
  17452. >It's easy to forget, with her attitude, but she views you as a leader
  17453. >"Never mind. Don't forget you're paying me back for every drop of soda that rainbow bitch drinks."
  17454. >The broom and her little work outfit both fall to the floor as you guide her into the punishment room and shut its thick door
  17455. >Just as Rainbow took the microphone, too. What a shame
  17456. "It was a tactic."
  17457. >"Huh?"
  17458. "When I kidnapped you, I paid attention to the way you all acted around me. You're scared of different things."
  17459. >She crosses her arms and cocks her head
  17460. "Sonata was afraid I would hurt her. So I spanked her. You're tough; I knew you wouldn't cave just from some slaps on the ass, you know?"
  17461. >Adagio, who's still a mystery, is conveniently skipped
  17462. >You gather every ounce of fake confidence you can, and use it to smother the guilt
  17463. "Your 'personal space' bubble is as big as it gets. I exploited it, doing the thing that would get to you the most, it's as simple as that. I'd say it worked. My very first employee is just so resilient that it didn't matter. Get mad at me all you want, but don't misunderstand."
  17464. >"...hm..."
  17465. "And from now on when this comes up-"
  17466. >Her eyes track your pointed finger
  17467. "Focus on how strong you were. It's like nothing I've ever seen. If Equestria's government is as tough as you say it is, I need a girl like you, Aria. In fact you're the only one who's completely on board with Mercy Quartet. In a big way, you're the most important person to me!"
  17468. >Fired up, you're ready to keep your little speech going. However, that was it
  17469. >You awkwardly lower your hand
  17470. "Anyway..."
  17471. >She stares at your chest without making a sound
  17472. "You still there?"
  17473. >"Most... important, huh?"
  17474. >It's pretty dark in this shithole of a room. But the blush on her face is unmistakable
  17475. >"I put up with your shit because my leader was counting on me, you know?"
  17476. "You refused to let Adagio down."
  17477. >"If someone captured us now, no matter what they did to me..."
  17478. >The floor creaks as she steps closer
  17479. >Her tone is soft, and her words are carefully chosen
  17480. >"...we could sit tied up for a year and I wouldn't give in."
  17481. >A year? Not bad, not bad at all
  17482. >Her grin expands into a full-blown smile
  17483. >She waits for you to say something
  17484. >Anything
  17485. >Where-
  17486. >Where did that fake confidence go?
  17487. >You gawk and rub the back of your neck
  17488. >"Sorry. I'm not good at talking."
  17489. >The heart to heart, gentle voice and freed hair drooping over her shoulders...
  17490. >Not so much feeling bold as it just seeming right, you rub the top of Aria's head
  17491. >Her squirming away lasts about two seconds before she rolls her eyes and stands still
  17492. "Don't worry. Your meaning was loud and clear."
  17493. >Four muffled symbol crashes and a holler from Rainbow lead into a catchy chorus
  17494. >It's destined to get stuck in your head the moment you leave the room
  17495. "I'll bring them their drinks. She chugs like she's in the desert. Before long it'll be a trip the bathroom and I'll come get-"
  17496. >"Can I go questing?"
  17497. "Of course. Use those headphones, okay?"
  17498. >An enthusiastic thumbs-up pops out in front of you, half blocking another big smile on Aria's face
  17499. >An "I know, idiot" is what you would have expected...
  17500. >...anxious from this uncharted territory, you hurry out of the punishment room like a bumbling coward
  17501. ___
  17502. "John! Wait up!"
  17503. >He heard you
  17504. >He must have!
  17505. "Joooohn!"
  17506. >Your backpack flings all over the place during your slowdown
  17507. >"Oh. Hey Anonymous."
  17508. "Where are you going?"
  17509. >"Home. Mom will get mad if I don't hurry."
  17510. >Is he speeding up?
  17511. "Want to hang out at my house?"
  17512. >"Um."
  17513. "Tell your mom and we can."
  17514. >"I can't."
  17515. >He sped up AGAIN!
  17516. >What is with him?
  17517. "Come on! You did this yesterday, and the day before that. Arnold is doing it too."
  17518. >John won't say anything back
  17519. "Like your mom is going to get mad because you played with your friend!"
  17520. >"It's not that, okay? It's about something else."
  17521. "Then whaaaat?"
  17522. >"I don't want to talk about it."
  17523. "Tell meeee!"
  17524. >"Anon!"
  17525. >John stops so fast you have to turn around to look at him
  17526. >There's a kid coming up, a little ways behind him-
  17527. >"You do this every freaking day!"
  17528. "Huh?"
  17529. >"I don't want to hang out all the time okay?"
  17530. >What...
  17531. >"See you later."
  17532. "Wait. Come on. Why not?"
  17533. >John's backpack bounces with his steps
  17534. "What? Gonna play with someone else?!"
  17535. >He says nothing
  17536. "Fine! I don't even care!"
  17537. >Is your fist shaking?
  17538. >Why? You're not mad!
  17539. >John is an idiot!
  17540. >A stupid retard!
  17541. >No one likes him!
  17542. >You kick the grass
  17543. >...
  17544. >"Hi."
  17545. >Oh, the follower
  17546. >It's a girl?
  17547. >"I hea... I heard that."
  17548. >She's got a pretty dress, like at a wedding
  17549. >And one of those hats ladies in the western movies wear. Of course it's a girl
  17550. >It's turned down so far you can barely see her
  17551. "Who are you?"
  17552. >She fiddles her thumbs and makes noises like a scared hamster
  17553. >Sigh
  17554. "Want to play with me? My babysitter is going to pick me up and bring me home, but we only have TWO minutes!"
  17555. >...
  17556. >You said two minutes!
  17557. >This dang girl has been quiet for probably three!!
  17558. "Are you going to come with me or not, hat girl?"
  17559. >"I... I wo-would ve-ve-very much like t-to..."
  17560. >What's wrong with her talking?
  17561. >It's like a scratched up Playstation game
  17562. >"...But da-daddy will g-get..."
  17563. >Sniff??
  17564. >She's crying?!
  17565. >"...I'm n-not allowed, s-so-"
  17566. >Sniff!
  17567. >"I... really wan-wanted to talk-"
  17568. >Sniff!!
  17569. >"I'm sorry!"
  17570. >Whoa!
  17571. >She turned around and ran like a crazy woman!
  17572. "Hey! Weren't you headed this way?! Hey! Heeey!"
  17573. >You sit up
  17574. >...
  17575. >It's raining again tonight
  17576. >The satellite turned off from inactivity, leaving the living room in darkness
  17577. >Resting against the couch with her head nuzzled into your lap is-
  17578. "Sonata what the hell are you doing?"
  17579. >"Sleeeeping~ did you have a dream?"
  17580. "Yeah."
  17581. >"What was it?"
  17582. >You mash your face into your hands
  17583. "Something I haven't thought about in a long, long time."
  17584. >"Oh. Was it bad?"
  17585. "It..."
  17586. >"It? It what?"
  17587. "It's time to go to your own bed."
  17588. >"Wait! No! Please!"
  17589. ___
  17590. >You double-check the number on the fridge and dial
  17591. >Ahem
  17592. >AHEM
  17593. >Okay
  17594. >Don't be the dad
  17595. >Please
  17596. >"Hello?"
  17597. "Hi."
  17598. >Thank God
  17599. "My name is Anonymous. I go to the same school as your daughter. Our math teacher has this summer project idea and I'm asking around to see who's interested."
  17600. >"...Hold on."
  17601. >You cover the phone and exhale
  17602. >Theirs is loudly dropped, and soon picked up again
  17603. >"Scoot?"
  17604. "It's Anonym..."
  17605. >"OH!"
  17606. "Sweetie Belle?"
  17607. >"What's up!"
  17608. >There's no way you sound like a preteen
  17609. "Not much. How are you?"
  17610. >"Good!"
  17611. "I was calling for your big sister. Your mom must have misunderstood."
  17612. >"Ohhhhh."
  17613. >She momentarily quiets down
  17614. >"She's a bit out of it right now."
  17615. "Is Rarity there?"
  17616. >"Why are you calling my sister?"
  17617. "To say hi."
  17618. >She gasps
  17619. >"Mister, why are you REALLY calling my sister?"
  17620. "Just to chat."
  17621. >"Why?"
  17622. "Don't you ever call your friends to chat?"
  17623. >She stifles a giggle
  17624. >"I hope you know what you're doing dude."
  17625. >Once again the phone thuds, and is picked up a little while later
  17626. >This time the feminine voice is quiet and monotone
  17627. >"Auntie, it's flushing now. I forgot to call back is all."
  17628. "...Hi Rarity."
  17629. >From the right side of the window, on the path you showed her, Sonata comes hopping over the more damp parts of the ground
  17630. >Fully dressed up, headed to wait and see if Dash drops by
  17631. >She's out of sight again before you get a response
  17632. >"How did you get this phone number?"
  17633. "Rainbow Dash. You weren't online, and your cell phone kept going to the machine, so-"
  17634. >"What do you want?"
  17635. >Truthfully, it's unclear
  17636. >The only thing you know for sure is that you wanted to hear Rarity's voice
  17637. >Not with a pained, unchanging tone, though
  17638. "How are you doing?"
  17639. >"What do you want?"
  17640. "To talk to you."
  17641. >"Why?"
  17642. "Because I was thinking about you."
  17643. >The phone cord twirls around your spinning index finger
  17644. >"...I'm doing fine."
  17645. "That's good. How is Sweetie?"
  17646. >"Fine. I sincerely doubt you called for a status update."
  17647. "Yeah, you're right. There are some things on my mind today."
  17648. >"Such as?"
  17649. "Well, after I said all that stuff to you over video chat, and when we met up at-"
  17650. >"I don't want to talk about it."
  17651. "Hear me out."
  17652. >"Don't call my house phone again. And Anonymous? Don't talk to my sister."
  17653. >The fuzzy TV narration in the background goes silent
  17654. >At first you let frustration set in. But of course she's still mad after that argument
  17655. >This time you'll just sidestep it
  17656. >"Hello?"
  17657. "It's me again. Forgot to tell your daughter something."
  17658. >"Hold on."
  17659. >You flinch at the plummeting phone and gather your nerve
  17660. >"Anon! Rarity just told me not to talk to you."
  17661. "Oh."
  17662. >"Let's chat to miff her off."
  17663. "I need to speak to her please."
  17664. >"Whatever you say, lover boy."
  17665. >...
  17666. >She says nothing, but you can tell that Rarity has pressed the phone against her head
  17667. "This call isn't for arguing. We've done enough of that, right?"
  17668. >...
  17669. "I brought up those fights because they were distracting me from something important."
  17670. >You decide to wait and see if you've caught her interest
  17671. >"Important, I'm sure."
  17672. >Seems as though you have
  17673. "Very."
  17674. >"What is it then?"
  17675. "Regarding you and your little sister-"
  17676. >Something almost seems to pull at the hair on the back of your head as you try to find the right words
  17677. >Out of nowhere, you're terrified of how she might react
  17678. "...Does Sweetie have a lot of friends?"
  17679. >"More than enough."
  17680. "That's good. She seems like a friendly kid. And you've got the five girls?"
  17681. >"This is certainly not important."
  17682. >You stare at your reflection in the half-filled sink
  17683. >...
  17684. "Are you two happy?"
  17685. >...
  17686. "If there's anything making you unhappy in your life..."
  17687. >...
  17688. "There are a lot of friends you could talk to."
  17689. >...
  17690. >Her phone picks up a faint scraping noise as she, presumably, presses it more firmly against her ear
  17691. >When Rarity opens her mouth, that depressing monotone is gone. Replaced with drawn-out words and suppressed anger
  17692. >"What, exactly, are you implying?"
  17693. "I've noticed a lot of things. I guess they could be called signs. It's a distracting time for me, and I'm a bit scared to ask, but after thinking about what it could mean-"
  17694. >"Examples?"
  17695. "What?"
  17696. >"Of the 'signs,' Anonymous. Examples."
  17697. "One thing was that an argument between your parents seemed devastating to you."
  17698. >Letting her respond to each point individually might not let you paint the picture, so you rush on
  17699. "During our video chat, you were very cautious. Almost terrified of somebody walking in on you. Nervous that I would see the room, too?"
  17700. >Beyond that...
  17701. "Sweetie came in and threatened to tell your father that you were talking to a boy. The urgency in your voice stood out very much."
  17702. >Speaking of...
  17703. "She told me other things. Like how you have 'episodes'. That you break down a lot. ...That your dad got a bit too friendly with Twilight Sparkle recently."
  17704. >Her gasp interrupts you for a moment
  17705. "The way she said it makes it seem like this has all happened before, in one way or another."
  17706. >Amazingly, she hasn't begun explaining it all away
  17707. "This might be too far, and sorry if it is, but... when I got fired up back then and hit the table, your reaction was odd... and the way you behave in your friendship with Twilight, it all feels a bit-"
  17708. >"Anonymous."
  17709. >There's Sonata
  17710. >Hopping back from her post
  17711. >Seems as though the girl forgot her trusty radio
  17712. >"Anonymous."
  17713. >Rarity's shaking
  17714. >Her teeth gritted and phone tightly gripped, to be sure
  17715. >"That. Is. Enough."
  17716. >The last jump ends poorly
  17717. >Dodged a puddle, snagged the end of a log
  17718. >Sonata lays face down in the mud
  17719. "I've spent time around people in bad situations. Oppressive ones. So, if that's what you're in, Rarity, maybe I can help."
  17720. >Without saying another word, you watch Sonata behave as though the world conspired against her, kicking the log and tugging on her actual hair
  17721. >After you've heard her re-enter the house and stomp into your bedroom...
  17722. >"Don't. Ever. Bring this up. Again."
  17723. "What?"
  17724. >"Don't speak to my sister. Ever again."
  17725. "Rarity."
  17726. >"Don't come to my house. Don't go near my friends. Don't call this phone. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
  17727. "Hold on."
  17728. >"I'm going to hang up. If you call back-"
  17729. "Wait!"
  17730. >"IF YOU CALL BACK, I swear to God you'll wish you hadn't!"
  17731. >You swallow hard
  17732. "What does that mean?"
  17733. >She stops talking, but you can hear that fuzzy TV
  17734. >Eager to keep the conversation going and nervous it will end, you blurt out:
  17735. "If you ever need help, or somebody to talk to, then please. Let me be a friend."
  17736. >And once again she pauses for an uncomfortable length of time
  17737. >Until:
  17738. >"You don't have much of a choice in the matter."
  17739. >...Silence
  17740. >Followed by running water and tumbling soap and shampoo bottles a couple of rooms over
  17741. >You lower and stare at the phone, before laying it down on the counter >"Scrub it harderrrrr."
  17742. >"You wanna do it yourself?"
  17743. >"Ariaaaa!"
  17744. >Sonata grips the edge of the bathtub and presses against it, backing Aria away
  17745. >"Hey!"
  17746. >"Harderrrr it's so groooooss!"
  17747. >"That's it. Clean your own hair."
  17748. >The filthy siren wipes sudsy blue hair out of her face, then pretends to choke
  17749. >"It's in them agaaaain!"
  17750. >"For fuck's sake!"
  17751. "Aria, can you get her jacket? And the wig."
  17752. >"...Fine by me."
  17753. "I'll deal with her hair."
  17754. >Aria pauses in the doorway to express disgust with her eyes
  17755. "It's a bubble bath. I can't see anything."
  17756. >The following cleaning process is tempting
  17757. >Sonata softly moans at your touch, pressing into your wiggling fingers and holding your arm tight
  17758. >Scratching behind her ears elicits one long sigh of content
  17759. "You were wearing a wig. How did this much mud get in your hair?"
  17760. >"I fell a second time after taking it off."
  17761. >Oh
  17762. "Maybe the world IS conspiring against you."
  17763. >"Hm... I don't know what that means, but there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
  17764. >You turn on the shower head and go to work, leaning her back and starting with her face
  17765. >"This is a good time."
  17766. "What is it?"
  17767. >She opens her eyes far enough to see a blurred bathroom, and when she feels no pain, goes all the way to make eye contact
  17768. >The lathered up target slips through your fingers and slowly rises to her feet
  17769. >Contrary to what you would have expected... bubbles don't magically cling to every inch of her body
  17770. >"You said something the other day. It made me really happy."
  17771. >You try and fail to maintain that eye contact
  17772. >"Remember? It was: we can't do that kind of thing, Sonata. For noooow~"
  17773. >Her dripping hands soak through the shoulders of your shirt
  17774. "Ha ha ha... I did say that, didn't I?"
  17775. >"You did. And that now was back then. This now is... n-now."
  17776. >...
  17777. >"SONATA!"
  17778. >She ducks back into the tub
  17779. >The surrounding tiles are flooded
  17780. >Aria carries in a ball of clothes and tosses it onto the toilet lid
  17781. >"I found thirty dollars in your pocket."
  17782. >"So?"
  17783. >"I told you not to carry it around. If you lose it, I'll bust your chubby ass."
  17784. >"...Anon, Aria called me fat."
  17785. "No offense Sonata-"
  17786. >You gently pinch her arm
  17787. "-your butt is probably a little chubby."
  17788. >The way Sonata looks between the both of you, more angry after seeing her companion, suggests the grump behind you is wearing a shit-eating grin
  17789. "Doesn't mean you're fat. It looks good on you."
  17790. >You pat her shoulder
  17791. >She sticks out her tongue
  17792. >The muddied clothes reminds you:
  17793. >Having to wash them when Rainbow could show up is the kind of tough spot you were afraid of
  17794. >Besides, what kind of girl owns one outfit?
  17795. "Would you rather shop for clothes or hang out with Dash?"
  17796. >"Dash. Duh! Wait, we're buying clothes?"
  17797. "Yeah. I'll pay for it, of course. What colors do you want?"
  17798. >Pfft
  17799. >"You know the answer to that!"
  17800. >...Not really
  17801. "Okay. Aria, I need your help with something."
  17802. >She follows you into your bedroom
  17803. >As soon as the door is shut you turn to her
  17804. "Still eager to get out of the house?"
  17805. >"Of course. ...do you mean..."
  17806. "Yeah."
  17807. >She shakes her head
  17808. >"Too dangerous."
  17809. "Sonata's getting the secrecy thing down. I haven't had to interrupt her a single time since Dash started visiting."
  17810. >"Still don't trust her."
  17811. "Then trust me. It'll be fine. Rainbow said she's leaving pretty early today, so we won't even have to sneak in. Besides, you probably want to spend some of your money."
  17812. >Her eyes light up
  17813. >Bingo
  17814. ___
  17815. >"Oh FUCK!"
  17816. >Aria ignores your shush and nearly sprints down the aisle
  17817. >"Dude!"
  17818. >Her hands slap loudly onto the metal shelf
  17819. >Here you are, in the next town over, babysitting an unexpectedly giddy siren as she gawks at soda bottles
  17820. >Everything is a big deal when she might be able to afford it, apparently
  17821. >It IS an impressive wall of soft drinks. Everything from knock off brands to household names
  17822. >"I bet I can buy ten of them."
  17823. >She turns to you
  17824. >"What do you think?"
  17825. "You could get more than that."
  17826. >"Oh man..."
  17827. >Her money's counted and options weighed
  17828. >Once your cart's got five two-liter bottles rolling around an extra large bag of chips, she drags you to the electronics department
  17829. >"I'm taking a break from music," she says, "so just take me to the games."
  17830. >Usually you wouldn't care about a person's performance in a video game
  17831. >The trio of kids standing behind Aria at the demo station, watching her struggle to win a sword fight on easy mode, subjects you to some embarrassment
  17832. >She flinches at every slash that comes her character's way, all while running into walls and ignoring the game's advice to block
  17833. >Eventually the tallest of the boys has had enough
  17834. >He forces himself between Aria and the console
  17835. >"I'll show you how."
  17836. >"Shove off, I don't need your help."
  17837. >"Are you kidding? You're worse than my sister, and she's garbage."
  17838. >Her mouth hangs open, and her grasp on the controller weakens as the boy pulls it away
  17839. >"Listen up lady. B is the block button. If you hold it he can't hurt you."
  17840. >He walks straight up to the enemy and stands still, taking strikes like they're nothing
  17841. >Aria's anger disappears without a trace
  17842. >"Whoa..."
  17843. >"See how he pauses there? That's when you-"
  17844. >The swordsman who'd killed Aria a dozen times previously is sliced in two
  17845. >"BAM!"
  17846. >Her little knight rests against her stomach and engages the next enemy
  17847. >"Guys, find mom without me, I'm gonna show this girl how to heal. Not that I ever need to, personally."
  17848. >The others head off
  17849. "...We came here to buy clothes, you know."
  17850. >SHHH
  17851. >"He's going to show me how to heal!"
  17852. ___
  17853. >"What kind of games do you like, Anonymous?"
  17854. "Huh?"
  17855. >Her voice is far back
  17856. >She's been distracted by posters...
  17857. >You backtrack and show her how to sift through them
  17858. "I like a lot of games."
  17859. >"That's such a lame answer."
  17860. "What? It's true."
  17861. >A poster advertising some reality TV show about a motorcycle gang
  17862. >Interest is quickly lost and the browsing resumes
  17863. >"Specifically, what games?"
  17864. >The weight of the situation you find yourself in has had some negative effects
  17865. >Early on, your appetite for television, video games and the internet weakened
  17866. >At this point devoting time thinking about yourself or your hobbies fills you with dread
  17867. >When some games finally come to mind you shake your head and say,
  17868. "I don't know."
  17869. >"...Fuck, fine, forget I said anything."
  17870. >The next poster slams into the last
  17871. >"God."
  17872. "Why are you mad? Does it matter what games I like?"
  17873. >The posters are sorted with a bit too much force
  17874. >"Why would I ask a question I didn't care about?"
  17875. >The final case is shoved to the left
  17876. >After a tense pause, Aria begins examining the right half of the posters, seeing as she just skipped them all
  17877. >Question she cares about, huh?
  17878. >She wants to know more about you. That should inspire some confidence
  17879. >All you feel as you formulate your answer is the urge to change the subject
  17880. "I like most kinds of games, but my favorite kind..."
  17881. >The shopping cart brushes against some hanging clothes as you roll it back and forth
  17882. "...are ones where I have absolute freedom."
  17883. >You wait several seconds for Aria to turn her head, confirming with a curious raise of an eyebrow that the answer is still welcome
  17884. "Where I'm free to make my own choices. Go anywhere, try anything. Things try to mess with you, but there's always a chance to steer clear."
  17885. >In an attempt to raise her spirits, you present a clenched fist and smile
  17886. "That's what enemies in games are always trying to do, take away that freedom. But with time you can become stronger, so powerful that you can make choices for the game instead. Which zones are too dangerous for you, which enemies would dare attack you..."
  17887. >"Huh... that sounds like..."
  17888. >She points at you
  17889. >"You're talking about MY game."
  17890. "It's one of them."
  17891. >"I already knew you were into that though."
  17892. "I'm saying I like all games like it."
  17893. >"...There are other games like that?!"
  17894. >In fact, there should be a-
  17895. >You quickly check the posters from the left
  17896. >Around the middle you find one for a recent sequel to the RPG in question
  17897. >A dragon emblem floating in a misty, black void
  17898. "There are several. As far as this series goes, you've got like four more worlds to conquer at least."
  17899. >A revelation so earth-shattering that she takes a step back
  17900. >You find a copy of it below, rolled up wrapped in plastic
  17901. "Why don't you buy this? Put it up in your room. A reminder of what you've got left to enjoy."
  17902. >She takes it from you and holds it close
  17903. >"...Um..."
  17904. >It is a bit pricey
  17905. >You nudge her side
  17906. "I'm not supposed to buy you guys luxuries, but hell, you deserve it. Pick out any poster you want."
  17907. >For a moment she looks angry
  17908. >Before you can wonder what you did wrong THIS time, she smirks
  17909. >"I'll get the one you showed me."
  17910. "You don't have to get that one."
  17911. >"...I want to."
  17912. >She uses it to prod your thigh, and you take it
  17913. >The poster stands comfortably against the corner of the cart
  17914. ___
  17915. >"How much money would it take to buy EVERYTHING in the entire store?"
  17916. >She stops in the middle of the walkway to scout out her next destination
  17917. >"I mean everything dude, every pack of gum, every can of soda, everything."
  17918. >Phew
  17919. "You'll never be able to afford that. Sorry."
  17920. >The people going around you look a bit annoyed
  17921. >You try to guide her away when she grabs you by the wrist and dashes on
  17922. >"Ooh!"
  17923. "What? Oh. Chairs?"
  17924. >"I want to get one. Yours suck."
  17925. >She falls into a computer chair, arms planted on the rests, legs spread out
  17926. >"Would this fit in m... my... mmmyyyy..."
  17927. "Fit in what?"
  17928. >"...ohhhh..."
  17929. "Aria, that sounds kind of-"
  17930. >"Ahhh, GOD that's niiice..."
  17931. >She shifts between edges of the seat
  17932. >"It's like it's hugging my ass!"
  17933. >You quickly look down the mostly empty aisle
  17934. "Careful how you talk in public places, okay?"
  17935. >The hung price tag lowers under your hand and appears before her eyes
  17936. >$159.99
  17937. >Too expensive. For now
  17938. "Sorry, let's move on."
  17939. >You drag her back toward the cart
  17940. >She clings to a nearby couch
  17941. >"One hundred and fifty dollars? For a chair? What the fuck?"
  17942. >She trudges forward, dragging you and pulling on other, lesser chairs
  17943. >"But I need it."
  17944. >Having reached it again, Aria falls to her knees and lays her head in the seat
  17945. >"This is the one. It's my chair."
  17946. "You have to save your money if you really want it."
  17947. >She groans
  17948. "This is why you could never buy the whole store. The good things are more expensive."
  17949. >Her head is firmly planted for some time
  17950. >When you pull her up and turn her around, she's wearing a playful expression
  17951. >"That makes it fun, you know? One hundred fifty dollars. One hundred fifty dollars, just you wait..."
  17952. >It's the end of your trip by the time you make it to the clothes section
  17953. >Most of it is awkward - especially having to ask female employees questions in place of your "sisters" - but now you're left with T-shirt browsing
  17954. >"A mushroom? Who wants to walk around with that on their chest?"
  17955. >Aria's energy hasn't even begun to run out
  17956. >You, on the other hand, rest your weight on the shopping cart and dream of your couch
  17957. >"If I had ten thousand dollars, I'd buy twenty just to decorate Sonata's room."
  17958. "...Hey, were you always this excited?"
  17959. >"By what?"
  17960. "Stores. I've never seen a person so happy to shop."
  17961. >"Oh. We never spent time in shops. And I definitely didn't get to buy things."
  17962. >She feels around her bulging pocket
  17963. >"Didn't have money."
  17964. "You didn't need it, though."
  17965. >"Well, we either didn't need them or-"
  17966. >Hangers clash together as she pushes shirts aside in one of those circular racks
  17967. >"In Equestria, there are no bigass metal boxes that zip you around. Ponies would travel home the same long roads, usually on foot. They basically robbed themselves. As far as this world goes... have you heard of the eyes in the store? That watch what happens, to catch criminals."
  17968. "Yes."
  17969. >"All stores have them. It was the first thing we learned from interrogating humans."
  17970. "Excuse me?"
  17971. >"It shocked us. Not even Equestria has something as magical as machines that can see and remember forever. That can tell the guards who was here and when... so after a while we decided to stay away."
  17972. >Regardless of the somber subject, she smiles at the goofy logos and texts
  17973. >"There are a lot of humans crammed into public places and they usually don't carry stuff. It was awkward... we began waiting outside of taverns and stuff to charm people out of their leftovers. But-"
  17974. >Once again, she feels around her pocket
  17975. >"-the machines can look at me all they want now. Why should I care? I have money, like everyone else."
  17976. >Her voice trails off as she gets reimmersed in the collection of shirts
  17977. >"I spoke to them in the musician's shop, on the night you kidnapped us. Told them we were just trying to learn, dug out my pockets in front of them and stuff. They wouldn't even talk back. I'm glad that... I'm glad that I don't have to feel that way anymore."
  17978. >The hangers scrape to a stop
  17979. >To her right, Aria pulls out a black T-shirt far too big for her, with a tacky design on the front
  17980. >A wizard, long white beard, pointed blue hat and all, guzzling down a mug of mead
  17981. >Like a senior citizen's garden gnome
  17982. >It's ugly enough to wipe the smile off of Aria's face
  17983. >She lets the fabric slip from her pinching fingers and drops both arms to her sides
  17984. "Aria?"
  17985. >Her face scrunches up in that familiar way
  17986. >Without really thinking about it you rest a hand on her shoulder
  17987. "What's wrong?"
  17988. >"...Just..."
  17989. >She wraps sprawled fingers over her face, high enough to cover her eyes
  17990. >"Sometimes I think this was a bad idea."
  17991. "Coming with me today?"
  17992. >She shakes her head
  17993. "What are you talking about?"
  17994. >Slumped over, she sighs with shaky breath
  17995. >"I get this feeling that I should have stayed tied up with Adagio until the Equestrian caught me."
  17996. "Why would you want that?"
  17997. >"Because every day has been awful since we got here. Even worse when you tied us up. Part of me wanted to go back, even to a dungeon."
  17998. >Her fingers tighten
  17999. >"But n-now, everything changed for the better..."
  18000. >Aria does everything she can to hide her trembling, but you can feel it in your fingers
  18001. >"...I don't want to lose it..."
  18002. >The last few words fade into a whisper
  18003. >She moves away and your hand falls to piled clothes in the cart
  18004. >A fistfull of dollar bills is pulled from her pocket and scattered inside
  18005. >"Buy my shit, okay?"
  18006. "Aria, hold on."
  18007. >Through the little forest of shelves, she disappears
  18008. ___
  18009. >Your front yard is littered with bags full of women's clothing
  18010. >A pack of socks hits the walkway as well
  18011. >That was yours
  18012. >The quiet siren in front of you chose to carry her fast food and nothing more
  18013. >Should have taken two trips to the car
  18014. >Whatever
  18015. >You rush towards the door and trip on the top step
  18016. >The remaining clothes pour into the corner of the porch
  18017. "God damn it. Could you-"
  18018. >Aria rests against the wall of the house, arms crossed, facing over the hedges and into the pitch black woods
  18019. >She hasn't said a single thing since the clothing department
  18020. "Hey... do you want to talk yet?"
  18021. >...
  18022. >"Can you talk to Adagio instead?"
  18023. >You stare at the side of her head
  18024. >Just hearing that name sends an unpleasant tingle through your stomach
  18025. >"We can't even start to make it better when one of us is basically a prisoner, right? ...I know you avoid Adagio. I get why. But-"
  18026. >Perhaps-
  18027. >Maybe you didn't want to talk about it after all
  18028. >The door opens up to a fully lit living room, flashing TV and occupied couch
  18029. "Don't worry, Aria. I'll figure it out."
  18030. >It's warm and lively
  18031. >Returning home used to be the most depressing part of your day, and now...
  18032. >Aria doesn't have to worry
  18033. >Regardless of how you feel, you HAVE to make it work
  18034. >You'll convince the hairball
  18035. >You'll unite the girls
  18036. >Before they know it, the sirens won't be locked up, or punished, and certainly won't have to hide their faces
  18037. "Shit!"
  18038. >You shove Aria into the pile of clothes and shut the door behind you
  18039. "Raaaarrri... ty..."
  18040. >No?
  18041. >The mound of purple hair pushed against the couch grows as you step closer
  18042. >It belongs to someone much shorter, less intimidating, and more asleep than expected
  18043. >One hand tucked behind the cushion and the other resting on top of a box of soda cans
  18044. "Sweetie Belle?"
  18045. >As you carefully shake her shoulder, you notice the red eyes
  18046. >Uh oh
  18047. >"...Hm?"
  18048. "Sweetie, what are you doing here?"
  18049. >The girl lazily sits herself up and scoots back against the couch arm
  18050. >Her pout and hung head make you anticipate tears you don't know how to handle
  18051. "How did you even get here?"
  18052. >"Walked."
  18053. "From your house?"
  18054. >"Yeah? You live closer to me than Scootaloo does."
  18055. >She talks like she's on the verge of death
  18056. "Did something happen? Are you okay?"
  18057. >"...Yeah. I'm okay. Rarity yelled at me and said I'm not allowed to talk to you ever again. I told her to shut up, and to stop telling me what to do."
  18058. "Oh."
  18059. >"And then later I went on my computer and all of my steam games were gone. When I asked Rarity about it she yelled at me again. It's stupid, I know. But it's gonna take weeks to download my games."
  18060. >She rolls off of the couch and stretches
  18061. >"Anyway, Mom told me to get rid of these drinks my dad bought... Instead of going to the neighbor's dumpster I came here, 'cause I couldn't stop crying."
  18062. >You move the box to the coffee table and sit down
  18063. >Wait. This isn't-
  18064. >"Blood... sugar... or something. My dad's health is as pretty as Rarity's face."
  18065. "He probably shouldn't be drinking this."
  18066. >"Yeah."
  18067. "I'll take it for you."
  18068. >"Okay."
  18069. >She was watching some cartoons
  18070. >That, or Sonata left them on-
  18071. >Oh God
  18072. >You sit up and frantically check every corner of the room
  18073. >The bedroom doors are closed
  18074. "Were you... scared here by yourself?"
  18075. >She shrugs
  18076. >"A little."
  18077. >Phew
  18078. "Hey. You might get in trouble being out this late."
  18079. >"I will."
  18080. "Want me to take you home?"
  18081. >"Yeah."
  18082. >You stand before her and kneel to see eye to eye
  18083. "Don't tell Rarity where you were."
  18084. >"Okay."
  18085. "...does she do this kind of thing to you a lot?"
  18086. >Her head shakes with zero enthusiasm
  18087. >"She's always a jerk, but she's never been this mad at me."
  18088. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."
  18089. >"How?"
  18090. >It seemed likely that Rarity would take out her frustration like this
  18091. >But if it leads to fixing their family situation, it's worth it
  18092. >Right?
  18093. "Sweetie. I need to know about your dad."
  18094. >She blinks and tilts her head
  18095. "Does he ever get mad, like Rarity?"
  18096. >"What?"
  18097. "Has your dad ever yelled at you, hit you, or hurt you in any way?"
  18098. >"No?"
  18099. >The lack of hesitation makes her answer sound more sincere than you want it to be
  18100. "It's okay to tell me. If he does anything at all to you-"
  18101. >"He doesn't!"
  18102. >She's upset
  18103. >Though not in the same way that Rarity was
  18104. "How about your mom?"
  18105. >"What about her?"
  18106. "Same question."
  18107. >"No! Mom doesn't hurt me, what are you saying that for?"
  18108. "Then-"
  18109. >Tears build once again in her irritated eyes
  18110. "Okay. Okay, I understand. I'm concerned about your family is all."
  18111. >Sniff
  18112. >"Because you wanna marry Rarity?"
  18113. >No
  18114. >Wait, that's perfect
  18115. "Marry's a strong word. For now I'd like to get to know her. If there's any way to figure out why she's behaving this way..."
  18116. >"Like a therapy?"
  18117. >She taps her chin
  18118. >"Like a brain scan? Or waterboring?"
  18119. >The pointed finger forces off the side of her face and into the air
  18120. >"How about a diary!"
  18121. "She has one?"
  18122. >"Yeah. It's got a lock on it, but you're a grown up, you can take it off."
  18123. "That's perfect! Do you know where it is?"
  18124. >"In her pillow. Always is."
  18125. >The kid chuckles, wiping away tears
  18126. >"All her juicy secrets will be in there. That'll teach her to mess with my stuff."
  18127. >After checking and confirming that Aria isn't sitting around on the porch, you open the door and offer to drive Sweetie closer to her house
  18128. >She pokes you in the back on the way to the car
  18129. >"I was on your Steam."
  18130. "What?"
  18131. >"Found your laptop. I sent myself a friend request. Can I have your cards?"
  18132. >But
  18133. >You were going to use them
  18134. >Someday!
  18135. >"The an- a- "annie may" game ones are worth A BUTTLOAD and you've had them for years."
  18136. "Well... fine. In exchange for the diary."
  18137. >Her fist pump is truly pathetic, lacking any hint of energy
  18138. >"The trade has to wait though. I lost my cell phone again so I can't confirm it."
  18139. >Thanks for nothing, Steam
  18140. ___
  18141. >Today's been repetitive
  18142. >Rainbow decided a good way to teach Sonata would be to have her practice one song until she's perfect at it
  18143. >The improvement's showing, but this chorus drills right through your ears, into your brain
  18144. >"Anon. Want to give it a try?"
  18145. >Rainbow takes her drink from you and offers the microphone
  18146. "I'm not a singer. That's what I've got this dork for."
  18147. >Sonata looks over in panic, as if you might be pointing at someone other than her
  18148. >When satisfied, she picks up the second microphone and winks
  18149. >"Listen to me sing this song!"
  18150. "Ha, already have, twenty times!"
  18151. >"Well listen again!"
  18152. >You rub your chin
  18153. "How about you sing together?"
  18154. >Rainbow slams her empty glass onto the coffee table
  18155. >"Yeah, let's do that!"
  18156. >"Okay!"
  18157. >Sonata gets up in front of the TV
  18158. >Thankfully her anger over having to hide from some kid last night - and the talk of you marrying Rarity - was gone by the time she woke up this morning
  18159. ___
  18160. >This time you leave the guest bedroom door open behind you. Just enough to fill the room with the duet downstairs
  18161. >Behind the little table, in the floor beside the air-up mattress, is the shrimp
  18162. "When are you going to give up and try your bed?"
  18163. >There are bags under her eyes
  18164. >Judging by her arms, checking beneath her clothes might reveal minor bruises
  18165. >The group's former leader looks more like a prisoner than ever
  18166. >You sit down across from her
  18167. "Going to talk today? You've done it before, so..."
  18168. >"Are you really so careless as to let some woman spend time alone with Sonata?"
  18169. "...I wouldn't call it careless."
  18170. >Her eyebrows raise
  18171. >"That doesn't make it any better a decision."
  18172. "You think too little of your companions."
  18173. >Her eyes lock on to your hand as you reach into your pocket and retrieve a chilled can
  18174. >It slides smoothly across the table
  18175. "Brought you a treat."
  18176. >"Poison."
  18177. "Ha!"
  18178. >Adagio's a bit alarmed by the sharp crack as you pull the tab back
  18179. "Those girls wouldn't forgive me for that. Besides, I'd never want to kill somebody, and even if I did I'm too much of a wimp to go through with it."
  18180. >"I can agree with the third point, I suppose."
  18181. >She picks up the can and reads over its text
  18182. >"...Alcohol."
  18183. "Yes."
  18184. >"How adorable. You think getting me drunk will help sway my opinion."
  18185. >You shake your head
  18186. "I just want you to talk. I'm here at Aria's request. Reporting back that you stared at me for ten minutes would suck."
  18187. >"Aria's request...?"
  18188. "Don't you think refusing to talk hurts both sides anyway?"
  18189. >She continues to read over the writing, most words in the nutrition facts section likely going over her head
  18190. >Then she takes a sip and rests against the wall
  18191. >Looks comfortable enough with her massive, poofy hair
  18192. "Did you mean to imply that Sonata and Aria would forgive me for killing you?"
  18193. >...
  18194. >She takes another sip
  18195. "It's okay if you were trying to sound cool and didn't think it through. I've done that before."
  18196. >"More than likely, they could."
  18197. "Seems hard to believe. They talk like you're their big sister."
  18198. >"Do they really?"
  18199. "Yeah."
  18200. >"Or was that your first guess about our relationship, when you stalked us outside the music shop?"
  18201. >Stalk... is a strong word...
  18202. >"I doubt those two have said a single kind thing about me since they left this bedroom. Or Equestria, for that matter."
  18203. "...Why?"
  18204. >No answer comes
  18205. >It seems like Adagio is more likely to respond to statements rather than questions
  18206. >Especially if you hit some kind of nerve
  18207. "Because your leadership fell apart when you got here."
  18208. >Just like that, she takes a moment to let your comment sink in before firing back,
  18209. >"In my worst moment I was ten times the leader you are."
  18210. "So your worst moment was here in my wonderful little city."
  18211. >Adagio pulls a mound of hair over her lap, raises her shoulders and wraps both arms around her chest
  18212. >"If only I had the good sense that led you to freeze your own home for hours on end. If only I'd resorted to beating my friends into submission, or touching them against their will."
  18213. "We already went over my fuckups. Let's talk about yours. You know, how you dropped the ball as soon as you got here."
  18214. >"I did not drop the-"
  18215. >She shoves the can into her mouth and takes a couple of swigs
  18216. >"...Imagine waking up in a strange Equestrian city, with two scared girls clinging to you. The streets are alive with impossibly fast carriages. The stores are run by foreign creatures and, to top it off, your body has changed into something small and frail."
  18217. "I'm sure that'd be scary."
  18218. >"The money is different. Locals use words you've never heard. Sonata is hungry, and Aria launches insults at her. I give you one day before they abandon you."
  18219. "Could be right. If you of all people failed so terribly, then-"
  18220. >"Human."
  18221. >Adagio stands
  18222. >"Your tactics aren't clever or subtle."
  18223. >No choice other than to join her. If she runs, you're fucked
  18224. "What do you mean?"
  18225. >With a few more chugs, she empties the can and sends it rolling over the tabletop, into the floor
  18226. >"Whatever I say, you'll twist into an insult, hoping I'll share more than I mean to with my defense."
  18227. "It's about all I can do to get you talking. Your special talent seems to be doing nothing."
  18228. >Her eyes narrow
  18229. >This is kind of... fun
  18230. "This is some next level stuff. It's not enough to stay locked up while your friends do what they want, you refuse to use your own bed, too!"
  18231. >You lift it from the side and let it plop onto the floor
  18232. "Are you going to look at the window? Your most powerful strategy."
  18233. >"Aria asked you to come and insult me?"
  18234. "...No."
  18235. >You hold up a hand
  18236. "Of course not."
  18237. >"Then I suggest you start talking about whatever she was too afraid to bring up on her own."
  18238. >Dash and Sonata's song fades, as does their singing
  18239. >Your cue to shut the door
  18240. "Well. It's simple. Hear that? How happy Sonata sounds, singing with her very first human friend?"
  18241. >Adagio sits down
  18242. >Like before, you join her
  18243. "Aria wants that, for you and herself. She's as tired of this prisoner setup as I am. Plus, you're a leader. We can work together to-"
  18244. >"That's just beautiful."
  18245. >She shakes her head
  18246. >"He scrutinizes my leadership during its biggest challenge, then shows that, in reality, he values it. It reminds me of something. A time he said horrible and degrading things to Aria that she's believed about herself her entire life, all while petting her wherever he pleased."
  18247. >Adagio's stretched arms pop, as does her back and neck before she rests both hands on her knees
  18248. "Let's just stick to Aria's request."
  18249. >"It's related. Pay attention, human."
  18250. "...I am, Adagio. How does this have anything to do with you joining us proper?"
  18251. >"I'm not Aria. Convincing me that you're the only one in the world who will value me isn't going to work. That aside, I would never work with someone who could treat his companions like trash."
  18252. >You open your mouth and get cut off
  18253. >"Don't bother saying you've 'changed'. As I just said, you'll sink to the same tactics. That's why this won't happen, whether or not Aria wants it to."

Broken bluebird (does anybody have more or the original link)

by dontvoreme1

Reforming the sirens, part 1

by dontvoreme1

Reforming the sirens part 2

by dontvoreme1