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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. 1.
    >It's been an everyday thing
  2. 2.
    >And so far it seems to have worked
  3. 3.
    >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  4. 4.
    >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  5. 5.
    >Sonata is bent over your lap
  6. 6.
    >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  7. 7.
    >Half of her rear end is exposed
  8. 8.
    >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  9. 9.
    "You're squirming again."
  10. 10.
    >"Huh?"
  11. 11.
    >She stiffens up
  12. 12.
    >"I wasn't..."
  13. 13.
    "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  14. 14.
    >"...I'm sorry."
  15. 15.
    >You press your hand against her
  16. 16.
    >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  17. 17.
    >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  18. 18.
    >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  19. 19.
    >THWACK
  20. 20.
    >"AHH! Anon!"
  21. 21.
    >THWACK
  22. 22.
    >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  23. 23.
    >THWACK
  24. 24.
    >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  25. 25.
    >THWACK
  26. 26.
    >"Anooooooooon!"
  27. 27.
    >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  28. 28.
    "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  29. 29.
    >She gasps
  30. 30.
    >Looks at you with a pout
  31. 31.
    "Well?"
  32. 32.
    >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  33. 33.
    >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  34. 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. 35.
    >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  36. 36.
    "That's a good Sonata."
  37. 37.
    >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  38. 38.
    "You promise with all of your heart?"
  39. 39.
    >Sniff
  40. 40.
    >"I p-promise. But..."
  41. 41.
    "But what?"
  42. 42.
    >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  43. 43.
    >You pat her head
  44. 44.
    "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  45. 45.
    >Sniff
  46. 46.
    >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  47. 47.
    "Sonata."
  48. 48.
    >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  49. 49.
    "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  50. 50.
    >"Really?"
  51. 51.
    "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  52. 52.
    >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  53. 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. 54.
    >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  55. 55.
    >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  56. 56.
    ___
  57. 57.
    >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  58. 58.
    >One week since Sonata gave in
  59. 59.
    >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  60. 60.
    >They scowl all through out
  61. 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. 62.
    >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  63. 63.
    >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  64. 64.
    >"Shut. Up."
  65. 65.
    >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  66. 66.
    >Sonata frowns
  67. 67.
    >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  68. 68.
    >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  69. 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. 70.
    >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  71. 71.
    >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  72. 72.
    >"He, he does..."
  73. 73.
    >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  74. 74.
    >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  75. 75.
    >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  76. 76.
    >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  77. 77.
    >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  78. 78.
    >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  79. 79.
    >"But... but! Adagio!"
  80. 80.
    >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  81. 81.
    >"Yes, traitor?"
  82. 82.
    >Sonata's heart sinks
  83. 83.
    >She backs away
  84. 84.
    >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  85. 85.
    >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  86. 86.
    >Sonata runs out of the room
  87. 87.
    >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  88. 88.
    ___
  89. 89.
    >You're downstairs, watching TV
  90. 90.
    >Some dull documentary
  91. 91.
    >"...Anonnnnn..."
  92. 92.
    >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  93. 93.
    "How'd it go?"
  94. 94.
    >"Annnoooon!"
  95. 95.
    >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  96. 96.
    "Bad?"
  97. 97.
    >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  98. 98.
    >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  99. 99.
    "What about Aria?"
  100. 100.
    >"She spit in my eye."
  101. 101.
    "What?"
  102. 102.
    >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  103. 103.
    >Some specks of spit are still there
  104. 104.
    >How dare Aria?
  105. 105.
    >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  106. 106.
    "There."
  107. 107.
    >"You got it?"
  108. 108.
    "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  109. 109.
    >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  110. 110.
    >"Anon?"
  111. 111.
    "Yeah?"
  112. 112.
    >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  113. 113.
    "What makes you ask that?"
  114. 114.
    >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  115. 115.
    >You wonder
  116. 116.
    >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  117. 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. 118.
    >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  119. 119.
    >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  120. 120.
    "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  121. 121.
    >"Oh....."
  122. 122.
    "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  123. 123.
    >"What?"
  124. 124.
    "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  125. 125.
    >You poke her nose
  126. 126.
    "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  127. 127.
    >She nods
  128. 128.
    >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  129. 129.
    ___
  130. 130.
    >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  131. 131.
    >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  132. 132.
    >The former doesn't look at you
  133. 133.
    >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  134. 134.
    "Hello, Aria."
  135. 135.
    >She sticks her tongue out at you
  136. 136.
    >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  137. 137.
    >This one's just asking for it
  138. 138.
    "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  139. 139.
    >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  140. 140.
    >You smirk
  141. 141.
    "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  142. 142.
    >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  143. 143.
    "Whoa!"
  144. 144.
    >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  145. 145.
    >You take a moment to admire her body
  146. 146.
    >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  147. 147.
    >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  148. 148.
    >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  149. 149.
    "I'm really impressed."
  150. 150.
    >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  151. 151.
    "Calm down."
  152. 152.
    >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  153. 153.
    >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  154. 154.
    >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  155. 155.
    "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  156. 156.
    >"...Fuck you."
  157. 157.
    >Her spirit excites you
  158. 158.
    "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  159. 159.
    >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  160. 160.
    >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  161. 161.
    >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  162. 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. 163.
    >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  164. 164.
    >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  165. 165.
    >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  166. 166.
    >You turn to Adagio
  167. 167.
    >She's just staring at the wall
  168. 168.
    >Not the most sympathetic leader
  169. 169.
    "Let's go."
  170. 170.
    ___
  171. 171.
    >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  172. 172.
    >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  173. 173.
    "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  174. 174.
    >"I know~"
  175. 175.
    >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  176. 176.
    >"It's a new ep-"
  177. 177.
    >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  178. 178.
    >"Aria...."
  179. 179.
    >"..Yeah?!"
  180. 180.
    >They're quiet
  181. 181.
    >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  182. 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. 183.
    >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  184. 184.
    "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  185. 185.
    >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  186. 186.
    >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  187. 187.
    >You smile and nod your head
  188. 188.
    >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  189. 189.
    >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  190. 190.
    "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  191. 191.
    >"Oh. Yeah!"
  192. 192.
    >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  193. 193.
    >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  194. 194.
    ___
  195. 195.
    "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  196. 196.
    >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  197. 197.
    "Then what's it about?"
  198. 198.
    >You make your way through the kitchen
  199. 199.
    >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  200. 200.
    >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  201. 201.
    >The entrance to the punishment room
  202. 202.
    "Ready?"
  203. 203.
    >"Fuck off."
  204. 204.
    >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  205. 205.
    >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  206. 206.
    >You approach it and stand Aria up
  207. 207.
    >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  208. 208.
    >Fair
  209. 209.
    >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  210. 210.
    >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  211. 211.
    >"What, is the chair for me?"
  212. 212.
    "No."
  213. 213.
    >You sit down
  214. 214.
    >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  215. 215.
    >Not quite
  216. 216.
    >You pull her down onto your lap
  217. 217.
    >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  218. 218.
    "Shut up."
  219. 219.
    >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  220. 220.
    >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  221. 221.
    >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  222. 222.
    >"....What are you doing?"
  223. 223.
    >She's pretty fit
  224. 224.
    >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  225. 225.
    >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  226. 226.
    >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  227. 227.
    >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  228. 228.
    >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  229. 229.
    >"Are you... a pervert?"
  230. 230.
    >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  231. 231.
    "You need to wash your hair better."
  232. 232.
    >"What?!"
  233. 233.
    "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  234. 234.
    >In reality, it smells alright
  235. 235.
    >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  236. 236.
    "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  237. 237.
    >"..."
  238. 238.
    >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  239. 239.
    "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  240. 240.
    >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  241. 241.
    >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  242. 242.
    >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  243. 243.
    >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  244. 244.
    "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  245. 245.
    >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  246. 246.
    "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  247. 247.
    >"..."
  248. 248.
    >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  249. 249.
    >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  250. 250.
    "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  251. 251.
    >"Wh-"
  252. 252.
    "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  253. 253.
    >You slap her legs together
  254. 254.
    "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  255. 255.
    >She's quiet
  256. 256.
    "Well?"
  257. 257.
    >You feel around her thighs for some time
  258. 258.
    >No response
  259. 259.
    "I'm not surprised."
  260. 260.
    >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  261. 261.
    >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  262. 262.
    "You're the perfect weight though."
  263. 263.
    >"...What?"
  264. 264.
    "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  265. 265.
    >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  266. 266.
    >"...Whatever."
  267. 267.
    >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  268. 268.
    >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  269. 269.
    "Hey."
  270. 270.
    >"...Hm?"
  271. 271.
    "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  272. 272.
    >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  273. 273.
    >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  274. 274.
    >"Anything's better than that."
  275. 275.
    "Why settle for anything?"
  276. 276.
    >"Hm?"
  277. 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. 278.
    >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  279. 279.
    "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  280. 280.
    >Her eyes go straight to yours
  281. 281.
    >And she just stares
  282. 282.
    >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  283. 283.
    >And says
  284. 284.
    >"Hang yourself."
  285. 285.
    >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  286. 286.
    "Interesting."
  287. 287.
    >"...What?"
  288. 288.
    "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  289. 289.
    >"The hell are you talking about?"
  290. 290.
    "You were thinking about it."
  291. 291.
    >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  292. 292.
    >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  293. 293.
    "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  294. 294.
    >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  295. 295.
    >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  296. 296.
    >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  297. 297.
    "Come on, Aria."
  298. 298.
    >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  299. 299.
    >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  300. 300.
    >"Dude. Back off."
  301. 301.
    "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  302. 302.
    >"...And it is?"
  303. 303.
    "Close your eyes."
  304. 304.
    >"N-No."
  305. 305.
    >She does it anyway
  306. 306.
    >"Don't."
  307. 307.
    >She quietly groans
  308. 308.
    >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  309. 309.
    >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  310. 310.
    >You lower her just a bit further
  311. 311.
    >Tighten your grip
  312. 312.
    >And spit in her face
  313. 313.
    ___
  314. 314.
    >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  315. 315.
    >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  316. 316.
    >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  317. 317.
    "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  318. 318.
    >She responds by kicking the wall
  319. 319.
    >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  320. 320.
    >"Anon?"
  321. 321.
    "Hey. What's up?"
  322. 322.
    >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  323. 323.
    >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  324. 324.
    "I'm afraid not."
  325. 325.
    >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  326. 326.
    "It keeps the door locked."
  327. 327.
    >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  328. 328.
    "Go ahead, try to open it."
  329. 329.
    >"Okay."
  330. 330.
    >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  331. 331.
    >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  332. 332.
    "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  333. 333.
    >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  334. 334.
    "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  335. 335.
    >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  336. 336.
    "You can choose. I have no preference."
  337. 337.
    >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  338. 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. 339.
    >Now there's a pile of them
  340. 340.
    >It's fine, though
  341. 341.
    >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  342. 342.
    >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  343. 343.
    >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  344. 344.
    >Adorable
  345. 345.
    >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  346. 346.
    >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  347. 347.
    >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  348. 348.
    >It was like caging a wild animal
  349. 349.
    >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  350. 350.
    "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  351. 351.
    >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  352. 352.
    >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  353. 353.
    >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  354. 354.
    >But instead you swing it wide open
  355. 355.
    >"W-What the HELL!"
  356. 356.
    >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  357. 357.
    >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  358. 358.
    "Don't flatter yourself."
  359. 359.
    >You hold the towel out toward her
  360. 360.
    >"...just put it on the counter!"
  361. 361.
    "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  362. 362.
    >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  363. 363.
    >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  364. 364.
    >"Fucking. Creep."
  365. 365.
    >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  366. 366.
    >"...Anon?"
  367. 367.
    "Huh?"
  368. 368.
    >"I finished the bed."
  369. 369.
    "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  370. 370.
    >You pat Sonata's head
  371. 371.
    >"Anon?"
  372. 372.
    "Yeah?"
  373. 373.
    >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  374. 374.
    >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  375. 375.
    "Oh. I did..."
  376. 376.
    >She looks deeply bothered
  377. 377.
    "What's wrong?"
  378. 378.
    >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  379. 379.
    >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  380. 380.
    "Uh."
  381. 381.
    >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  382. 382.
    >So innocent
  383. 383.
    >So cute
  384. 384.
    >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  385. 385.
    "Is someone getting jealous?"
  386. 386.
    >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  387. 387.
    >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  388. 388.
    >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  389. 389.
    >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  390. 390.
    >Probably just her demeanor
  391. 391.
    "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  392. 392.
    >"Why not?"
  393. 393.
    "Because. You're special to me."
  394. 394.
    >"...special to you..."
  395. 395.
    >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  396. 396.
    >You're getting eager to go to bed
  397. 397.
    >It's about that time now
  398. 398.
    >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  399. 399.
    >The door opens up
  400. 400.
    >Oh fuck
  401. 401.
    >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  402. 402.
    >"Wow."
  403. 403.
    >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  404. 404.
    >"Hi Aria."
  405. 405.
    >"Hi, slut."
  406. 406.
    "...Aria."
  407. 407.
    >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  408. 408.
    >"I'm out of here."
  409. 409.
    "Haha, what?"
  410. 410.
    >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  411. 411.
    "Don't be so stupid."
  412. 412.
    >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  413. 413.
    >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  414. 414.
    "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  415. 415.
    >"Well-"
  416. 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. 417.
    >"...where are our necklaces?"
  418. 418.
    "So you admit it."
  419. 419.
    >"What? No."
  420. 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. 421.
    >"Fuck! You!"
  422. 422.
    >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  423. 423.
    >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  424. 424.
    >"LET GO!"
  425. 425.
    "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  426. 426.
    >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  427. 427.
    "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  428. 428.
    >"NO!"
  429. 429.
    >Well
  430. 430.
    >Alright then
  431. 431.
    "Time to go back up."
  432. 432.
    >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  433. 433.
    >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  434. 434.
    >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  435. 435.
    "Oh calm down..."
  436. 436.
    >"Aria!"
  437. 437.
    >You stop in the doorway
  438. 438.
    >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  439. 439.
    >You hear Sonata sniffling
  440. 440.
    >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  441. 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. 442.
    >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  443. 443.
    >"OW! Stop!"
  444. 444.
    "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  445. 445.
    >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  446. 446.
    ___
  447. 447.
    >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  448. 448.
    >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  449. 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. 450.
    >But your mind draws a blank
  451. 451.
    >She's barely said a word since her capture
  452. 452.
    >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  453. 453.
    "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  454. 454.
    >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  455. 455.
    >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  456. 456.
    "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  457. 457.
    >"Hmm?"
  458. 458.
    >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  459. 459.
    "You need to wake up now."
  460. 460.
    >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  461. 461.
    "Didn't sleep well?"
  462. 462.
    >"I slept great. You were really..."
  463. 463.
    >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  464. 464.
    >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  465. 465.
    >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  466. 466.
    >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  467. 467.
    >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  468. 468.
    "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  469. 469.
    >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  470. 470.
    >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  471. 471.
    >It's hard not to baby her
  472. 472.
    "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  473. 473.
    >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  474. 474.
    >You were right to start with Sonata
  475. 475.
    >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  476. 476.
    >You even considered releasing them
  477. 477.
    >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  478. 478.
    >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  479. 479.
    >"This is really, really delicio-"
  480. 480.
    >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  481. 481.
    "...who the..."
  482. 482.
    >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  483. 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. 484.
    >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  485. 485.
    >"Uhh, but-"
  486. 486.
    "Please, go."
  487. 487.
    >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  488. 488.
    ___
  489. 489.
    >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  490. 490.
    >Twilight Sparkle
  491. 491.
    >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  492. 492.
    >Thankfully, she's alone
  493. 493.
    >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  494. 494.
    >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  495. 495.
    >Please
  496. 496.
    >Just go
  497. 497.
    >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  498. 498.
    >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  499. 499.
    "Good morning, Twilight."
  500. 500.
    >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  501. 501.
    >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  502. 502.
    "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  503. 503.
    >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  504. 504.
    >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  505. 505.
    "What's this about?"
  506. 506.
    >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  507. 507.
    "What for?"
  508. 508.
    >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  509. 509.
    "Yes..."
  510. 510.
    >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  511. 511.
    "Yes."
  512. 512.
    >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  513. 513.
    >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  514. 514.
    >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  515. 515.
    "Gone?!"
  516. 516.
    >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  517. 517.
    "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  518. 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. 519.
    "Really?"
  520. 520.
    >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  521. 521.
    >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  522. 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. 523.
    >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  524. 524.
    >Now you'll do it your way
  525. 525.
    "So what do you think it means?"
  526. 526.
    >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  527. 527.
    >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  528. 528.
    >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  529. 529.
    "Hm."
  530. 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. 531.
    "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  532. 532.
    >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  533. 533.
    >She closes her notebook and looks away
  534. 534.
    >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  535. 535.
    >You exhale slowly
  536. 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. 537.
    >"...I-"
  538. 538.
    >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  539. 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. 540.
    >"What is it?!"
  541. 541.
    >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  542. 542.
    "....Uh."
  543. 543.
    >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  544. 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. 545.
    >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  546. 546.
    >You nod
  547. 547.
    "It could be anything, really..."
  548. 548.
    >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  549. 549.
    >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  550. 550.
    >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  551. 551.
    >Is she about to cry?
  552. 552.
    >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  553. 553.
    >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  554. 554.
    >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  555. 555.
    "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  556. 556.
    >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  557. 557.
    >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  558. 558.
    >You consider offering her a ride
  559. 559.
    >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  560. 560.
    ___
  561. 561.
    >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  562. 562.
    >"Anon, who was it?"
  563. 563.
    "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  564. 564.
    >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  565. 565.
    >She stands up with defensive posture
  566. 566.
    >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  567. 567.
    >But she just stares
  568. 568.
    >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  569. 569.
    "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  570. 570.
    >"What?"
  571. 571.
    >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  572. 572.
    >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  573. 573.
    "Hmm."
  574. 574.
    >"Why?"
  575. 575.
    >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  576. 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. 577.
    >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  578. 578.
    >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  579. 579.
    "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  580. 580.
    >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  581. 581.
    >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  582. 582.
    >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  583. 583.
    >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  584. 584.
    >"Hey."
  585. 585.
    "...what, Aria?"
  586. 586.
    >"You're too close."
  587. 587.
    >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  588. 588.
    >"H-Hey!"
  589. 589.
    "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  590. 590.
    >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  591. 591.
    >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  592. 592.
    "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  593. 593.
    >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  594. 594.
    >"...you told someone?"
  595. 595.
    "Nope."
  596. 596.
    >"Then how could-"
  597. 597.
    >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  598. 598.
    >She was the one who told you to begin with
  599. 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. 600.
    >"How much do they know?"
  601. 601.
    >Aria looks on edge
  602. 602.
    >You just smile
  603. 603.
    "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  604. 604.
    >Sonata gasps
  605. 605.
    >"But it sounded so fun!"
  606. 606.
    "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  607. 607.
    >Maybe a disguise or something
  608. 608.
    >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  609. 609.
    "Anything it takes! Haha."
  610. 610.
    >"W-what?"
  611. 611.
    "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  612. 612.
    >She frowns
  613. 613.
    "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  614. 614.
    >Aria glares
  615. 615.
    >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  616. 616.
    "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  617. 617.
    >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  618. 618.
    "She just stood there and gawked."
  619. 619.
    >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  620. 620.
    "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  621. 621.
    >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  622. 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. 623.
    >"Aria."
  624. 624.
    >".....huh?"
  625. 625.
    >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  626. 626.
    >Aria's mouth hangs open
  627. 627.
    >"But I... he's lyi..."
  628. 628.
    "Hey."
  629. 629.
    >You whisper into her ear
  630. 630.
    "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  631. 631.
    >"...what?"
  632. 632.
    "Your hair."
  633. 633.
    >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  634. 634.
    "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  635. 635.
    >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  636. 636.
    "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  637. 637.
    ___
  638. 638.
    >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  639. 639.
    >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  640. 640.
    >She'll be fine though, right?
  641. 641.
    >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  642. 642.
    "Ughh..."
  643. 643.
    >Time for another distraction
  644. 644.
    "Sonata, where are you?"
  645. 645.
    >"TV~!"
  646. 646.
    >You head into the living room
  647. 647.
    >Some cartoon is on
  648. 648.
    "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  649. 649.
    >"Okay~"
  650. 650.
    "Can you do me a favor?"
  651. 651.
    >"Of course!"
  652. 652.
    >She hops off of the couch and beams
  653. 653.
    >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  654. 654.
    "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  655. 655.
    >"Uh-huh."
  656. 656.
    "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  657. 657.
    >You head outside
  658. 658.
    >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  659. 659.
    >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  660. 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. 661.
    >It's asking for trouble
  662. 662.
    "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  663. 663.
    >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  664. 664.
    >A phone call would be better, but...
  665. 665.
    >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  666. 666.
    "Wait..."
  667. 667.
    >There's something in your peripheral vision
  668. 668.
    >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  669. 669.
    >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  670. 670.
    "Oh for fuck's sake."
  671. 671.
    >A shovel
  672. 672.
    >THE shovel
  673. 673.
    >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  674. 674.
    "Talk about a give-away."
  675. 675.
    >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  676. 676.
    >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  677. 677.
    ___
  678. 678.
    "We have more magazines!"
  679. 679.
    >"OOH!"
  680. 680.
    >Sonata snatches them up
  681. 681.
    >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  682. 682.
    >"It's a fashion one!"
  683. 683.
    >Her eyes narrow
  684. 684.
    >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  685. 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. 686.
    >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  687. 687.
    >"Good."
  688. 688.
    >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  689. 689.
    >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  690. 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. 691.
    "Oh, Sonata."
  692. 692.
    >You hold up the envelope
  693. 693.
    "We're going to have some money again."
  694. 694.
    >"Someone sent you money?"
  695. 695.
    "Yeah, my parents."
  696. 696.
    >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  697. 697.
    >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  698. 698.
    >"Hello son."
  699. 699.
    >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  700. 700.
    >Yeah...
  701. 701.
    >You know...
  702. 702.
    >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  703. 703.
    >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  704. 704.
    >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  705. 705.
    >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  706. 706.
    "Ughh..."
  707. 707.
    >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  708. 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. 709.
    >That's it...?
  710. 710.
    >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  711. 711.
    "..."
  712. 712.
    >It's fine
  713. 713.
    >They're busy, right?
  714. 714.
    >Probably have a lot on their mind
  715. 715.
    "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  716. 716.
    >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  717. 717.
    "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  718. 718.
    >"OOH!"
  719. 719.
    "Got something in mind already?"
  720. 720.
    >"I DO!"
  721. 721.
    >You chuckle
  722. 722.
    "What is it?"
  723. 723.
    >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  724. 724.
    "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  725. 725.
    >"T-T-T-"
  726. 726.
    >She grabs hold of your arms
  727. 727.
    >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  728. 728.
    >Taco...
  729. 729.
    >Bell?
  730. 730.
    >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  731. 731.
    "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  732. 732.
    >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  733. 733.
    "Why not?"
  734. 734.
    >She scoffs
  735. 735.
    >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  736. 736.
    "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  737. 737.
    >"Anon. Please!"
  738. 738.
    >She hugs your arm
  739. 739.
    >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  740. 740.
    >Maybe it's better this way
  741. 741.
    "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  742. 742.
    >"Go get it?"
  743. 743.
    "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  744. 744.
    >She backs away
  745. 745.
    >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  746. 746.
    >She looks upset...
  747. 747.
    >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  748. 748.
    >...oh
  749. 749.
    "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  750. 750.
    >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  751. 751.
    "It's-"
  752. 752.
    >She pulls away
  753. 753.
    >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  754. 754.
    "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  755. 755.
    >"This isn't what?"
  756. 756.
    "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  757. 757.
    >"Why? You're just making us good."
  758. 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. 759.
    >"So?"
  760. 760.
    >Sonata
  761. 761.
    >Please...
  762. 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. 763.
    >Your heart starts to race
  764. 764.
    >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  765. 765.
    >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  766. 766.
    "I-"
  767. 767.
    >You feel light-headed
  768. 768.
    "I'm g-"
  769. 769.
    >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  770. 770.
    >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  771. 771.
    >It's too risky
  772. 772.
    "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  773. 773.
    >"It's okay. Never mind."
  774. 774.
    >She's there, beside you
  775. 775.
    >"I don't want..."
  776. 776.
    >She wraps her arms around your waist
  777. 777.
    >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  778. 778.
    "Sonata..."
  779. 779.
    >You stand there quietly with her
  780. 780.
    >Soon, you feel at ease...
  781. 781.
    >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  782. 782.
    "Sonata."
  783. 783.
    >A fast food trip
  784. 784.
    >What could happen on a fast food trip
  785. 785.
    "Let's..."
  786. 786.
    >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  787. 787.
    "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  788. 788.
    >"...Really?"
  789. 789.
    "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  790. 790.
    >"Anon, are you sure?"
  791. 791.
    "Definitely."
  792. 792.
    >This will be fine
  793. 793.
    >Just have to be careful
  794. 794.
    >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  795. 795.
    "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  796. 796.
    >"ANYTHING?!"
  797. 797.
    "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  798. 798.
    >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  799. 799.
    "Haha, of course!"
  800. 800.
    >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  801. 801.
    >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  802. 802.
    >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  803. 803.
    >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  804. 804.
    "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  805. 805.
    >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  806. 806.
    "Well I'm a little on edge."
  807. 807.
    >"Can't have that~"
  808. 808.
    >She wraps her legs around you
  809. 809.
    >It feels awkward... but secure
  810. 810.
    >Very secure
  811. 811.
    >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  812. 812.
    "Okay."
  813. 813.
    >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  814. 814.
    >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  815. 815.
    >Always...
  816. 816.
    >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  817. 817.
    >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  818. 818.
    >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  819. 819.
    ___
  820. 820.
    >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  821. 821.
    >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  822. 822.
    >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  823. 823.
    "Because this is all gonna work out."
  824. 824.
    >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  825. 825.
    >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  826. 826.
    "Yeah?"
  827. 827.
    >You drop her in the chair
  828. 828.
    >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  829. 829.
    >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  830. 830.
    "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  831. 831.
    >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  832. 832.
    >She rolls her eyes
  833. 833.
    "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  834. 834.
    >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  835. 835.
    "What do you mean?"
  836. 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. 837.
    >Aria looks pretty worried
  838. 838.
    >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  839. 839.
    "Not gonna happen."
  840. 840.
    >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  841. 841.
    "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  842. 842.
    >She waits for you to elaborate
  843. 843.
    "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  844. 844.
    >"You don't know anything..."
  845. 845.
    "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  846. 846.
    >"What about us?"
  847. 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. 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. 849.
    "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  850. 850.
    >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  851. 851.
    >Up her sides
  852. 852.
    >And press into her arm pits
  853. 853.
    >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  854. 854.
    >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  855. 855.
    >"Knock it off."
  856. 856.
    "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  857. 857.
    >"Obviously. Idiot."
  858. 858.
    "Well."
  859. 859.
    >You back off and stand
  860. 860.
    "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  861. 861.
    >"Huh?"
  862. 862.
    "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  863. 863.
    >"....shut up..."
  864. 864.
    "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  865. 865.
    >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  866. 866.
    "Have you always been so filthy?"
  867. 867.
    >"I'm not. Filthy."
  868. 868.
    "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  869. 869.
    >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  870. 870.
    >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  871. 871.
    "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  872. 872.
    >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  873. 873.
    >You can't help but laugh in her face
  874. 874.
    "Once again, you prove my point."
  875. 875.
    >"What?!"
  876. 876.
    "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  877. 877.
    >"....just."
  878. 878.
    >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  879. 879.
    >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  880. 880.
    >She's become quiet
  881. 881.
    >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  882. 882.
    "Well..."
  883. 883.
    >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  884. 884.
    "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  885. 885.
    >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  886. 886.
    "Maybe!"
  887. 887.
    >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  888. 888.
    >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  889. 889.
    "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  890. 890.
    >"I wasn't even scared!"
  891. 891.
    "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  892. 892.
    >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  893. 893.
    >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  894. 894.
    >"What?"
  895. 895.
    "You look terrible."
  896. 896.
    >"Kill yourself."
  897. 897.
    "Er, I mean,"
  898. 898.
    >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  899. 899.
    >She's trembling a bit
  900. 900.
    "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  901. 901.
    >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  902. 902.
    "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  903. 903.
    >Er, maybe too soon
  904. 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. 905.
    >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  906. 906.
    >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  907. 907.
    "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  908. 908.
    >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  909. 909.
    >You yawn and hold her tight
  910. 910.
    >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  911. 911.
    >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  912. 912.
    >Poor girl
  913. 913.
    >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  914. 914.
    >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  915. 915.
    "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  916. 916.
    >She sighs
  917. 917.
    >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  918. 918.
    "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  919. 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. 920.
    >You wouldn't say that
  921. 921.
    >...
  922. 922.
    >Yes you would
  923. 923.
    "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  924. 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. 925.
    >Alright, that struck a nerve
  926. 926.
    "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  927. 927.
    >"Then why'd you do it?"
  928. 928.
    "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  929. 929.
    >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  930. 930.
    >You do your best not to laugh
  931. 931.
    "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  932. 932.
    >"Ugh!"
  933. 933.
    >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  934. 934.
    >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  935. 935.
    "Come on, twin-tails."
  936. 936.
    >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  937. 937.
    >She flops around like a fish out of water
  938. 938.
    >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  939. 939.
    "Uh."
  940. 940.
    >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  941. 941.
    "Uh-huh?"
  942. 942.
    >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  943. 943.
    "...Go on..."
  944. 944.
    >She looks ready to explode
  945. 945.
    >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  946. 946.
    "Oh."
  947. 947.
    >You let her anger fester a bit
  948. 948.
    >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  949. 949.
    >Part of you really wants to know
  950. 950.
    >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  951. 951.
    >Yeah, probably strangling
  952. 952.
    "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  953. 953.
    >"Fu-wha?"
  954. 954.
    >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  955. 955.
    >It seems to have been effective
  956. 956.
    >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  957. 957.
    "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  958. 958.
    >"...yeah...?"
  959. 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. 960.
    >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  961. 961.
    >She just listens, so you keep going
  962. 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. 963.
    >"...but..."
  964. 964.
    >You cover her mouth
  965. 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. 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. 967.
    "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  968. 968.
    >You shut your eyes
  969. 969.
    >The good mood you had has evaporated
  970. 970.
    >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  971. 971.
    >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  972. 972.
    ___
  973. 973.
    >Your back kind of hurts
  974. 974.
    >Too used to your fancy bed
  975. 975.
    >What time is it?
  976. 976.
    >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  977. 977.
    >Has it been a couple of hours?
  978. 978.
    >Feels like longer
  979. 979.
    "Hey, Aria-"
  980. 980.
    >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  981. 981.
    >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  982. 982.
    >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  983. 983.
    "Oh boy."
  984. 984.
    >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  985. 985.
    >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  986. 986.
    "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  987. 987.
    >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  988. 988.
    "Fuck."
  989. 989.
    >9:14 A.M.
  990. 990.
    "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  991. 991.
    >"..nnnghh.."
  992. 992.
    >You shake her a bit
  993. 993.
    "You're going back upstairs now."
  994. 994.
    >"..ghhnn-no!"
  995. 995.
    >Her eyes shoot open
  996. 996.
    >"Huh?"
  997. 997.
    "How are you feeling?"
  998. 998.
    >She looks around and confirms her location
  999. 999.
    >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  1000. 1000.
    >You rub her head as you sit up
  1001. 1001.
    "I'm glad."
  1002. 1002.
    >"Psh..."
  1003. 1003.
    >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  1004. 1004.
    "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  1005. 1005.
    >....
  1006. 1006.
    >No comeback?
  1007. 1007.
    >Nothing?
  1008. 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. 1009.
    >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  1010. 1010.
    "Okay."
  1011. 1011.
    >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  1012. 1012.
    >"Wait!"
  1013. 1013.
    "What?"
  1014. 1014.
    >"Can you just wait?"
  1015. 1015.
    "Uh."
  1016. 1016.
    >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  1017. 1017.
    >Much more than a nap, actually
  1018. 1018.
    "You're adorable."
  1019. 1019.
    >"...wha?"
  1020. 1020.
    "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  1021. 1021.
    >Her face turns red and she frowns
  1022. 1022.
    >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  1023. 1023.
    "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  1024. 1024.
    >Her eye twitches
  1025. 1025.
    "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  1026. 1026.
    >"...so..."
  1027. 1027.
    "So?"
  1028. 1028.
    >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  1029. 1029.
    >Too cute
  1030. 1030.
    "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  1031. 1031.
    >"No."
  1032. 1032.
    "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  1033. 1033.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  1034. 1034.
    >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  1035. 1035.
    ___
  1036. 1036.
    >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  1037. 1037.
    >Did she...
  1038. 1038.
    "Sonata?"
  1039. 1039.
    >Yup
  1040. 1040.
    >Fell asleep watching TV again
  1041. 1041.
    >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  1042. 1042.
    >"Hey. The day has started."
  1043. 1043.
    >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  1044. 1044.
    "We've got a trip to m-"
  1045. 1045.
    >A message
  1046. 1046.
    >From...
  1047. 1047.
    >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  1048. 1048.
    >How could she possibly-
  1049. 1049.
    "That's crazy, Twilight"
  1050. 1050.
    >In no time, she responds
  1051. 1051.
    >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  1052. 1052.
    "Didn't find anything?"
  1053. 1053.
    >"Nothing..."
  1054. 1054.
    >"Anonymous"
  1055. 1055.
    >"I don't know what to do"
  1056. 1056.
    >You feel nauseated
  1057. 1057.
    >Maybe you can work something out?
  1058. 1058.
    >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  1059. 1059.
    >But that wouldn't be very believable
  1060. 1060.
    >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  1061. 1061.
    "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  1062. 1062.
    >"Yeah..."
  1063. 1063.
    >"Thank you Anonymous"
  1064. 1064.
    >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  1065. 1065.
    >"I must have made a mistake"
  1066. 1066.
    >No
  1067. 1067.
    >You didn't...
  1068. 1068.
    "Good luck."
  1069. 1069.
    >You sigh and close your laptop
  1070. 1070.
    "Sonata. Wake up."
  1071. 1071.
    >"Ghnnn..."
  1072. 1072.
    >You gently scratch her forehead
  1073. 1073.
    "Come onnnn."
  1074. 1074.
    >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  1075. 1075.
    "It's morning."
  1076. 1076.
    >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  1077. 1077.
    >Really?
  1078. 1078.
    >She's got to be making that up, right?
  1079. 1079.
    >You smile and ruffle her hair
  1080. 1080.
    "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  1081. 1081.
    >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  1082. 1082.
    >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  1083. 1083.
    "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  1084. 1084.
    >"What do we gotta do?!"
  1085. 1085.
    "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  1086. 1086.
    >She pouts
  1087. 1087.
    >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  1088. 1088.
    >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  1089. 1089.
    >It's not long before she gives in
  1090. 1090.
    >"Will you feed them, then?"
  1091. 1091.
    "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  1092. 1092.
    >"Okay~"
  1093. 1093.
    >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  1094. 1094.
    >"Anon..."
  1095. 1095.
    "Yeah?"
  1096. 1096.
    >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  1097. 1097.
    >Uh...?
  1098. 1098.
    "Just grab one right now?"
  1099. 1099.
    >"....wh... um. Okay."
  1100. 1100.
    >She looks at you with a blank face
  1101. 1101.
    >And then continues on
  1102. 1102.
    >Anyway
  1103. 1103.
    >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  1104. 1104.
    >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  1105. 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. 1106.
    >You scratch your chin and hum
  1107. 1107.
    >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  1108. 1108.
    "So then, clothes."
  1109. 1109.
    ___
  1110. 1110.
    >This room is... uncomfortable
  1111. 1111.
    >You were never allowed inside
  1112. 1112.
    >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  1113. 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. 1114.
    >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  1115. 1115.
    >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  1116. 1116.
    >As a result, she has a few-
  1117. 1117.
    "Bingo."
  1118. 1118.
    >A super curly blond wig
  1119. 1119.
    >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  1120. 1120.
    >That's good enough, you think
  1121. 1121.
    >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  1122. 1122.
    >"Anon! Where are you!"
  1123. 1123.
    "In here."
  1124. 1124.
    >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  1125. 1125.
    >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  1126. 1126.
    >"Who lives in here?"
  1127. 1127.
    "My parents used to."
  1128. 1128.
    >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  1129. 1129.
    >She points around at the mess you've made
  1130. 1130.
    "Yeah."
  1131. 1131.
    >"It's one of these!"
  1132. 1132.
    >Oh god
  1133. 1133.
    >Sonata
  1134. 1134.
    >Don't
  1135. 1135.
    "What about it?"
  1136. 1136.
    >"A, uh, b-something."
  1137. 1137.
    "Bra."
  1138. 1138.
    >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  1139. 1139.
    >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  1140. 1140.
    "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  1141. 1141.
    >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  1142. 1142.
    "You know you have to wear it today."
  1143. 1143.
    >"...but I don't like it."
  1144. 1144.
    >You shrug
  1145. 1145.
    "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  1146. 1146.
    >"But Anon."
  1147. 1147.
    >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  1148. 1148.
    >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  1149. 1149.
    >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  1150. 1150.
    >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  1151. 1151.
    >But you fail
  1152. 1152.
    >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  1153. 1153.
    "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  1154. 1154.
    >"As if!"
  1155. 1155.
    "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  1156. 1156.
    >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  1157. 1157.
    >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  1158. 1158.
    >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  1159. 1159.
    "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  1160. 1160.
    >"Really?!"
  1161. 1161.
    "But first, here!"
  1162. 1162.
    >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  1163. 1163.
    >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  1164. 1164.
    >"Heeeeeey..."
  1165. 1165.
    "There."
  1166. 1166.
    >You step back and admire your creation
  1167. 1167.
    >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  1168. 1168.
    >lumpy hair
  1169. 1169.
    >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  1170. 1170.
    >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  1171. 1171.
    "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  1172. 1172.
    >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  1173. 1173.
    >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  1174. 1174.
    >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  1175. 1175.
    >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  1176. 1176.
    "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  1177. 1177.
    >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  1178. 1178.
    >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  1179. 1179.
    >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  1180. 1180.
    "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  1181. 1181.
    >"We can go already?!"
  1182. 1182.
    "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  1183. 1183.
    >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud >It's been an everyday thing
  1184. 1184.
    >And so far it seems to have worked
  1185. 1185.
    >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  1186. 1186.
    >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  1187. 1187.
    >Sonata is bent over your lap
  1188. 1188.
    >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  1189. 1189.
    >Half of her rear end is exposed
  1190. 1190.
    >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  1191. 1191.
    "You're squirming again."
  1192. 1192.
    >"Huh?"
  1193. 1193.
    >She stiffens up
  1194. 1194.
    >"I wasn't..."
  1195. 1195.
    "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  1196. 1196.
    >"...I'm sorry."
  1197. 1197.
    >You press your hand against her
  1198. 1198.
    >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  1199. 1199.
    >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  1200. 1200.
    >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  1201. 1201.
    >THWACK
  1202. 1202.
    >"AHH! Anon!"
  1203. 1203.
    >THWACK
  1204. 1204.
    >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  1205. 1205.
    >THWACK
  1206. 1206.
    >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  1207. 1207.
    >THWACK
  1208. 1208.
    >"Anooooooooon!"
  1209. 1209.
    >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  1210. 1210.
    "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  1211. 1211.
    >She gasps
  1212. 1212.
    >Looks at you with a pout
  1213. 1213.
    "Well?"
  1214. 1214.
    >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  1215. 1215.
    >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  1216. 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. 1217.
    >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  1218. 1218.
    "That's a good Sonata."
  1219. 1219.
    >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  1220. 1220.
    "You promise with all of your heart?"
  1221. 1221.
    >Sniff
  1222. 1222.
    >"I p-promise. But..."
  1223. 1223.
    "But what?"
  1224. 1224.
    >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  1225. 1225.
    >You pat her head
  1226. 1226.
    "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  1227. 1227.
    >Sniff
  1228. 1228.
    >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  1229. 1229.
    "Sonata."
  1230. 1230.
    >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  1231. 1231.
    "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  1232. 1232.
    >"Really?"
  1233. 1233.
    "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  1234. 1234.
    >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  1235. 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. 1236.
    >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  1237. 1237.
    >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  1238. 1238.
    ___
  1239. 1239.
    >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  1240. 1240.
    >One week since Sonata gave in
  1241. 1241.
    >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  1242. 1242.
    >They scowl all through out
  1243. 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. 1244.
    >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  1245. 1245.
    >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  1246. 1246.
    >"Shut. Up."
  1247. 1247.
    >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  1248. 1248.
    >Sonata frowns
  1249. 1249.
    >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  1250. 1250.
    >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  1251. 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. 1252.
    >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  1253. 1253.
    >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  1254. 1254.
    >"He, he does..."
  1255. 1255.
    >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  1256. 1256.
    >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  1257. 1257.
    >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  1258. 1258.
    >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  1259. 1259.
    >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  1260. 1260.
    >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  1261. 1261.
    >"But... but! Adagio!"
  1262. 1262.
    >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  1263. 1263.
    >"Yes, traitor?"
  1264. 1264.
    >Sonata's heart sinks
  1265. 1265.
    >She backs away
  1266. 1266.
    >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  1267. 1267.
    >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  1268. 1268.
    >Sonata runs out of the room
  1269. 1269.
    >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  1270. 1270.
    ___
  1271. 1271.
    >You're downstairs, watching TV
  1272. 1272.
    >Some dull documentary
  1273. 1273.
    >"...Anonnnnn..."
  1274. 1274.
    >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  1275. 1275.
    "How'd it go?"
  1276. 1276.
    >"Annnoooon!"
  1277. 1277.
    >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  1278. 1278.
    "Bad?"
  1279. 1279.
    >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  1280. 1280.
    >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  1281. 1281.
    "What about Aria?"
  1282. 1282.
    >"She spit in my eye."
  1283. 1283.
    "What?"
  1284. 1284.
    >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  1285. 1285.
    >Some specks of spit are still there
  1286. 1286.
    >How dare Aria?
  1287. 1287.
    >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  1288. 1288.
    "There."
  1289. 1289.
    >"You got it?"
  1290. 1290.
    "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  1291. 1291.
    >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  1292. 1292.
    >"Anon?"
  1293. 1293.
    "Yeah?"
  1294. 1294.
    >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  1295. 1295.
    "What makes you ask that?"
  1296. 1296.
    >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  1297. 1297.
    >You wonder
  1298. 1298.
    >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  1299. 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. 1300.
    >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  1301. 1301.
    >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  1302. 1302.
    "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  1303. 1303.
    >"Oh....."
  1304. 1304.
    "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  1305. 1305.
    >"What?"
  1306. 1306.
    "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  1307. 1307.
    >You poke her nose
  1308. 1308.
    "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  1309. 1309.
    >She nods
  1310. 1310.
    >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  1311. 1311.
    ___
  1312. 1312.
    >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  1313. 1313.
    >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  1314. 1314.
    >The former doesn't look at you
  1315. 1315.
    >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  1316. 1316.
    "Hello, Aria."
  1317. 1317.
    >She sticks her tongue out at you
  1318. 1318.
    >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  1319. 1319.
    >This one's just asking for it
  1320. 1320.
    "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  1321. 1321.
    >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  1322. 1322.
    >You smirk
  1323. 1323.
    "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  1324. 1324.
    >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  1325. 1325.
    "Whoa!"
  1326. 1326.
    >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  1327. 1327.
    >You take a moment to admire her body
  1328. 1328.
    >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  1329. 1329.
    >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  1330. 1330.
    >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  1331. 1331.
    "I'm really impressed."
  1332. 1332.
    >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  1333. 1333.
    "Calm down."
  1334. 1334.
    >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  1335. 1335.
    >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  1336. 1336.
    >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  1337. 1337.
    "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  1338. 1338.
    >"...Fuck you."
  1339. 1339.
    >Her spirit excites you
  1340. 1340.
    "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  1341. 1341.
    >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  1342. 1342.
    >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  1343. 1343.
    >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  1344. 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. 1345.
    >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  1346. 1346.
    >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  1347. 1347.
    >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  1348. 1348.
    >You turn to Adagio
  1349. 1349.
    >She's just staring at the wall
  1350. 1350.
    >Not the most sympathetic leader
  1351. 1351.
    "Let's go."
  1352. 1352.
    ___
  1353. 1353.
    >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  1354. 1354.
    >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  1355. 1355.
    "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  1356. 1356.
    >"I know~"
  1357. 1357.
    >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  1358. 1358.
    >"It's a new ep-"
  1359. 1359.
    >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  1360. 1360.
    >"Aria...."
  1361. 1361.
    >"..Yeah?!"
  1362. 1362.
    >They're quiet
  1363. 1363.
    >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  1364. 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. 1365.
    >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  1366. 1366.
    "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  1367. 1367.
    >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  1368. 1368.
    >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  1369. 1369.
    >You smile and nod your head
  1370. 1370.
    >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  1371. 1371.
    >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  1372. 1372.
    "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  1373. 1373.
    >"Oh. Yeah!"
  1374. 1374.
    >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  1375. 1375.
    >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  1376. 1376.
    ___
  1377. 1377.
    "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  1378. 1378.
    >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  1379. 1379.
    "Then what's it about?"
  1380. 1380.
    >You make your way through the kitchen
  1381. 1381.
    >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  1382. 1382.
    >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  1383. 1383.
    >The entrance to the punishment room
  1384. 1384.
    "Ready?"
  1385. 1385.
    >"Fuck off."
  1386. 1386.
    >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  1387. 1387.
    >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  1388. 1388.
    >You approach it and stand Aria up
  1389. 1389.
    >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  1390. 1390.
    >Fair
  1391. 1391.
    >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  1392. 1392.
    >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  1393. 1393.
    >"What, is the chair for me?"
  1394. 1394.
    "No."
  1395. 1395.
    >You sit down
  1396. 1396.
    >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  1397. 1397.
    >Not quite
  1398. 1398.
    >You pull her down onto your lap
  1399. 1399.
    >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  1400. 1400.
    "Shut up."
  1401. 1401.
    >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  1402. 1402.
    >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  1403. 1403.
    >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  1404. 1404.
    >"....What are you doing?"
  1405. 1405.
    >She's pretty fit
  1406. 1406.
    >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  1407. 1407.
    >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  1408. 1408.
    >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  1409. 1409.
    >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  1410. 1410.
    >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  1411. 1411.
    >"Are you... a pervert?"
  1412. 1412.
    >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  1413. 1413.
    "You need to wash your hair better."
  1414. 1414.
    >"What?!"
  1415. 1415.
    "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  1416. 1416.
    >In reality, it smells alright
  1417. 1417.
    >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  1418. 1418.
    "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  1419. 1419.
    >"..."
  1420. 1420.
    >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  1421. 1421.
    "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  1422. 1422.
    >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  1423. 1423.
    >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  1424. 1424.
    >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  1425. 1425.
    >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  1426. 1426.
    "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  1427. 1427.
    >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  1428. 1428.
    "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  1429. 1429.
    >"..."
  1430. 1430.
    >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  1431. 1431.
    >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  1432. 1432.
    "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  1433. 1433.
    >"Wh-"
  1434. 1434.
    "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  1435. 1435.
    >You slap her legs together
  1436. 1436.
    "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  1437. 1437.
    >She's quiet
  1438. 1438.
    "Well?"
  1439. 1439.
    >You feel around her thighs for some time
  1440. 1440.
    >No response
  1441. 1441.
    "I'm not surprised."
  1442. 1442.
    >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  1443. 1443.
    >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  1444. 1444.
    "You're the perfect weight though."
  1445. 1445.
    >"...What?"
  1446. 1446.
    "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  1447. 1447.
    >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  1448. 1448.
    >"...Whatever."
  1449. 1449.
    >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  1450. 1450.
    >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  1451. 1451.
    "Hey."
  1452. 1452.
    >"...Hm?"
  1453. 1453.
    "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  1454. 1454.
    >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  1455. 1455.
    >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  1456. 1456.
    >"Anything's better than that."
  1457. 1457.
    "Why settle for anything?"
  1458. 1458.
    >"Hm?"
  1459. 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. 1460.
    >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  1461. 1461.
    "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  1462. 1462.
    >Her eyes go straight to yours
  1463. 1463.
    >And she just stares
  1464. 1464.
    >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  1465. 1465.
    >And says
  1466. 1466.
    >"Hang yourself."
  1467. 1467.
    >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  1468. 1468.
    "Interesting."
  1469. 1469.
    >"...What?"
  1470. 1470.
    "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  1471. 1471.
    >"The hell are you talking about?"
  1472. 1472.
    "You were thinking about it."
  1473. 1473.
    >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  1474. 1474.
    >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  1475. 1475.
    "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  1476. 1476.
    >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  1477. 1477.
    >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  1478. 1478.
    >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  1479. 1479.
    "Come on, Aria."
  1480. 1480.
    >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  1481. 1481.
    >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  1482. 1482.
    >"Dude. Back off."
  1483. 1483.
    "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  1484. 1484.
    >"...And it is?"
  1485. 1485.
    "Close your eyes."
  1486. 1486.
    >"N-No."
  1487. 1487.
    >She does it anyway
  1488. 1488.
    >"Don't."
  1489. 1489.
    >She quietly groans
  1490. 1490.
    >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  1491. 1491.
    >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  1492. 1492.
    >You lower her just a bit further
  1493. 1493.
    >Tighten your grip
  1494. 1494.
    >And spit in her face
  1495. 1495.
    ___
  1496. 1496.
    >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  1497. 1497.
    >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  1498. 1498.
    >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  1499. 1499.
    "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  1500. 1500.
    >She responds by kicking the wall
  1501. 1501.
    >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  1502. 1502.
    >"Anon?"
  1503. 1503.
    "Hey. What's up?"
  1504. 1504.
    >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  1505. 1505.
    >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  1506. 1506.
    "I'm afraid not."
  1507. 1507.
    >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  1508. 1508.
    "It keeps the door locked."
  1509. 1509.
    >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  1510. 1510.
    "Go ahead, try to open it."
  1511. 1511.
    >"Okay."
  1512. 1512.
    >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  1513. 1513.
    >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  1514. 1514.
    "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  1515. 1515.
    >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  1516. 1516.
    "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  1517. 1517.
    >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  1518. 1518.
    "You can choose. I have no preference."
  1519. 1519.
    >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  1520. 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. 1521.
    >Now there's a pile of them
  1522. 1522.
    >It's fine, though
  1523. 1523.
    >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  1524. 1524.
    >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  1525. 1525.
    >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  1526. 1526.
    >Adorable
  1527. 1527.
    >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  1528. 1528.
    >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  1529. 1529.
    >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  1530. 1530.
    >It was like caging a wild animal
  1531. 1531.
    >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  1532. 1532.
    "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  1533. 1533.
    >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  1534. 1534.
    >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  1535. 1535.
    >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  1536. 1536.
    >But instead you swing it wide open
  1537. 1537.
    >"W-What the HELL!"
  1538. 1538.
    >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  1539. 1539.
    >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  1540. 1540.
    "Don't flatter yourself."
  1541. 1541.
    >You hold the towel out toward her
  1542. 1542.
    >"...just put it on the counter!"
  1543. 1543.
    "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  1544. 1544.
    >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  1545. 1545.
    >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  1546. 1546.
    >"Fucking. Creep."
  1547. 1547.
    >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  1548. 1548.
    >"...Anon?"
  1549. 1549.
    "Huh?"
  1550. 1550.
    >"I finished the bed."
  1551. 1551.
    "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  1552. 1552.
    >You pat Sonata's head
  1553. 1553.
    >"Anon?"
  1554. 1554.
    "Yeah?"
  1555. 1555.
    >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  1556. 1556.
    >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  1557. 1557.
    "Oh. I did..."
  1558. 1558.
    >She looks deeply bothered
  1559. 1559.
    "What's wrong?"
  1560. 1560.
    >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  1561. 1561.
    >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  1562. 1562.
    "Uh."
  1563. 1563.
    >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  1564. 1564.
    >So innocent
  1565. 1565.
    >So cute
  1566. 1566.
    >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  1567. 1567.
    "Is someone getting jealous?"
  1568. 1568.
    >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  1569. 1569.
    >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  1570. 1570.
    >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  1571. 1571.
    >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  1572. 1572.
    >Probably just her demeanor
  1573. 1573.
    "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  1574. 1574.
    >"Why not?"
  1575. 1575.
    "Because. You're special to me."
  1576. 1576.
    >"...special to you..."
  1577. 1577.
    >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  1578. 1578.
    >You're getting eager to go to bed
  1579. 1579.
    >It's about that time now
  1580. 1580.
    >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  1581. 1581.
    >The door opens up
  1582. 1582.
    >Oh fuck
  1583. 1583.
    >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  1584. 1584.
    >"Wow."
  1585. 1585.
    >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  1586. 1586.
    >"Hi Aria."
  1587. 1587.
    >"Hi, slut."
  1588. 1588.
    "...Aria."
  1589. 1589.
    >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  1590. 1590.
    >"I'm out of here."
  1591. 1591.
    "Haha, what?"
  1592. 1592.
    >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  1593. 1593.
    "Don't be so stupid."
  1594. 1594.
    >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  1595. 1595.
    >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  1596. 1596.
    "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  1597. 1597.
    >"Well-"
  1598. 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. 1599.
    >"...where are our necklaces?"
  1600. 1600.
    "So you admit it."
  1601. 1601.
    >"What? No."
  1602. 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. 1603.
    >"Fuck! You!"
  1604. 1604.
    >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  1605. 1605.
    >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  1606. 1606.
    >"LET GO!"
  1607. 1607.
    "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  1608. 1608.
    >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  1609. 1609.
    "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  1610. 1610.
    >"NO!"
  1611. 1611.
    >Well
  1612. 1612.
    >Alright then
  1613. 1613.
    "Time to go back up."
  1614. 1614.
    >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  1615. 1615.
    >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  1616. 1616.
    >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  1617. 1617.
    "Oh calm down..."
  1618. 1618.
    >"Aria!"
  1619. 1619.
    >You stop in the doorway
  1620. 1620.
    >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  1621. 1621.
    >You hear Sonata sniffling
  1622. 1622.
    >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  1623. 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. 1624.
    >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  1625. 1625.
    >"OW! Stop!"
  1626. 1626.
    "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  1627. 1627.
    >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  1628. 1628.
    ___
  1629. 1629.
    >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  1630. 1630.
    >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  1631. 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. 1632.
    >But your mind draws a blank
  1633. 1633.
    >She's barely said a word since her capture
  1634. 1634.
    >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  1635. 1635.
    "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  1636. 1636.
    >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  1637. 1637.
    >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  1638. 1638.
    "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  1639. 1639.
    >"Hmm?"
  1640. 1640.
    >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  1641. 1641.
    "You need to wake up now."
  1642. 1642.
    >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  1643. 1643.
    "Didn't sleep well?"
  1644. 1644.
    >"I slept great. You were really..."
  1645. 1645.
    >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  1646. 1646.
    >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  1647. 1647.
    >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  1648. 1648.
    >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  1649. 1649.
    >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  1650. 1650.
    "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  1651. 1651.
    >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  1652. 1652.
    >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  1653. 1653.
    >It's hard not to baby her
  1654. 1654.
    "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  1655. 1655.
    >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  1656. 1656.
    >You were right to start with Sonata
  1657. 1657.
    >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  1658. 1658.
    >You even considered releasing them
  1659. 1659.
    >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  1660. 1660.
    >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  1661. 1661.
    >"This is really, really delicio-"
  1662. 1662.
    >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  1663. 1663.
    "...who the..."
  1664. 1664.
    >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  1665. 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. 1666.
    >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  1667. 1667.
    >"Uhh, but-"
  1668. 1668.
    "Please, go."
  1669. 1669.
    >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  1670. 1670.
    ___
  1671. 1671.
    >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  1672. 1672.
    >Twilight Sparkle
  1673. 1673.
    >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  1674. 1674.
    >Thankfully, she's alone
  1675. 1675.
    >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  1676. 1676.
    >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  1677. 1677.
    >Please
  1678. 1678.
    >Just go
  1679. 1679.
    >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  1680. 1680.
    >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  1681. 1681.
    "Good morning, Twilight."
  1682. 1682.
    >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  1683. 1683.
    >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  1684. 1684.
    "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  1685. 1685.
    >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  1686. 1686.
    >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  1687. 1687.
    "What's this about?"
  1688. 1688.
    >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  1689. 1689.
    "What for?"
  1690. 1690.
    >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  1691. 1691.
    "Yes..."
  1692. 1692.
    >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  1693. 1693.
    "Yes."
  1694. 1694.
    >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  1695. 1695.
    >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  1696. 1696.
    >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  1697. 1697.
    "Gone?!"
  1698. 1698.
    >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  1699. 1699.
    "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  1700. 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. 1701.
    "Really?"
  1702. 1702.
    >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  1703. 1703.
    >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  1704. 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. 1705.
    >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  1706. 1706.
    >Now you'll do it your way
  1707. 1707.
    "So what do you think it means?"
  1708. 1708.
    >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  1709. 1709.
    >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  1710. 1710.
    >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  1711. 1711.
    "Hm."
  1712. 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. 1713.
    "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  1714. 1714.
    >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  1715. 1715.
    >She closes her notebook and looks away
  1716. 1716.
    >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  1717. 1717.
    >You exhale slowly
  1718. 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. 1719.
    >"...I-"
  1720. 1720.
    >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  1721. 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. 1722.
    >"What is it?!"
  1723. 1723.
    >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  1724. 1724.
    "....Uh."
  1725. 1725.
    >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  1726. 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. 1727.
    >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  1728. 1728.
    >You nod
  1729. 1729.
    "It could be anything, really..."
  1730. 1730.
    >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  1731. 1731.
    >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  1732. 1732.
    >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  1733. 1733.
    >Is she about to cry?
  1734. 1734.
    >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  1735. 1735.
    >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  1736. 1736.
    >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  1737. 1737.
    "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  1738. 1738.
    >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  1739. 1739.
    >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  1740. 1740.
    >You consider offering her a ride
  1741. 1741.
    >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  1742. 1742.
    ___
  1743. 1743.
    >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  1744. 1744.
    >"Anon, who was it?"
  1745. 1745.
    "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  1746. 1746.
    >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  1747. 1747.
    >She stands up with defensive posture
  1748. 1748.
    >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  1749. 1749.
    >But she just stares
  1750. 1750.
    >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  1751. 1751.
    "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  1752. 1752.
    >"What?"
  1753. 1753.
    >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  1754. 1754.
    >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  1755. 1755.
    "Hmm."
  1756. 1756.
    >"Why?"
  1757. 1757.
    >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  1758. 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. 1759.
    >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  1760. 1760.
    >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  1761. 1761.
    "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  1762. 1762.
    >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  1763. 1763.
    >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  1764. 1764.
    >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  1765. 1765.
    >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  1766. 1766.
    >"Hey."
  1767. 1767.
    "...what, Aria?"
  1768. 1768.
    >"You're too close."
  1769. 1769.
    >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  1770. 1770.
    >"H-Hey!"
  1771. 1771.
    "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  1772. 1772.
    >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  1773. 1773.
    >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  1774. 1774.
    "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  1775. 1775.
    >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  1776. 1776.
    >"...you told someone?"
  1777. 1777.
    "Nope."
  1778. 1778.
    >"Then how could-"
  1779. 1779.
    >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  1780. 1780.
    >She was the one who told you to begin with
  1781. 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. 1782.
    >"How much do they know?"
  1783. 1783.
    >Aria looks on edge
  1784. 1784.
    >You just smile
  1785. 1785.
    "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  1786. 1786.
    >Sonata gasps
  1787. 1787.
    >"But it sounded so fun!"
  1788. 1788.
    "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  1789. 1789.
    >Maybe a disguise or something
  1790. 1790.
    >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  1791. 1791.
    "Anything it takes! Haha."
  1792. 1792.
    >"W-what?"
  1793. 1793.
    "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  1794. 1794.
    >She frowns
  1795. 1795.
    "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  1796. 1796.
    >Aria glares
  1797. 1797.
    >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  1798. 1798.
    "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  1799. 1799.
    >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  1800. 1800.
    "She just stood there and gawked."
  1801. 1801.
    >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  1802. 1802.
    "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  1803. 1803.
    >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  1804. 1804.
    >Gotta admit, it hurts
  1805. 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. 1806.
    >"Aria."
  1807. 1807.
    >".....huh?"
  1808. 1808.
    >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  1809. 1809.
    >Aria's mouth hangs open
  1810. 1810.
    >"But I... he's lyi..."
  1811. 1811.
    "Hey."
  1812. 1812.
    >You whisper into her ear
  1813. 1813.
    "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  1814. 1814.
    >"...what?"
  1815. 1815.
    "Your hair."
  1816. 1816.
    >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  1817. 1817.
    "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  1818. 1818.
    >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  1819. 1819.
    "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  1820. 1820.
    ___
  1821. 1821.
    >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  1822. 1822.
    >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  1823. 1823.
    >She'll be fine though, right?
  1824. 1824.
    >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  1825. 1825.
    "Ughh..."
  1826. 1826.
    >Time for another distraction
  1827. 1827.
    "Sonata, where are you?"
  1828. 1828.
    >"TV~!"
  1829. 1829.
    >You head into the living room
  1830. 1830.
    >Some cartoon is on
  1831. 1831.
    "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  1832. 1832.
    >"Okay~"
  1833. 1833.
    "Can you do me a favor?"
  1834. 1834.
    >"Of course!"
  1835. 1835.
    >She hops off of the couch and beams
  1836. 1836.
    >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  1837. 1837.
    "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  1838. 1838.
    >"Uh-huh."
  1839. 1839.
    "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  1840. 1840.
    >You head outside
  1841. 1841.
    >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  1842. 1842.
    >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  1843. 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. 1844.
    >It's asking for trouble
  1845. 1845.
    "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  1846. 1846.
    >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  1847. 1847.
    >A phone call would be better, but...
  1848. 1848.
    >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  1849. 1849.
    "Wait..."
  1850. 1850.
    >There's something in your peripheral vision
  1851. 1851.
    >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  1852. 1852.
    >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  1853. 1853.
    "Oh for fuck's sake."
  1854. 1854.
    >A shovel
  1855. 1855.
    >THE shovel
  1856. 1856.
    >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  1857. 1857.
    "Talk about a give-away."
  1858. 1858.
    >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  1859. 1859.
    >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  1860. 1860.
    ___
  1861. 1861.
    "We have more magazines!"
  1862. 1862.
    >"OOH!"
  1863. 1863.
    >Sonata snatches them up
  1864. 1864.
    >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  1865. 1865.
    >"It's a fashion one!"
  1866. 1866.
    >Her eyes narrow
  1867. 1867.
    >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  1868. 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. 1869.
    >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  1870. 1870.
    >"Good."
  1871. 1871.
    >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  1872. 1872.
    >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  1873. 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. 1874.
    "Oh, Sonata."
  1875. 1875.
    >You hold up the envelope
  1876. 1876.
    "We're going to have some money again."
  1877. 1877.
    >"Someone sent you money?"
  1878. 1878.
    "Yeah, my parents."
  1879. 1879.
    >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  1880. 1880.
    >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  1881. 1881.
    >"Hello son."
  1882. 1882.
    >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  1883. 1883.
    >Yeah...
  1884. 1884.
    >You know...
  1885. 1885.
    >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  1886. 1886.
    >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  1887. 1887.
    >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  1888. 1888.
    >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  1889. 1889.
    "Ughh..."
  1890. 1890.
    >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  1891. 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. 1892.
    >That's it...?
  1893. 1893.
    >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  1894. 1894.
    "..."
  1895. 1895.
    >It's fine
  1896. 1896.
    >They're busy, right?
  1897. 1897.
    >Probably have a lot on their mind
  1898. 1898.
    "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  1899. 1899.
    >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  1900. 1900.
    "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  1901. 1901.
    >"OOH!"
  1902. 1902.
    "Got something in mind already?"
  1903. 1903.
    >"I DO!"
  1904. 1904.
    >You chuckle
  1905. 1905.
    "What is it?"
  1906. 1906.
    >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  1907. 1907.
    "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  1908. 1908.
    >"T-T-T-"
  1909. 1909.
    >She grabs hold of your arms
  1910. 1910.
    >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  1911. 1911.
    >Taco...
  1912. 1912.
    >Bell?
  1913. 1913.
    >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  1914. 1914.
    "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  1915. 1915.
    >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  1916. 1916.
    "Why not?"
  1917. 1917.
    >She scoffs
  1918. 1918.
    >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  1919. 1919.
    "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  1920. 1920.
    >"Anon. Please!"
  1921. 1921.
    >She hugs your arm
  1922. 1922.
    >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  1923. 1923.
    >Maybe it's better this way
  1924. 1924.
    "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  1925. 1925.
    >"Go get it?"
  1926. 1926.
    "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  1927. 1927.
    >She backs away
  1928. 1928.
    >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  1929. 1929.
    >She looks upset...
  1930. 1930.
    >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  1931. 1931.
    >...oh
  1932. 1932.
    "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  1933. 1933.
    >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  1934. 1934.
    "It's-"
  1935. 1935.
    >She pulls away
  1936. 1936.
    >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  1937. 1937.
    "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  1938. 1938.
    >"This isn't what?"
  1939. 1939.
    "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  1940. 1940.
    >"Why? You're just making us good."
  1941. 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. 1942.
    >"So?"
  1943. 1943.
    >Sonata
  1944. 1944.
    >Please...
  1945. 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. 1946.
    >Your heart starts to race
  1947. 1947.
    >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  1948. 1948.
    >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  1949. 1949.
    "I-"
  1950. 1950.
    >You feel light-headed
  1951. 1951.
    "I'm g-"
  1952. 1952.
    >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  1953. 1953.
    >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  1954. 1954.
    >It's too risky
  1955. 1955.
    "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  1956. 1956.
    >"It's okay. Never mind."
  1957. 1957.
    >She's there, beside you
  1958. 1958.
    >"I don't want..."
  1959. 1959.
    >She wraps her arms around your waist
  1960. 1960.
    >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  1961. 1961.
    "Sonata..."
  1962. 1962.
    >You stand there quietly with her
  1963. 1963.
    >Soon, you feel at ease...
  1964. 1964.
    >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  1965. 1965.
    "Sonata."
  1966. 1966.
    >A fast food trip
  1967. 1967.
    >What could happen on a fast food trip
  1968. 1968.
    "Let's..."
  1969. 1969.
    >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  1970. 1970.
    "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  1971. 1971.
    >"...Really?"
  1972. 1972.
    "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  1973. 1973.
    >"Anon, are you sure?"
  1974. 1974.
    "Definitely."
  1975. 1975.
    >This will be fine
  1976. 1976.
    >Just have to be careful
  1977. 1977.
    >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  1978. 1978.
    "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  1979. 1979.
    >"ANYTHING?!"
  1980. 1980.
    "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  1981. 1981.
    >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  1982. 1982.
    "Haha, of course!"
  1983. 1983.
    >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  1984. 1984.
    >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  1985. 1985.
    >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  1986. 1986.
    >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  1987. 1987.
    "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  1988. 1988.
    >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  1989. 1989.
    "Well I'm a little on edge."
  1990. 1990.
    >"Can't have that~"
  1991. 1991.
    >She wraps her legs around you
  1992. 1992.
    >It feels awkward... but secure
  1993. 1993.
    >Very secure
  1994. 1994.
    >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  1995. 1995.
    "Okay."
  1996. 1996.
    >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  1997. 1997.
    >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  1998. 1998.
    >Always...
  1999. 1999.
    >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  2000. 2000.
    >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  2001. 2001.
    >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  2002. 2002.
    ___
  2003. 2003.
    >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  2004. 2004.
    >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  2005. 2005.
    >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  2006. 2006.
    "Because this is all gonna work out."
  2007. 2007.
    >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  2008. 2008.
    >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  2009. 2009.
    "Yeah?"
  2010. 2010.
    >You drop her in the chair
  2011. 2011.
    >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  2012. 2012.
    >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  2013. 2013.
    "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  2014. 2014.
    >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  2015. 2015.
    >She rolls her eyes
  2016. 2016.
    "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  2017. 2017.
    >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  2018. 2018.
    "What do you mean?"
  2019. 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. 2020.
    >Aria looks pretty worried
  2021. 2021.
    >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  2022. 2022.
    "Not gonna happen."
  2023. 2023.
    >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  2024. 2024.
    "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  2025. 2025.
    >She waits for you to elaborate
  2026. 2026.
    "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  2027. 2027.
    >"You don't know anything..."
  2028. 2028.
    "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  2029. 2029.
    >"What about us?"
  2030. 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. 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. 2032.
    "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  2033. 2033.
    >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  2034. 2034.
    >Up her sides
  2035. 2035.
    >And press into her arm pits
  2036. 2036.
    >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  2037. 2037.
    >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  2038. 2038.
    >"Knock it off."
  2039. 2039.
    "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  2040. 2040.
    >"Obviously. Idiot."
  2041. 2041.
    "Well."
  2042. 2042.
    >You back off and stand
  2043. 2043.
    "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  2044. 2044.
    >"Huh?"
  2045. 2045.
    "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  2046. 2046.
    >"....shut up..."
  2047. 2047.
    "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  2048. 2048.
    >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  2049. 2049.
    "Have you always been so filthy?"
  2050. 2050.
    >"I'm not. Filthy."
  2051. 2051.
    "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  2052. 2052.
    >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  2053. 2053.
    >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  2054. 2054.
    "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  2055. 2055.
    >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  2056. 2056.
    >You can't help but laugh in her face
  2057. 2057.
    "Once again, you prove my point."
  2058. 2058.
    >"What?!"
  2059. 2059.
    "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  2060. 2060.
    >"....just."
  2061. 2061.
    >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  2062. 2062.
    >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  2063. 2063.
    >She's become quiet
  2064. 2064.
    >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  2065. 2065.
    "Well..."
  2066. 2066.
    >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  2067. 2067.
    "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  2068. 2068.
    >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  2069. 2069.
    "Maybe!"
  2070. 2070.
    >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  2071. 2071.
    >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  2072. 2072.
    "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  2073. 2073.
    >"I wasn't even scared!"
  2074. 2074.
    "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  2075. 2075.
    >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  2076. 2076.
    >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  2077. 2077.
    >"What?"
  2078. 2078.
    "You look terrible."
  2079. 2079.
    >"Kill yourself."
  2080. 2080.
    "Er, I mean,"
  2081. 2081.
    >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  2082. 2082.
    >She's trembling a bit
  2083. 2083.
    "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  2084. 2084.
    >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  2085. 2085.
    "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  2086. 2086.
    >Er, maybe too soon
  2087. 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. 2088.
    >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  2089. 2089.
    >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  2090. 2090.
    "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  2091. 2091.
    >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  2092. 2092.
    >You yawn and hold her tight
  2093. 2093.
    >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  2094. 2094.
    >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  2095. 2095.
    >Poor girl
  2096. 2096.
    >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  2097. 2097.
    >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  2098. 2098.
    "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  2099. 2099.
    >She sighs
  2100. 2100.
    >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  2101. 2101.
    "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  2102. 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. 2103.
    >You wouldn't say that
  2104. 2104.
    >...
  2105. 2105.
    >Yes you would
  2106. 2106.
    "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  2107. 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. 2108.
    >Alright, that struck a nerve
  2109. 2109.
    "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  2110. 2110.
    >"Then why'd you do it?"
  2111. 2111.
    "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  2112. 2112.
    >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  2113. 2113.
    >You do your best not to laugh
  2114. 2114.
    "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  2115. 2115.
    >"Ugh!"
  2116. 2116.
    >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  2117. 2117.
    >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  2118. 2118.
    "Come on, twin-tails."
  2119. 2119.
    >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  2120. 2120.
    >She flops around like a fish out of water
  2121. 2121.
    >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  2122. 2122.
    "Uh."
  2123. 2123.
    >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  2124. 2124.
    "Uh-huh?"
  2125. 2125.
    >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  2126. 2126.
    "...Go on..."
  2127. 2127.
    >She looks ready to explode
  2128. 2128.
    >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  2129. 2129.
    "Oh."
  2130. 2130.
    >You let her anger fester a bit
  2131. 2131.
    >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  2132. 2132.
    >Part of you really wants to know
  2133. 2133.
    >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  2134. 2134.
    >Yeah, probably strangling
  2135. 2135.
    "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  2136. 2136.
    >"Fu-wha?"
  2137. 2137.
    >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  2138. 2138.
    >It seems to have been effective
  2139. 2139.
    >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  2140. 2140.
    "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  2141. 2141.
    >"...yeah...?"
  2142. 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. 2143.
    >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  2144. 2144.
    >She just listens, so you keep going
  2145. 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. 2146.
    >"...but..."
  2147. 2147.
    >You cover her mouth
  2148. 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. 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. 2150.
    "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  2151. 2151.
    >You shut your eyes
  2152. 2152.
    >The good mood you had has evaporated
  2153. 2153.
    >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  2154. 2154.
    >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  2155. 2155.
    ___
  2156. 2156.
    >Your back kind of hurts
  2157. 2157.
    >Too used to your fancy bed
  2158. 2158.
    >What time is it?
  2159. 2159.
    >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  2160. 2160.
    >Has it been a couple of hours?
  2161. 2161.
    >Feels like longer
  2162. 2162.
    "Hey, Aria-"
  2163. 2163.
    >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  2164. 2164.
    >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  2165. 2165.
    >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  2166. 2166.
    "Oh boy."
  2167. 2167.
    >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  2168. 2168.
    >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  2169. 2169.
    "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  2170. 2170.
    >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  2171. 2171.
    "Fuck."
  2172. 2172.
    >9:14 A.M.
  2173. 2173.
    "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  2174. 2174.
    >"..nnnghh.."
  2175. 2175.
    >You shake her a bit
  2176. 2176.
    "You're going back upstairs now."
  2177. 2177.
    >"..ghhnn-no!"
  2178. 2178.
    >Her eyes shoot open
  2179. 2179.
    >"Huh?"
  2180. 2180.
    "How are you feeling?"
  2181. 2181.
    >She looks around and confirms her location
  2182. 2182.
    >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  2183. 2183.
    >You rub her head as you sit up
  2184. 2184.
    "I'm glad."
  2185. 2185.
    >"Psh..."
  2186. 2186.
    >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  2187. 2187.
    "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  2188. 2188.
    >....
  2189. 2189.
    >No comeback?
  2190. 2190.
    >Nothing?
  2191. 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. 2192.
    >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  2193. 2193.
    "Okay."
  2194. 2194.
    >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  2195. 2195.
    >"Wait!"
  2196. 2196.
    "What?"
  2197. 2197.
    >"Can you just wait?"
  2198. 2198.
    "Uh."
  2199. 2199.
    >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  2200. 2200.
    >Much more than a nap, actually
  2201. 2201.
    "You're adorable."
  2202. 2202.
    >"...wha?"
  2203. 2203.
    "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  2204. 2204.
    >Her face turns red and she frowns
  2205. 2205.
    >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  2206. 2206.
    "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  2207. 2207.
    >Her eye twitches
  2208. 2208.
    "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  2209. 2209.
    >"...so..."
  2210. 2210.
    "So?"
  2211. 2211.
    >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  2212. 2212.
    >Too cute
  2213. 2213.
    "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  2214. 2214.
    >"No."
  2215. 2215.
    "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  2216. 2216.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  2217. 2217.
    >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  2218. 2218.
    ___
  2219. 2219.
    >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  2220. 2220.
    >Did she...
  2221. 2221.
    "Sonata?"
  2222. 2222.
    >Yup
  2223. 2223.
    >Fell asleep watching TV again
  2224. 2224.
    >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  2225. 2225.
    >"Hey. The day has started."
  2226. 2226.
    >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  2227. 2227.
    "We've got a trip to m-"
  2228. 2228.
    >A message
  2229. 2229.
    >From...
  2230. 2230.
    >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  2231. 2231.
    >How could she possibly-
  2232. 2232.
    "That's crazy, Twilight"
  2233. 2233.
    >In no time, she responds
  2234. 2234.
    >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  2235. 2235.
    "Didn't find anything?"
  2236. 2236.
    >"Nothing..."
  2237. 2237.
    >"Anonymous"
  2238. 2238.
    >"I don't know what to do"
  2239. 2239.
    >You feel nauseated
  2240. 2240.
    >Maybe you can work something out?
  2241. 2241.
    >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  2242. 2242.
    >But that wouldn't be very believable
  2243. 2243.
    >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  2244. 2244.
    "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  2245. 2245.
    >"Yeah..."
  2246. 2246.
    >"Thank you Anonymous"
  2247. 2247.
    >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  2248. 2248.
    >"I must have made a mistake"
  2249. 2249.
    >No
  2250. 2250.
    >You didn't...
  2251. 2251.
    "Good luck."
  2252. 2252.
    >You sigh and close your laptop
  2253. 2253.
    "Sonata. Wake up."
  2254. 2254.
    >"Ghnnn..."
  2255. 2255.
    >You gently scratch her forehead
  2256. 2256.
    "Come onnnn."
  2257. 2257.
    >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  2258. 2258.
    "It's morning."
  2259. 2259.
    >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  2260. 2260.
    >Really?
  2261. 2261.
    >She's got to be making that up, right?
  2262. 2262.
    >You smile and ruffle her hair
  2263. 2263.
    "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  2264. 2264.
    >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  2265. 2265.
    >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  2266. 2266.
    "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  2267. 2267.
    >"What do we gotta do?!"
  2268. 2268.
    "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  2269. 2269.
    >She pouts
  2270. 2270.
    >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  2271. 2271.
    >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  2272. 2272.
    >It's not long before she gives in
  2273. 2273.
    >"Will you feed them, then?"
  2274. 2274.
    "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  2275. 2275.
    >"Okay~"
  2276. 2276.
    >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  2277. 2277.
    >"Anon..."
  2278. 2278.
    "Yeah?"
  2279. 2279.
    >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  2280. 2280.
    >Uh...?
  2281. 2281.
    "Just grab one right now?"
  2282. 2282.
    >"....wh... um. Okay."
  2283. 2283.
    >She looks at you with a blank face
  2284. 2284.
    >And then continues on
  2285. 2285.
    >Anyway
  2286. 2286.
    >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  2287. 2287.
    >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  2288. 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. 2289.
    >You scratch your chin and hum
  2290. 2290.
    >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  2291. 2291.
    "So then, clothes."
  2292. 2292.
    ___
  2293. 2293.
    >This room is... uncomfortable
  2294. 2294.
    >You were never allowed inside
  2295. 2295.
    >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  2296. 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. 2297.
    >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  2298. 2298.
    >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  2299. 2299.
    >As a result, she has a few-
  2300. 2300.
    "Bingo."
  2301. 2301.
    >A super curly blond wig
  2302. 2302.
    >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  2303. 2303.
    >That's good enough, you think
  2304. 2304.
    >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  2305. 2305.
    >"Anon! Where are you!"
  2306. 2306.
    "In here."
  2307. 2307.
    >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  2308. 2308.
    >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  2309. 2309.
    >"Who lives in here?"
  2310. 2310.
    "My parents used to."
  2311. 2311.
    >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  2312. 2312.
    >She points around at the mess you've made
  2313. 2313.
    "Yeah."
  2314. 2314.
    >"It's one of these!"
  2315. 2315.
    >Oh god
  2316. 2316.
    >Sonata
  2317. 2317.
    >Don't
  2318. 2318.
    "What about it?"
  2319. 2319.
    >"A, uh, b-something."
  2320. 2320.
    "Bra."
  2321. 2321.
    >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  2322. 2322.
    >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  2323. 2323.
    "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  2324. 2324.
    >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  2325. 2325.
    "You know you have to wear it today."
  2326. 2326.
    >"...but I don't like it."
  2327. 2327.
    >You shrug
  2328. 2328.
    "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  2329. 2329.
    >"But Anon."
  2330. 2330.
    >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  2331. 2331.
    >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  2332. 2332.
    >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  2333. 2333.
    >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  2334. 2334.
    >But you fail
  2335. 2335.
    >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  2336. 2336.
    "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  2337. 2337.
    >"As if!"
  2338. 2338.
    "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  2339. 2339.
    >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  2340. 2340.
    >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  2341. 2341.
    >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  2342. 2342.
    "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  2343. 2343.
    >"Really?!"
  2344. 2344.
    "But first, here!"
  2345. 2345.
    >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  2346. 2346.
    >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  2347. 2347.
    >"Heeeeeey..."
  2348. 2348.
    "There."
  2349. 2349.
    >You step back and admire your creation
  2350. 2350.
    >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  2351. 2351.
    >lumpy hair
  2352. 2352.
    >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  2353. 2353.
    >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  2354. 2354.
    "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  2355. 2355.
    >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  2356. 2356.
    >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  2357. 2357.
    >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  2358. 2358.
    >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  2359. 2359.
    "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  2360. 2360.
    >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  2361. 2361.
    >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  2362. 2362.
    >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  2363. 2363.
    "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  2364. 2364.
    >"We can go already?!"
  2365. 2365.
    "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  2366. 2366.
    >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  2367. 2367.
    >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  2368. 2368.
    >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  2369. 2369.
    >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  2370. 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. 2371.
    >"Sure!"
  2372. 2372.
    ___
  2373. 2373.
    Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  2374. 2374.
    >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  2375. 2375.
    >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  2376. 2376.
    "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  2377. 2377.
    >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  2378. 2378.
    >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  2379. 2379.
    "Try to have a little patience."
  2380. 2380.
    >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  2381. 2381.
    >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  2382. 2382.
    >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  2383. 2383.
    >She huffs and crosses her arms
  2384. 2384.
    >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  2385. 2385.
    "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  2386. 2386.
    >"Then whyyyy?"
  2387. 2387.
    "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  2388. 2388.
    >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  2389. 2389.
    >This is really starting to piss you off
  2390. 2390.
    "I'm worried about you."
  2391. 2391.
    >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  2392. 2392.
    "...Sona-"
  2393. 2393.
    >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  2394. 2394.
    >Aria's words from last night
  2395. 2395.
    >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  2396. 2396.
    "Sonata. This needs to-"
  2397. 2397.
    >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  2398. 2398.
    >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  2399. 2399.
    "Fuck!"
  2400. 2400.
    >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  2401. 2401.
    >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  2402. 2402.
    >and a truck passes by you from the right
  2403. 2403.
    >Holy shit
  2404. 2404.
    "...Sonata."
  2405. 2405.
    >"Huh?"
  2406. 2406.
    "You need to stop."
  2407. 2407.
    >"What?"
  2408. 2408.
    >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  2409. 2409.
    "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  2410. 2410.
    >"Oh..."
  2411. 2411.
    >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  2412. 2412.
    >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  2413. 2413.
    "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  2414. 2414.
    >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  2415. 2415.
    >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  2416. 2416.
    >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  2417. 2417.
    >...you didn't almost crash
  2418. 2418.
    >Right?
  2419. 2419.
    >You would have stopped no matter what
  2420. 2420.
    >...
  2421. 2421.
    >No
  2422. 2422.
    >Don't kid yourself
  2423. 2423.
    >This is important
  2424. 2424.
    "Oh thank God."
  2425. 2425.
    >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  2426. 2426.
    >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  2427. 2427.
    >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  2428. 2428.
    >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  2429. 2429.
    "Do you understand what just happened?"
  2430. 2430.
    >"Um..."
  2431. 2431.
    "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  2432. 2432.
    >"Not really."
  2433. 2433.
    "We could have died."
  2434. 2434.
    >"Wh-what?!"
  2435. 2435.
    >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  2436. 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. 2437.
    >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  2438. 2438.
    "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  2439. 2439.
    >She suddenly looks very upset
  2440. 2440.
    >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  2441. 2441.
    >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  2442. 2442.
    >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  2443. 2443.
    "Sonata..."
  2444. 2444.
    >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  2445. 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. 2446.
    >"Uhhh... I-"
  2447. 2447.
    "Understood?"
  2448. 2448.
    >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  2449. 2449.
    >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  2450. 2450.
    >Stiff as a board
  2451. 2451.
    >This... feels shitty
  2452. 2452.
    >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  2453. 2453.
    >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  2454. 2454.
    >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  2455. 2455.
    >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  2456. 2456.
    >Nobody here cares
  2457. 2457.
    >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  2458. 2458.
    "Are you ready?"
  2459. 2459.
    >"Um... uh-huh."
  2460. 2460.
    >She's practically hiding behind the car
  2461. 2461.
    >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  2462. 2462.
    "Come here, Sonata."
  2463. 2463.
    >She slowly walks over to your side
  2464. 2464.
    >God damn it
  2465. 2465.
    >This isn't what you wanted today
  2466. 2466.
    "Stop... please."
  2467. 2467.
    >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  2468. 2468.
    "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  2469. 2469.
    >"...s-sorry."
  2470. 2470.
    >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  2471. 2471.
    >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  2472. 2472.
    "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  2473. 2473.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  2474. 2474.
    "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  2475. 2475.
    >"Okay."
  2476. 2476.
    >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  2477. 2477.
    >She smiles back
  2478. 2478.
    >That's more like it
  2479. 2479.
    >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  2480. 2480.
    "Whoa!"
  2481. 2481.
    >A guy almost hits her with the door
  2482. 2482.
    >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  2483. 2483.
    >"C'mon!"
  2484. 2484.
    "Okay, okay!"
  2485. 2485.
    ___
  2486. 2486.
    >The air conditioning
  2487. 2487.
    >That pop music
  2488. 2488.
    >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  2489. 2489.
    >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  2490. 2490.
    >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  2491. 2491.
    >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  2492. 2492.
    >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  2493. 2493.
    >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  2494. 2494.
    "So. Any ideas?"
  2495. 2495.
    >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  2496. 2496.
    "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  2497. 2497.
    >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  2498. 2498.
    "Crazy, right?"
  2499. 2499.
    >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  2500. 2500.
    "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  2501. 2501.
    >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  2502. 2502.
    "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  2503. 2503.
    >"The whuh?"
  2504. 2504.
    >You point her up to the left
  2505. 2505.
    "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  2506. 2506.
    >"b-bacon!?"
  2507. 2507.
    "And it comes with a drink of course."
  2508. 2508.
    >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  2509. 2509.
    "Are you sure?"
  2510. 2510.
    >"WAIT."
  2511. 2511.
    >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  2512. 2512.
    >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  2513. 2513.
    "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  2514. 2514.
    >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  2515. 2515.
    >"YES!"
  2516. 2516.
    >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  2517. 2517.
    >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  2518. 2518.
    "We're ready. I think."
  2519. 2519.
    >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  2520. 2520.
    "Honey, you can just get both."
  2521. 2521.
    >"Ho...ney...?"
  2522. 2522.
    >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  2523. 2523.
    "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  2524. 2524.
    >You go through the motions of paying
  2525. 2525.
    >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  2526. 2526.
    >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  2527. 2527.
    >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  2528. 2528.
    "I know~"
  2529. 2529.
    >She runs over to the soda machines
  2530. 2530.
    >"You two are adorable."
  2531. 2531.
    "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  2532. 2532.
    >The cashier giggles
  2533. 2533.
    >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  2534. 2534.
    >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  2535. 2535.
    >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  2536. 2536.
    >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  2537. 2537.
    "...you too."
  2538. 2538.
    >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  2539. 2539.
    >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  2540. 2540.
    >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  2541. 2541.
    "Here."
  2542. 2542.
    >You snap it on
  2543. 2543.
    >"Thank yoooou~"
  2544. 2544.
    >There's a lot of flavors these days
  2545. 2545.
    >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  2546. 2546.
    >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  2547. 2547.
    >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  2548. 2548.
    >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  2549. 2549.
    "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  2550. 2550.
    >"Ohhh. Neato."
  2551. 2551.
    >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  2552. 2552.
    "Do you like it hot?"
  2553. 2553.
    >"I like it... I... like it..."
  2554. 2554.
    >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  2555. 2555.
    >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  2556. 2556.
    "Do you want some? Or-"
  2557. 2557.
    >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  2558. 2558.
    >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  2559. 2559.
    "Uhh."
  2560. 2560.
    >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  2561. 2561.
    >"Anon."
  2562. 2562.
    "Yeah?"
  2563. 2563.
    >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  2564. 2564.
    ___
  2565. 2565.
    >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  2566. 2566.
    >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  2567. 2567.
    "Don't choke!"
  2568. 2568.
    >"Ih woghn't!"
  2569. 2569.
    >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  2570. 2570.
    >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  2571. 2571.
    >And kind of turn you on
  2572. 2572.
    >Oh boy
  2573. 2573.
    >"Anaghn?"
  2574. 2574.
    >She swallows
  2575. 2575.
    >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  2576. 2576.
    "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  2577. 2577.
    >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  2578. 2578.
    >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  2579. 2579.
    "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  2580. 2580.
    >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  2581. 2581.
    >You take the moment in
  2582. 2582.
    >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  2583. 2583.
    >It feels amazing
  2584. 2584.
    >"Oh. And Anon?"
  2585. 2585.
    "Yeah?"
  2586. 2586.
    >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  2587. 2587.
    >Dizzy?
  2588. 2588.
    >Is that good or bad?
  2589. 2589.
    >"You should call me it more often~"
  2590. 2590.
    >Oh, it's good
  2591. 2591.
    >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  2592. 2592.
    "Okay, honey."
  2593. 2593.
    >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  2594. 2594.
    >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  2595. 2595.
    >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  2596. 2596.
    >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  2597. 2597.
    >It's blissful
  2598. 2598.
    >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  2599. 2599.
    "...oh God."
  2600. 2600.
    >"Hm?"
  2601. 2601.
    >The side door to the right opens up
  2602. 2602.
    >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  2603. 2603.
    >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  2604. 2604.
    "Oh man."
  2605. 2605.
    >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  2606. 2606.
    "What?"
  2607. 2607.
    >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  2608. 2608.
    >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  2609. 2609.
    "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  2610. 2610.
    >"Uh-huh."
  2611. 2611.
    >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  2612. 2612.
    >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  2613. 2613.
    >She's right
  2614. 2614.
    >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  2615. 2615.
    >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  2616. 2616.
    >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  2617. 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. 2618.
    >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  2619. 2619.
    >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  2620. 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. 2621.
    >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  2622. 2622.
    >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  2623. 2623.
    >They gave her a cup
  2624. 2624.
    >She's about to circle around
  2625. 2625.
    >Why did you have to sit here?
  2626. 2626.
    >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  2627. 2627.
    "Uhh."
  2628. 2628.
    >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  2629. 2629.
    >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  2630. 2630.
    "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  2631. 2631.
    >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  2632. 2632.
    >Here she comes
  2633. 2633.
    >Don't look at her
  2634. 2634.
    >Look at Sonata
  2635. 2635.
    >There we go
  2636. 2636.
    >Just let her pass
  2637. 2637.
    >Better hold still, too
  2638. 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. 2639.
    >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  2640. 2640.
    >She's as close as she can get
  2641. 2641.
    >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  2642. 2642.
    >Time seems to slow down
  2643. 2643.
    >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  2644. 2644.
    >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  2645. 2645.
    >Slide under the table?
  2646. 2646.
    >Run for it?
  2647. 2647.
    >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  2648. 2648.
    >You cover your mouth and groan
  2649. 2649.
    >"Anonymous?"
  2650. 2650.
    >...
  2651. 2651.
    >"Is that you?"
  2652. 2652.
    >You look up
  2653. 2653.
    >Her offense seems to have faded
  2654. 2654.
    >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  2655. 2655.
    "That's me, yeah."
  2656. 2656.
    >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  2657. 2657.
    >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  2658. 2658.
    "Oh?"
  2659. 2659.
    >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  2660. 2660.
    "That's not necessary."
  2661. 2661.
    >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  2662. 2662.
    >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  2663. 2663.
    "Ehheh."
  2664. 2664.
    >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  2665. 2665.
    >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  2666. 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. 2667.
    "Not a word."
  2668. 2668.
    >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  2669. 2669.
    "...feel free."
  2670. 2670.
    >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  2671. 2671.
    "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  2672. 2672.
    >"Applejack."
  2673. 2673.
    "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  2674. 2674.
    >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  2675. 2675.
    "Really?"
  2676. 2676.
    >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  2677. 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. 2678.
    "Oh."
  2679. 2679.
    >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  2680. 2680.
    >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  2681. 2681.
    >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  2682. 2682.
    "Did she?"
  2683. 2683.
    >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  2684. 2684.
    "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  2685. 2685.
    >She nods
  2686. 2686.
    >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  2687. 2687.
    "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  2688. 2688.
    >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  2689. 2689.
    >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  2690. 2690.
    >Maybe you can end this quickly
  2691. 2691.
    "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  2692. 2692.
    >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  2693. 2693.
    >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  2694. 2694.
    >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  2695. 2695.
    >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  2696. 2696.
    >All goes well for a few minutes
  2697. 2697.
    >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  2698. 2698.
    >"You're pretty."
  2699. 2699.
    >AJ's eyes open wide
  2700. 2700.
    >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  2701. 2701.
    >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  2702. 2702.
    >Good lord
  2703. 2703.
    >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  2704. 2704.
    >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  2705. 2705.
    >So you just smile and shrug
  2706. 2706.
    >"Yes or no, silly~"
  2707. 2707.
    >Urk
  2708. 2708.
    "Sure, she's pretty."
  2709. 2709.
    >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  2710. 2710.
    >What was she expecting?
  2711. 2711.
    >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  2712. 2712.
    "She's. My... cousin."
  2713. 2713.
    >"Oh really?"
  2714. 2714.
    "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  2715. 2715.
    >She tugs even harder
  2716. 2716.
    >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  2717. 2717.
    >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  2718. 2718.
    "Hey..."
  2719. 2719.
    >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  2720. 2720.
    "...her name is Bella."
  2721. 2721.
    >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  2722. 2722.
    >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  2723. 2723.
    "She's visiting right now."
  2724. 2724.
    >"Ah..."
  2725. 2725.
    >The table falls silent
  2726. 2726.
    >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  2727. 2727.
    >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  2728. 2728.
    >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  2729. 2729.
    >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  2730. 2730.
    >"I'm not just visiting."
  2731. 2731.
    >"...excuse me?"
  2732. 2732.
    >"I live with Anon."
  2733. 2733.
    >Sonata
  2734. 2734.
    >What the fuck
  2735. 2735.
    >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  2736. 2736.
    >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  2737. 2737.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  2738. 2738.
    >"In fact. We share the same-"
  2739. 2739.
    "Bella."
  2740. 2740.
    >"...we-"
  2741. 2741.
    >She hugs your arm
  2742. 2742.
    >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  2743. 2743.
    "BELLA."
  2744. 2744.
    >Both girls jump
  2745. 2745.
    >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  2746. 2746.
    >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  2747. 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. 2748.
    >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  2749. 2749.
    >Finally, she speaks
  2750. 2750.
    >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  2751. 2751.
    ___
  2752. 2752.
    >She knows
  2753. 2753.
    >She's not stupid
  2754. 2754.
    >Just southern
  2755. 2755.
    >Wait, that's fucked up
  2756. 2756.
    >Can't control racing thoughts
  2757. 2757.
    >She's not even looking at you
  2758. 2758.
    >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  2759. 2759.
    >"So."
  2760. 2760.
    "So!?"
  2761. 2761.
    >Too loud, calm down
  2762. 2762.
    >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  2763. 2763.
    "Uh."
  2764. 2764.
    >Can't really deny it now
  2765. 2765.
    "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  2766. 2766.
    >"Because yer livin' together."
  2767. 2767.
    "Y-Yeah?"
  2768. 2768.
    >"Alone."
  2769. 2769.
    "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  2770. 2770.
    >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  2771. 2771.
    >"An' will be for a while."
  2772. 2772.
    "...yeah?"
  2773. 2773.
    >She shakes her head
  2774. 2774.
    >Wait
  2775. 2775.
    >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  2776. 2776.
    "Is that a problem?"
  2777. 2777.
    >She spits into gutter
  2778. 2778.
    >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  2779. 2779.
    >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  2780. 2780.
    "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  2781. 2781.
    >"She pregnant?"
  2782. 2782.
    >Your jaw drops
  2783. 2783.
    "Does she... look pregnant?"
  2784. 2784.
    >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  2785. 2785.
    >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  2786. 2786.
    >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  2787. 2787.
    "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  2788. 2788.
    >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  2789. 2789.
    "That's not quite-"
  2790. 2790.
    >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  2791. 2791.
    "Well."
  2792. 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. 2793.
    "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  2794. 2794.
    >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  2795. 2795.
    >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  2796. 2796.
    >"Ah'm right."
  2797. 2797.
    "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  2798. 2798.
    >She smiles
  2799. 2799.
    >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  2800. 2800.
    "Get to the point."
  2801. 2801.
    >"Alright, alright."
  2802. 2802.
    >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  2803. 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. 2804.
    "Go on."
  2805. 2805.
    >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  2806. 2806.
    "True..."
  2807. 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. 2808.
    "Like?"
  2809. 2809.
    >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  2810. 2810.
    >It's as if her voice moves further away
  2811. 2811.
    >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  2812. 2812.
    >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  2813. 2813.
    >But she keeps going and going
  2814. 2814.
    >Like some kind of after school special
  2815. 2815.
    >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  2816. 2816.
    >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  2817. 2817.
    >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  2818. 2818.
    >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  2819. 2819.
    >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  2820. 2820.
    >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  2821. 2821.
    >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  2822. 2822.
    >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  2823. 2823.
    "Uh-huh."
  2824. 2824.
    >You extend your hand
  2825. 2825.
    >She takes it, and you pull her up
  2826. 2826.
    >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  2827. 2827.
    "I will."
  2828. 2828.
    >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  2829. 2829.
    >It makes your stomach turn
  2830. 2830.
    >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  2831. 2831.
    >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  2832. 2832.
    >Then, she stares at you
  2833. 2833.
    >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  2834. 2834.
    >"Anon."
  2835. 2835.
    "Yeah?"
  2836. 2836.
    >She takes one little step forward
  2837. 2837.
    >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  2838. 2838.
    "Just-"
  2839. 2839.
    >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  2840. 2840.
    >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  2841. 2841.
    >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  2842. 2842.
    >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  2843. 2843.
    >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  2844. 2844.
    >But fuck Aria
  2845. 2845.
    "Come here."
  2846. 2846.
    >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  2847. 2847.
    >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  2848. 2848.
    "I'm not mad."
  2849. 2849.
    >"Y-You aren't?"
  2850. 2850.
    "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  2851. 2851.
    >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  2852. 2852.
    "I think you do, Sonata."
  2853. 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. 2854.
    >She goes quiet
  2855. 2855.
    >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  2856. 2856.
    "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  2857. 2857.
    >"Huh?!"
  2858. 2858.
    "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  2859. 2859.
    >"Anon?"
  2860. 2860.
    "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  2861. 2861.
    >Urgh
  2862. 2862.
    >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  2863. 2863.
    >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  2864. 2864.
    >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  2865. 2865.
    >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  2866. 2866.
    >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  2867. 2867.
    >"Anon! I-"
  2868. 2868.
    >It gets tighter
  2869. 2869.
    >And tighter
  2870. 2870.
    >It's sort of hard to breathe
  2871. 2871.
    >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  2872. 2872.
    >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  2873. 2873.
    "Me too. But hey."
  2874. 2874.
    >"Yeah?"
  2875. 2875.
    "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  2876. 2876.
    >"I can't tell them?"
  2877. 2877.
    "It could mess up their punishment."
  2878. 2878.
    >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  2879. 2879.
    >"I won't tell them!"
  2880. 2880.
    "Good. I mean... thank you."
  2881. 2881.
    >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  2882. 2882.
    >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  2883. 2883.
    >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  2884. 2884.
    >...Yeah
  2885. 2885.
    >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  2886. 2886.
    "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  2887. 2887.
    >"...Sorry!"
  2888. 2888.
    "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  2889. 2889.
    >"Where are we going?"
  2890. 2890.
    >You lead her back inside
  2891. 2891.
    "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  2892. 2892.
    >"You don't know that!"
  2893. 2893.
    "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  2894. 2894.
    ___
  2895. 2895.
    >Your mood could not be any better
  2896. 2896.
    >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  2897. 2897.
    >Going on about the things she likes about you
  2898. 2898.
    >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  2899. 2899.
    >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  2900. 2900.
    >Can't stop smiling
  2901. 2901.
    >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  2902. 2902.
    "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  2903. 2903.
    >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  2904. 2904.
    >Adagio just stares
  2905. 2905.
    "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  2906. 2906.
    >Aria sighs
  2907. 2907.
    >"Took you long enough."
  2908. 2908.
    "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  2909. 2909.
    >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  2910. 2910.
    >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  2911. 2911.
    "Eat up."
  2912. 2912.
    >"...was that a joke?"
  2913. 2913.
    >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  2914. 2914.
    "Haha. Who's first today?"
  2915. 2915.
    >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  2916. 2916.
    >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  2917. 2917.
    >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  2918. 2918.
    >"I'm not hungry."
  2919. 2919.
    "Uh. Are you sure?"
  2920. 2920.
    >No response
  2921. 2921.
    "I guess I won't force you."
  2922. 2922.
    >That was disappointing
  2923. 2923.
    >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  2924. 2924.
    "Well. I guess that's that."
  2925. 2925.
    >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  2926. 2926.
    >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  2927. 2927.
    "Hm?"
  2928. 2928.
    >"Forget something?!"
  2929. 2929.
    "No?"
  2930. 2930.
    >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  2931. 2931.
    >You rub your chin and look around the room
  2932. 2932.
    "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  2933. 2933.
    >"Yo-You THINK?"
  2934. 2934.
    >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  2935. 2935.
    >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  2936. 2936.
    >That's... disgusting
  2937. 2937.
    >All the better
  2938. 2938.
    >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  2939. 2939.
    "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  2940. 2940.
    >"Shut up."
  2941. 2941.
    >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  2942. 2942.
    >Instantly she whines
  2943. 2943.
    >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  2944. 2944.
    >She forces herself to swallow
  2945. 2945.
    >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  2946. 2946.
    "Don't exaggerate."
  2947. 2947.
    >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  2948. 2948.
    "I think you are."
  2949. 2949.
    >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  2950. 2950.
    >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  2951. 2951.
    "How lewd."
  2952. 2952.
    >Her expression softens up
  2953. 2953.
    >"What are you talking about..."
  2954. 2954.
    "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  2955. 2955.
    >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  2956. 2956.
    "Right. Well."
  2957. 2957.
    >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  2958. 2958.
    >You're quick to swallow
  2959. 2959.
    "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  2960. 2960.
    >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  2961. 2961.
    "Haha!"
  2962. 2962.
    >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  2963. 2963.
    "Suit yourself."
  2964. 2964.
    >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  2965. 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. 2966.
    >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  2967. 2967.
    >"...Seriously?"
  2968. 2968.
    "Mm?"
  2969. 2969.
    >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  2970. 2970.
    >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  2971. 2971.
    >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  2972. 2972.
    >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  2973. 2973.
    >The crunch of the lettuce
  2974. 2974.
    >The texture of the meat
  2975. 2975.
    >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  2976. 2976.
    >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  2977. 2977.
    >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  2978. 2978.
    "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  2979. 2979.
    >"So?"
  2980. 2980.
    "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  2981. 2981.
    >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  2982. 2982.
    "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  2983. 2983.
    >"SO?"
  2984. 2984.
    "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  2985. 2985.
    >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  2986. 2986.
    >Bingo
  2987. 2987.
    "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  2988. 2988.
    >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  2989. 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. 2990.
    >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  2991. 2991.
    >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  2992. 2992.
    "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  2993. 2993.
    >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  2994. 2994.
    "You know that's not true."
  2995. 2995.
    >"What?!"
  2996. 2996.
    "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  2997. 2997.
    >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  2998. 2998.
    "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  2999. 2999.
    >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  3000. 3000.
    "...any time."
  3001. 3001.
    >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  3002. 3002.
    >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  3003. 3003.
    "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  3004. 3004.
    >"Huh?!"
  3005. 3005.
    "So eager to replace your leader..."
  3006. 3006.
    >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  3007. 3007.
    >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  3008. 3008.
    >There it is
  3009. 3009.
    >What Aria seems to care about most
  3010. 3010.
    >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  3011. 3011.
    >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  3012. 3012.
    "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  3013. 3013.
    >She looks past you
  3014. 3014.
    >Probably right at Adagio
  3015. 3015.
    >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  3016. 3016.
    >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  3017. 3017.
    >Her voice is somber and shaky
  3018. 3018.
    >You smile
  3019. 3019.
    >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  3020. 3020.
    >Not a word?
  3021. 3021.
    >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  3022. 3022.
    >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  3023. 3023.
    >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  3024. 3024.
    >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  3025. 3025.
    "...hmm."
  3026. 3026.
    >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  3027. 3027.
    >She looks at you in defeat
  3028. 3028.
    >Poor twin-tails
  3029. 3029.
    >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  3030. 3030.
    >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  3031. 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. 3032.
    >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  3033. 3033.
    >Oh come on twin-tails
  3034. 3034.
    >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  3035. 3035.
    >"..mpgh?!"
  3036. 3036.
    >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  3037. 3037.
    >At first she lets it sit there
  3038. 3038.
    >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  3039. 3039.
    >...there you go
  3040. 3040.
    >She chews slowly
  3041. 3041.
    >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  3042. 3042.
    >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  3043. 3043.
    >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  3044. 3044.
    >You smile at her
  3045. 3045.
    >She stares
  3046. 3046.
    >Your smile fades
  3047. 3047.
    >...and she keeps staring
  3048. 3048.
    >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  3049. 3049.
    >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  3050. 3050.
    >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  3051. 3051.
    >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  3052. 3052.
    >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  3053. 3053.
    >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  3054. 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. 3055.
    >You step outside
  3056. 3056.
    "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  3057. 3057.
    >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  3058. 3058.
    >Poor girl
  3059. 3059.
    >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  3060. 3060.
    ___
  3061. 3061.
    >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  3062. 3062.
    "Kitchen!"
  3063. 3063.
    >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  3064. 3064.
    >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  3065. 3065.
    >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  3066. 3066.
    >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  3067. 3067.
    >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  3068. 3068.
    "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  3069. 3069.
    >She hugs herself
  3070. 3070.
    >"Heehee~"
  3071. 3071.
    >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  3072. 3072.
    >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  3073. 3073.
    "Hm?"
  3074. 3074.
    >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  3075. 3075.
    "Oh!"
  3076. 3076.
    >A message
  3077. 3077.
    >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  3078. 3078.
    >Great
  3079. 3079.
    "Let's go see what it is."
  3080. 3080.
    >"Okay!"
  3081. 3081.
    >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  3082. 3082.
    ___
  3083. 3083.
    >You plop down onto the couch
  3084. 3084.
    >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  3085. 3085.
    >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  3086. 3086.
    >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  3087. 3087.
    >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  3088. 3088.
    >This picture always cracks you up
  3089. 3089.
    >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  3090. 3090.
    >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  3091. 3091.
    >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  3092. 3092.
    >...you're stalling
  3093. 3093.
    >Best get it over with
  3094. 3094.
    >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  3095. 3095.
    >"are you at your computer"
  3096. 3096.
    "I am now"
  3097. 3097.
    >"hello anonymous."
  3098. 3098.
    "What's up"
  3099. 3099.
    >"i went back to the mall"
  3100. 3100.
    "Didn't go well?"
  3101. 3101.
    >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  3102. 3102.
    "Oh"
  3103. 3103.
    "I'm sorry"
  3104. 3104.
    >"it's my fault"
  3105. 3105.
    "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  3106. 3106.
    >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  3107. 3107.
    >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  3108. 3108.
    >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  3109. 3109.
    "It's not your fault"
  3110. 3110.
    "Period"
  3111. 3111.
    >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  3112. 3112.
    "Who's they?"
  3113. 3113.
    >"my friends"
  3114. 3114.
    >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  3115. 3115.
    >"there are over seven billion of them"
  3116. 3116.
    >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  3117. 3117.
    "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  3118. 3118.
    >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  3119. 3119.
    "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  3120. 3120.
    >"they will"
  3121. 3121.
    >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  3122. 3122.
    >"they trusted me"
  3123. 3123.
    >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  3124. 3124.
    >Your chest hurts
  3125. 3125.
    >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  3126. 3126.
    >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  3127. 3127.
    >So what can you do?
  3128. 3128.
    >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  3129. 3129.
    >You start typing something
  3130. 3130.
    >Anything...
  3131. 3131.
    "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  3132. 3132.
    >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  3133. 3133.
    >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  3134. 3134.
    >She's... sorry
  3135. 3135.
    >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  3136. 3136.
    >God
  3137. 3137.
    >Damn it
  3138. 3138.
    >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  3139. 3139.
    >"you might be in the history books"
  3140. 3140.
    >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  3141. 3141.
    >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  3142. 3142.
    "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  3143. 3143.
    >You exhale sharply
  3144. 3144.
    >Here we go
  3145. 3145.
    >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  3146. 3146.
    "No"
  3147. 3147.
    "Stop typing"
  3148. 3148.
    "Just listen for a second"
  3149. 3149.
    >Sure enough, the message disappears
  3150. 3150.
    "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  3151. 3151.
    "From now on, I'm in charge"
  3152. 3152.
    "As your investigation manager"
  3153. 3153.
    "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  3154. 3154.
    "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  3155. 3155.
    "I just remembered"
  3156. 3156.
    >"what room is it"
  3157. 3157.
    >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  3158. 3158.
    "Nope"
  3159. 3159.
    "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  3160. 3160.
    "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  3161. 3161.
    "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  3162. 3162.
    "Your job today is to relax"
  3163. 3163.
    "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  3164. 3164.
    "Okay?"
  3165. 3165.
    >There's a long pause
  3166. 3166.
    >The typing notification brings anxiety
  3167. 3167.
    >"Anonymous..."
  3168. 3168.
    >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  3169. 3169.
    "I insist"
  3170. 3170.
    >"Okay..."
  3171. 3171.
    >"But."
  3172. 3172.
    >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  3173. 3173.
    "Don't worry, don't worry"
  3174. 3174.
    "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  3175. 3175.
    "I've got everything under control"
  3176. 3176.
    >"Okay..."
  3177. 3177.
    "Go relax"
  3178. 3178.
    >"Okay."
  3179. 3179.
    "Enjoy yourself"
  3180. 3180.
    >"ok"
  3181. 3181.
    >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  3182. 3182.
    >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  3183. 3183.
    >"Thank you Anonymous."
  3184. 3184.
    >Sonata bursts into laughter
  3185. 3185.
    >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  3186. 3186.
    >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  3187. 3187.
    >Feels kind of naughty
  3188. 3188.
    >"...excuuuuse me?"
  3189. 3189.
    "Huh?"
  3190. 3190.
    >She kicks at your shoulder
  3191. 3191.
    "Hey!"
  3192. 3192.
    >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  3193. 3193.
    >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  3194. 3194.
    >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  3195. 3195.
    >But what fun would that be
  3196. 3196.
    "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  3197. 3197.
    >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  3198. 3198.
    "I am."
  3199. 3199.
    >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  3200. 3200.
    "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  3201. 3201.
    >"Uuurgghh!"
  3202. 3202.
    >Her big toe twists into you
  3203. 3203.
    >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  3204. 3204.
    "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  3205. 3205.
    >"A-Anon!"
  3206. 3206.
    >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  3207. 3207.
    >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  3208. 3208.
    >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  3209. 3209.
    "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  3210. 3210.
    >"But you were looking!"
  3211. 3211.
    >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  3212. 3212.
    >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  3213. 3213.
    >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  3214. 3214.
    "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  3215. 3215.
    >"Yes. Yes you did."
  3216. 3216.
    ___
  3217. 3217.
    "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  3218. 3218.
    >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  3219. 3219.
    >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  3220. 3220.
    >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  3221. 3221.
    >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  3222. 3222.
    "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  3223. 3223.
    >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  3224. 3224.
    "Oh? Are you mad?"
  3225. 3225.
    >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  3226. 3226.
    "Let's play therapist." >"Let's not."
  3227. 3227.
    "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  3228. 3228.
    >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  3229. 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. 3230.
    "Interesting..."
  3231. 3231.
    >"It's NOT interesting!"
  3232. 3232.
    "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  3233. 3233.
    >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  3234. 3234.
    >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  3235. 3235.
    >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  3236. 3236.
    >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  3237. 3237.
    "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  3238. 3238.
    >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  3239. 3239.
    >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  3240. 3240.
    >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  3241. 3241.
    >...poor, poor twin-tails
  3242. 3242.
    >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  3243. 3243.
    >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  3244. 3244.
    >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  3245. 3245.
    "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  3246. 3246.
    >"What?"
  3247. 3247.
    "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  3248. 3248.
    >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  3249. 3249.
    >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  3250. 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. 3251.
    "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  3252. 3252.
    >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  3253. 3253.
    >You lay down on your side in front of her
  3254. 3254.
    >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  3255. 3255.
    "Why?"
  3256. 3256.
    >"I don't have to tell you why."
  3257. 3257.
    "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  3258. 3258.
    >"Ugh. No."
  3259. 3259.
    "Then..."
  3260. 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. 3261.
    "Really?"
  3262. 3262.
    >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  3263. 3263.
    >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  3264. 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. 3265.
    >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  3266. 3266.
    >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  3267. 3267.
    "Aria..."
  3268. 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. 3269.
    "What happened at the bus stop?"
  3270. 3270.
    >Her breathing quickens
  3271. 3271.
    >And her eyebrows sink
  3272. 3272.
    >Oh boy
  3273. 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. 3274.
    "...And?"
  3275. 3275.
    >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  3276. 3276.
    >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  3277. 3277.
    >You're not quite sure, but
  3278. 3278.
    >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  3279. 3279.
    >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  3280. 3280.
    >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  3281. 3281.
    >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  3282. 3282.
    "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  3283. 3283.
    >"Oh fuck off..."
  3284. 3284.
    "Seriously. You show yo-"
  3285. 3285.
    >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  3286. 3286.
    >You raise your voice a bit
  3287. 3287.
    "Quiet!"
  3288. 3288.
    >...
  3289. 3289.
    >Just like before, she stares
  3290. 3290.
    >Looking a bit surprised
  3291. 3291.
    >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  3292. 3292.
    >It's exciting
  3293. 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. 3294.
    >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  3295. 3295.
    "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  3296. 3296.
    >"How's it different?"
  3297. 3297.
    "...huh?"
  3298. 3298.
    >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  3299. 3299.
    >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  3300. 3300.
    "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  3301. 3301.
    >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  3302. 3302.
    >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  3303. 3303.
    >She smells...
  3304. 3304.
    >Er
  3305. 3305.
    >She actually does smell kind of bad
  3306. 3306.
    "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  3307. 3307.
    >"So...?"
  3308. 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. 3309.
    >"Your sake?"
  3310. 3310.
    "Yes."
  3311. 3311.
    >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  3312. 3312.
    "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  3313. 3313.
    >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  3314. 3314.
    >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  3315. 3315.
    "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  3316. 3316.
    >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  3317. 3317.
    "Well that should be obvious."
  3318. 3318.
    >"It's not."
  3319. 3319.
    "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  3320. 3320.
    >You rub her cheek
  3321. 3321.
    >She just takes it
  3322. 3322.
    >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  3323. 3323.
    >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  3324. 3324.
    >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  3325. 3325.
    "Hey. You still hungry?"
  3326. 3326.
    >"Of course I am."
  3327. 3327.
    "Wait here."
  3328. 3328.
    >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  3329. 3329.
    ___
  3330. 3330.
    >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  3331. 3331.
    >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  3332. 3332.
    >Ah, what the hell?
  3333. 3333.
    >Might as well give her a full meal
  3334. 3334.
    >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  3335. 3335.
    >Perfect
  3336. 3336.
    ___
  3337. 3337.
    >"What the heck is all that?"
  3338. 3338.
    "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  3339. 3339.
    >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  3340. 3340.
    >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  3341. 3341.
    "Ohhh no no no."
  3342. 3342.
    >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  3343. 3343.
    "Don't get get too excited."
  3344. 3344.
    >"Huh?"
  3345. 3345.
    >It pops up into her view
  3346. 3346.
    >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  3347. 3347.
    "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  3348. 3348.
    >"...I don't want it."
  3349. 3349.
    >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  3350. 3350.
    "Buuuullshit."
  3351. 3351.
    >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  3352. 3352.
    >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  3353. 3353.
    "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  3354. 3354.
    >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  3355. 3355.
    >"...urmmpphh."
  3356. 3356.
    >At this point she stops responding
  3357. 3357.
    >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  3358. 3358.
    "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  3359. 3359.
    >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  3360. 3360.
    >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  3361. 3361.
    >Her chewing is full of sass
  3362. 3362.
    >You didn't even know that was possible
  3363. 3363.
    >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  3364. 3364.
    >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  3365. 3365.
    "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  3366. 3366.
    >"...yeah."
  3367. 3367.
    "Haha... twin-tails."
  3368. 3368.
    >"...what?"
  3369. 3369.
    "You're cute."
  3370. 3370.
    >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  3371. 3371.
    >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  3372. 3372.
    >It feels kind of... rapey
  3373. 3373.
    >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  3374. 3374.
    >"SEE?"
  3375. 3375.
    >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  3376. 3376.
    >"LOOK!"
  3377. 3377.
    >Smack, smack, smack
  3378. 3378.
    >"I'm EATING it!"
  3379. 3379.
    "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  3380. 3380.
    "Shut UP!"
  3381. 3381.
    >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  3382. 3382.
    >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  3383. 3383.
    >And another bite down
  3384. 3384.
    >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  3385. 3385.
    >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  3386. 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. 3387.
    >Then, she takes that next bite
  3388. 3388.
    >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  3389. 3389.
    >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  3390. 3390.
    >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  3391. 3391.
    >And then, you bring out the coke
  3392. 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. 3393.
    >You smile
  3394. 3394.
    >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  3395. 3395.
    >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  3396. 3396.
    >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  3397. 3397.
    >She gulps down half of it at once
  3398. 3398.
    >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  3399. 3399.
    >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  3400. 3400.
    "Really?"
  3401. 3401.
    >"Yes, really."
  3402. 3402.
    "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  3403. 3403.
    >"What!? ...I mean..."
  3404. 3404.
    >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  3405. 3405.
    >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  3406. 3406.
    >"Oh. Those."
  3407. 3407.
    "Do you like them?"
  3408. 3408.
    >She shrugs
  3409. 3409.
    "You like them."
  3410. 3410.
    >The bag ruffles
  3411. 3411.
    >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  3412. 3412.
    >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  3413. 3413.
    >You raise it toward her
  3414. 3414.
    >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  3415. 3415.
    >...along with part of you
  3416. 3416.
    "Ack."
  3417. 3417.
    >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  3418. 3418.
    >Every inch of her face is moving
  3419. 3419.
    >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  3420. 3420.
    >"These are... pretty well made."
  3421. 3421.
    "Think so?"
  3422. 3422.
    >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  3423. 3423.
    >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  3424. 3424.
    >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  3425. 3425.
    >It's like feeding a deer or something
  3426. 3426.
    >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  3427. 3427.
    >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  3428. 3428.
    >She swallows
  3429. 3429.
    >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  3430. 3430.
    >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  3431. 3431.
    >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  3432. 3432.
    >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  3433. 3433.
    >She barely seems to mind
  3434. 3434.
    "Aria... maybe I don't want you to be a prisoner forever."
  3435. 3435.
    >"What..."
  3436. 3436.
    "Maybe I feel like I have to guide you toward the obvious best choice."
  3437. 3437.
    >She focuses on the bag of chips and keeps her mouth shut
  3438. 3438.
    "So?"
  3439. 3439.
    >"So what?"
  3440. 3440.
    "Do you want do finish off this bag, or not?"
  3441. 3441.
    >She frowns
  3442. 3442.
    >Then rolls her eyes
  3443. 3443.
    >And sighs
  3444. 3444.
    "Haha... okay then."
  3445. 3445.
    >You dig in for another handful
  3446. 3446.
    ___
  3447. 3447.
    >Having elected to draw out the trip upstairs, you casually stroll through the kitchen
  3448. 3448.
    >When you told her punishment had ended, Aria had nothing to say
  3449. 3449.
    >Didn't even make a face
  3450. 3450.
    >Kind of disappointing
  3451. 3451.
    >You creep up the stairs, one by one
  3452. 3452.
    >Listening for a reaction of any kind
  3453. 3453.
    >...halfway up now...
  3454. 3454.
    >Nothing?
  3455. 3455.
    >Three quarters
  3456. 3456.
    >There's the final step
  3457. 3457.
    >"Wait."
  3458. 3458.
    >Lo and behold
  3459. 3459.
    "Yeah?"
  3460. 3460.
    >".......uh."
  3461. 3461.
    >You wait patiently, but she delays for far too long
  3462. 3462.
    >She gets a bit heavy on your shoulder
  3463. 3463.
    >Once you feel an urge to set her down, you rush her
  3464. 3464.
    "Go ahead."
  3465. 3465.
    >"Just- ...ugh. Never mind."
  3466. 3466.
    "What were you going to say?"
  3467. 3467.
    >"Nothing."
  3468. 3468.
    "I think it was something."
  3469. 3469.
    >You pat her ass and she kicks her legs
  3470. 3470.
    >"Fuck you. Go hang yourself."
  3471. 3471.
    "Alright, alright."
  3472. 3472.
    >You carry her into the guest bedroom
  3473. 3473.
    >Adagio's fast asleep, her head hanging and hair obscuring her face
  3474. 3474.
    >After Aria is tied up properly again she flops right onto her side and closes her eyes
  3475. 3475.
    "Uhh."
  3476. 3476.
    >It's almost funny
  3477. 3477.
    "...sleep tight, twin-tails."
  3478. 3478.
    ___
  3479. 3479.
    >"Anon?"
  3480. 3480.
    >You jolt awake
  3481. 3481.
    >The white glow of your laptop screen hurts your eyes
  3482. 3482.
    >Sonata's hand rests on your knee
  3483. 3483.
    >Shit
  3484. 3484.
    >Why are you so tired?
  3485. 3485.
    "Hey."
  3486. 3486.
    >You rub your eyes and then sigh at the blinking cursor with nothing behind it
  3487. 3487.
    >Some brainstorming session that amounted to
  3488. 3488.
    "I thought you were going to go to sleep? That's why I turned the lights off."
  3489. 3489.
    >Sonata grabs the remote off the back of the couch and lowers the volume just a bit before answering:
  3490. 3490.
    >"I can't fall asleep."
  3491. 3491.
    "Since when are you too good for the couch? Am I spoiling you?"
  3492. 3492.
    >You absolutely are
  3493. 3493.
    >"Hee hee. It's not that. I'm just worried about why you're so worried."
  3494. 3494.
    "Er."
  3495. 3495.
    >She gets up and sits so close to you that she's forced to rest her arm on your lap
  3496. 3496.
    >If this is some kind of pressure tactic...
  3497. 3497.
    >It's working
  3498. 3498.
    >"You can tell me, you know."
  3499. 3499.
    "I..."
  3500. 3500.
    >Telling her couldn't possibly end well
  3501. 3501.
    >Going out to spend time with a girl she's already shown jealousy toward?
  3502. 3502.
    >She'd worry, she'd get angry
  3503. 3503.
    >Judging by that little outburst at Taco Bell, Sonata might even contact Twilight to set the record straight
  3504. 3504.
    >So, you can't
  3505. 3505.
    >Sorry Sonata, but...
  3506. 3506.
    "It's about the money."
  3507. 3507.
    >"Huh? ...oh! Oh no!"
  3508. 3508.
    "Wh-what?"
  3509. 3509.
    >She covers her mouth and distances herself from you
  3510. 3510.
    >"I knew it..."
  3511. 3511.
    "What?"
  3512. 3512.
    >"I'm so stupid..."
  3513. 3513.
    "What?! What's wrong?"
  3514. 3514.
    >She buries her face into a cushion
  3515. 3515.
    >Her legs flop out onto the floor
  3516. 3516.
    >"I spent all our money at Taco Bell!"
  3517. 3517.
    >...
  3518. 3518.
    "Not quite. I'm not exactly rich, but I'm far from poor. I mean, we're."
  3519. 3519.
    >"So I didn't waste the money?"
  3520. 3520.
    "No, silly."
  3521. 3521.
    >She perks up and sits down again
  3522. 3522.
    >"Good! Then what is the problem?"
  3523. 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. 3524.
    >"The cops and judges!?"
  3525. 3525.
    "Yes? Sort of."
  3526. 3526.
    >"Are you going to jail?!"
  3527. 3527.
    >Jesus Christ
  3528. 3528.
    >This girl goes from calm to panic in an instant
  3529. 3529.
    >You ruffle her hair and shake your head
  3530. 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. 3531.
    >"Oh."
  3532. 3532.
    >She puts on an innocent smile
  3533. 3533.
    >Trusting your every word as you spew bullshit
  3534. 3534.
    >God damn it
  3535. 3535.
    "Yeah. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow and I'm just nervous about it."
  3536. 3536.
    >"You should have told me. I can help you."
  3537. 3537.
    "It's okay. I c-"
  3538. 3538.
    >"Anon!"
  3539. 3539.
    >She crawls into the floor in front of you and rests her head on your lap
  3540. 3540.
    >Very quickly you start to feel her warmth
  3541. 3541.
    >That, and her weight - this feeling of being trapped where you sit is oddly comforting
  3542. 3542.
    >Why is she so good at calming your mind?
  3543. 3543.
    >"I need to help you."
  3544. 3544.
    "Need to?"
  3545. 3545.
    >"Yeah... um."
  3546. 3546.
    >She slips her arms under her face and settles in
  3547. 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. 3548.
    >She stuffs her face into your leg for a moment to quiet a squee
  3549. 3549.
    >"we're a couple."
  3550. 3550.
    >You are, aren't you?
  3551. 3551.
    >It still seems so surreal for this girl you met so recently, who was initially scared of you, to be with you
  3552. 3552.
    >"And a girlfriend is supposed to comfort her boyfriend. Especially when he's about to face a battle."
  3553. 3553.
    "Sonata..."
  3554. 3554.
    >'Battle' is a bit dramatic, but you let it slide
  3555. 3555.
    >A dog food commercial passes by on TV
  3556. 3556.
    >Thirty seconds of contemplation as she hums and gently rocks left and right on top of you
  3557. 3557.
    >Even though you aren't doing anything wrong, you feel guilty
  3558. 3558.
    >Lying so that you can spend the day with Twilight...
  3559. 3559.
    >Maybe it's best just to tell her?
  3560. 3560.
    "Sonata. There's something I need to-"
  3561. 3561.
    >The words escape you
  3562. 3562.
    >Her head shoots up
  3563. 3563.
    >"Uh, do you mean..."
  3564. 3564.
    >She sit sup straight and lets her eyelids sink down a bit
  3565. 3565.
    >"...that you need me?"
  3566. 3566.
    "Huh?"
  3567. 3567.
    >Her eyes revert as she studies your confused reaction
  3568. 3568.
    >"Is it what you need?"
  3569. 3569.
    "Uh."
  3570. 3570.
    >"Anon?"
  3571. 3571.
    >She runs her hand up and down your leg, very slowly
  3572. 3572.
    >Your face heats up
  3573. 3573.
    >Your mind draws a blank
  3574. 3574.
    >Where is this coming from?
  3575. 3575.
    >"I-Is it what you need or not?"
  3576. 3576.
    >Her hand stops moving
  3577. 3577.
    >Though it's hard to see her face with the laptop glowing behind her, you can tell she's nervous
  3578. 3578.
    >Time to force some words
  3579. 3579.
    "What's this all about?"
  3580. 3580.
    >"What do you mean..."
  3581. 3581.
    "Where did this come from?"
  3582. 3582.
    >She waits a while
  3583. 3583.
    >"I'm confused..."
  3584. 3584.
    "Me too?"
  3585. 3585.
    >"Don't you-"
  3586. 3586.
    >Her ponytail whips around as she looks away
  3587. 3587.
    >"Don't you want me, Anon?"
  3588. 3588.
    >Of course
  3589. 3589.
    >How could you not?
  3590. 3590.
    >But so soon, and with this investigation shit on your mind?
  3591. 3591.
    "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"
  3592. 3592.
    >"I don't know. Is it?"
  3593. 3593.
    "Maybe. We literally started dating today."
  3594. 3594.
    >You glance at the time
  3595. 3595.
    "Yesterday..."
  3596. 3596.
    >Sonata looks at your laptop, and then to you
  3597. 3597.
    >"Isn't this what boys want?"
  3598. 3598.
    "Well. Yes?"
  3599. 3599.
    >"They want to get really close with a pretty girl."
  3600. 3600.
    "Yeah."
  3601. 3601.
    >"So I'm not pretty? Is that it?"
  3602. 3602.
    >What?!
  3603. 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. 3604.
    >The more she goes on, the faster she talks, and the faster she talks, the higher she climbs up your lap
  3605. 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. 3606.
    >"I can be smart, too. I can... maybe not as much as that one girl. But I promise I can be smart."
  3607. 3607.
    >Her voice shakes with her unsteady breathing
  3608. 3608.
    "Sonata, why are you saying this stuff?"
  3609. 3609.
    >"Because."
  3610. 3610.
    >She runs her fingers over her eyes
  3611. 3611.
    >"I'm scared."
  3612. 3612.
    "Of what?"
  3613. 3613.
    >She shakes her head
  3614. 3614.
    >"You're more interested in all the other girls."
  3615. 3615.
    >That's not true...
  3616. 3616.
    >"Like how you wanted to see Aria naked, but not me."
  3617. 3617.
    >Where in the world did she get that impression?
  3618. 3618.
    >...
  3619. 3619.
    >Your jaw drops as a sentence from earlier on hits you with all of its meaning
  3620. 3620.
    >"And Applejack - you kept looking and, I know you said you were just nervous, but then you said she's pretty."
  3621. 3621.
    >It was kind of forced out of your mouth, though-
  3622. 3622.
    >"You didn't tell me what you talked to her about either."
  3623. 3623.
    >A bunch of bullshit is all-
  3624. 3624.
    >"When that smart girl came to the house, you wanted to be alone with her too!"
  3625. 3625.
    >She knows why that is-
  3626. 3626.
    >"And. And..."
  3627. 3627.
    >She's lightly sobbing at this point
  3628. 3628.
    >Talking so quickly you can't even think straight
  3629. 3629.
    >"You spent last night with Aria, huh?"
  3630. 3630.
    >...
  3631. 3631.
    >Well
  3632. 3632.
    >It's true
  3633. 3633.
    >"It's just so... scary having a boy leader."
  3634. 3634.
    "So that's what it is?"
  3635. 3635.
    >Her mouth shuts tight and she leans in a bit
  3636. 3636.
    >Apparently eager to hear your response
  3637. 3637.
    >You reach around and rub her back
  3638. 3638.
    "Sonata, you think I'm going to abandon you for other girls?"
  3639. 3639.
    >She shrugs her shoulders and sniffles
  3640. 3640.
    "Don't be crazy. Do you really think I'd trade you off?"
  3641. 3641.
    >"If they were prettier."
  3642. 3642.
    "Well I wouldn't. You're mine. No matter what happens you'll be by my side."
  3643. 3643.
    >"Anon..."
  3644. 3644.
    "Besides that, you're insane if you think you're not as pretty as those other girls. You're..."
  3645. 3645.
    >You caress the side of her face
  3646. 3646.
    "...the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
  3647. 3647.
    >"...Anonnn..."
  3648. 3648.
    "I don't want to hear about you being stupid, either."
  3649. 3649.
    >"But I am."
  3650. 3650.
    "You aren't. A bit naive maybe. But you're just saying this because Aria calls you stupid. Right?"
  3651. 3651.
    >"I don't know."
  3652. 3652.
    "I do."
  3653. 3653.
    >She presses into your hand and whimpers
  3654. 3654.
    >You'll have to do something about Aria...
  3655. 3655.
    "And about last night. I was punishing her and fell asleep. That's all there is to it."
  3656. 3656.
    >She looks perplexed for a moment, likely thinking back to her own punishment and wondering how one dozes off during a spanking
  3657. 3657.
    "Did you already forget what I told you?"
  3658. 3658.
    >"What?"
  3659. 3659.
    "You're special to me, Sonata."
  3660. 3660.
    >The faint sound of the TV is all you hear for some time
  3661. 3661.
    >You start to worry that she isn't convinced
  3662. 3662.
    >But then she lunges into a hug so hard you nearly lose your breath
  3663. 3663.
    >As soon as presses her face into your shirt, her quiet sobbing intensifies
  3664. 3664.
    "Sonata..."
  3665. 3665.
    >"Y-You mean it?"
  3666. 3666.
    >You hug her back
  3667. 3667.
    "Of course."
  3668. 3668.
    >"I'm... I'm s... I'm so happy..."
  3669. 3669.
    >You stay like this so long that your laptop's screen shuts off
  3670. 3670.
    >Resisting the urge to reach over and wake it up, you decide...
  3671. 3671.
    >Fuck it
  3672. 3672.
    >You'll just wing it tomorrow
  3673. 3673.
    >Right now, she needs you
  3674. 3674.
    ___
  3675. 3675.
    >You wake up to the intro theme of Sonata's favorite show
  3676. 3676.
    >The previously dark living room is lit partially through the windows and their closed curtains
  3677. 3677.
    >Morning already
  3678. 3678.
    "Your show is on~"
  3679. 3679.
    >She stirs a bit
  3680. 3680.
    "Don't you want to watch it?"
  3681. 3681.
    >"Mmm... tired."
  3682. 3682.
    "Come on~"
  3683. 3683.
    >Truthfully, you just need her to get off of you
  3684. 3684.
    >"tired..."
  3685. 3685.
    "I've got to pee."
  3686. 3686.
    >"Oh."
  3687. 3687.
    >She gets up, rubs her groggy eyes and falls into the vacant side of the couch
  3688. 3688.
    >Already fast asleep again
  3689. 3689.
    >Time to get ready for the investigation
  3690. 3690.
    >While making your way to your bedroom's bathroom, you strip off your shirt and pants
  3691. 3691.
    >After you've done what must be done you stand in the living room and stretch
  3692. 3692.
    >The fact that there's a girl in the room strikes you, and you feel a bit awkward
  3693. 3693.
    >Too used to living alone
  3694. 3694.
    >You start back to your bedroom to get changed and are stopped by three knocks on the door
  3695. 3695.
    "What the hell?"
  3696. 3696.
    >You glance at Sonata
  3697. 3697.
    >Still asleep, thank god
  3698. 3698.
    >You hop over to the door and look through the peephole
  3699. 3699.
    >As you thought... Twilight
  3700. 3700.
    >You can't let her inside with Sonata right there on the couch
  3701. 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. 3702.
    "Damn it."
  3703. 3703.
    >You stand up straight, and try not to panic
  3704. 3704.
    >She's going to knock again. What if Sonata wakes up?
  3705. 3705.
    >After adjusting your boxers a bit, you open the door, step outside and close it as quickly - and quietly - as possible
  3706. 3706.
    >"Hello Anoh my gosh..."
  3707. 3707.
    >She raises her notebook over her face
  3708. 3708.
    "Hey. Why're you here? You should've messaged me."
  3709. 3709.
    >"Ahh... I, uh, I did. Five times."
  3710. 3710.
    "Oh. Well it's so early. I just woke up. Please excuse me while I get dressed."
  3711. 3711.
    >"It's twelve-thirty..."
  3712. 3712.
    "Feel free to hop into the passenger seat of my car, I'll just be a minute."
  3713. 3713.
    >"Okay. I will."
  3714. 3714.
    >She scurries off
  3715. 3715.
    >Perfect
  3716. 3716.
    >You smile in victory and head back into the house
  3717. 3717.
    >After shaking her a bit, Sonata springs awake
  3718. 3718.
    >"Mmmmm. Anooon! You didn't tell me my show was on!"
  3719. 3719.
    "I did too, silly. Hey, you have to get up."
  3720. 3720.
    >"Noooo..."
  3721. 3721.
    >She watches as you pass by the couch
  3722. 3722.
    >"Anaawwwn~!"
  3723. 3723.
    "Huh?"
  3724. 3724.
    >"Oh my GOSH~!"
  3725. 3725.
    >Oh, right
  3726. 3726.
    >Almost naked
  3727. 3727.
    "Sorry, I was changing for my meeting."
  3728. 3728.
    >"Oh you don't have to apologize~"
  3729. 3729.
    >You feel your face heat up and your stomach get all tingly
  3730. 3730.
    >No time though
  3731. 3731.
    >Got to act fast
  3732. 3732.
    "No seducing your leader."
  3733. 3733.
    >"More like you're seducing me~"
  3734. 3734.
    "Oh boy."
  3735. 3735.
    >Now you really don't want to leave
  3736. 3736.
    >But you've got a girl waiting in your car
  3737. 3737.
    >Urk
  3738. 3738.
    "I've gotta get dressed, follow me!"
  3739. 3739.
    >You dash into your room and throw on a fresh t-shirt and jeans
  3740. 3740.
    >Your shoes are hiding under the edge of your bed, but you manage to find them
  3741. 3741.
    >Sonata jumps onto your side of the bed and starts to get cozy
  3742. 3742.
    "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake. I need you to feed the prisoners."
  3743. 3743.
    >"Awwww!"
  3744. 3744.
    "Listen close, this is important okay? Remember not t-"
  3745. 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. 3746.
    >She smiles, and you do as well
  3747. 3747.
    "Sorry. I'm nervous because it's a bit different this time. I might be gone for a long time today."
  3748. 3748.
    >Hold it
  3749. 3749.
    >Taking them to use the restroom involves untying them
  3750. 3750.
    >You can't really leave that to Sonata
  3751. 3751.
    "Fuuuuck. I've gotta check on them. Aria has to pee."
  3752. 3752.
    >"What? How do you know?"
  3753. 3753.
    "I just know. Hey, I'm going to head out right after that, okay? I'll see you later."
  3754. 3754.
    >"Okay.... I'll miss you."
  3755. 3755.
    "You too! Go get their food ready!"
  3756. 3756.
    >"Arghhh!"
  3757. 3757.
    ___
  3758. 3758.
    >"Hey, asshole! I don't need your help!"
  3759. 3759.
    "You sure?"
  3760. 3760.
    >She shoves you, but you hold your position
  3761. 3761.
    >Twin-tails could just sprint off if you don't
  3762. 3762.
    >She stands there and glares at you
  3763. 3763.
    "Forgive me. You just seem so feeble and helpless after literally eating out of my hand."
  3764. 3764.
    >"I didn't have a choice."
  3765. 3765.
    "Oh, you enjoyed it."
  3766. 3766.
    >"Yeah, I just LOOOoove being at your mercy like that."
  3767. 3767.
    >...
  3768. 3768.
    >She groans and slams the door
  3769. 3769.
    "Make sure you wash your hands."
  3770. 3770.
    >"Don't be stupid!"
  3771. 3771.
    >Oh, why not check that off the list right now?
  3772. 3772.
    >Like an asshole, you wait a few moments before opening the door
  3773. 3773.
    >"...what the FUCK!"
  3774. 3774.
    >She's got her purple pants pulled down to her knees
  3775. 3775.
    >For a split second, anyway. She practically falls over pulling them back up
  3776. 3776.
    >"Get out!"
  3777. 3777.
    "Just a moment."
  3778. 3778.
    >"..Huh?"
  3779. 3779.
    >You shut the door behind you, and her eyes widen
  3780. 3780.
    >"...hey."
  3781. 3781.
    >She backpedals into the corner as you approach
  3782. 3782.
    >"Wh-what? Freak."
  3783. 3783.
    "I need to talk to you about something."
  3784. 3784.
    >You lean over her and pray she doesn't kick you in the balls
  3785. 3785.
    "Sonata, actually."
  3786. 3786.
    >Like a child told to clean her room, Aria lets out an exaggerated sigh
  3787. 3787.
    >"What is it now? You're the only one who's spitting on people lately."
  3788. 3788.
    "Still mad I didn't kiss you?"
  3789. 3789.
    >"I would've puked if you did."
  3790. 3790.
    "So unladylike..."
  3791. 3791.
    >You get closer and she mashes her face into the wall
  3792. 3792.
    "Pfft."
  3793. 3793.
    >"Just get out of here! Fucking creep!"
  3794. 3794.
    >She pushes a hand into your chest with impressive force, for a single arm
  3795. 3795.
    >You snatch up her wrist
  3796. 3796.
    "Aria."
  3797. 3797.
    >"Let! GO!"
  3798. 3798.
    >She throws her fist
  3799. 3799.
    >You raise your hand just in time to catch it, sending a sharp pain through your arm
  3800. 3800.
    "Man. You're pretty strong, twin-tails."
  3801. 3801.
    >With your leg firmly pressed into both of hers, you shift your weight onto her
  3802. 3802.
    >She groans and twists and turns as she tries to get away
  3803. 3803.
    "Anyway, about Sonata. You're going to st-"
  3804. 3804.
    >"Go! Go AWAY!"
  3805. 3805.
    "Aria. Calm down."
  3806. 3806.
    >"UGH!"
  3807. 3807.
    >She thrusts herself into the toilet tank and tries to squeeze by you, and you catch her by the waist
  3808. 3808.
    >Her grunts get increasingly pathetic
  3809. 3809.
    >She tries to climb over your arm
  3810. 3810.
    "Jesus. You're going to piss yourself if you keep it u-"
  3811. 3811.
    >"I can't even go to the fucking bathroom now? God!"
  3812. 3812.
    "Ari-"
  3813. 3813.
    >"You are the WORST!"
  3814. 3814.
    >Being interrupted by this girl is the most frustrating thing
  3815. 3815.
    >And after what you did last night?
  3816. 3816.
    >Maybe you're being too soft on twin-tails
  3817. 3817.
    "ARIA."
  3818. 3818.
    >She jumps
  3819. 3819.
    >And then like magic she's frozen in place, and completely silent
  3820. 3820.
    "Sit down."
  3821. 3821.
    >"...ugh..."
  3822. 3822.
    >Her head hangs low
  3823. 3823.
    >The toilet seat clunks under her ass
  3824. 3824.
    >That...
  3825. 3825.
    >Felt pretty good
  3826. 3826.
    "Okay. Now."
  3827. 3827.
    >You take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, facing the top of Aria's head
  3828. 3828.
    "I've got a problem with the way you talk to Sonata."
  3829. 3829.
    >"Okay?"
  3830. 3830.
    "Namely, you calling her stupid."
  3831. 3831.
    >"...well..."
  3832. 3832.
    "Well what?"
  3833. 3833.
    >She exhales sharply and lowers her head even more
  3834. 3834.
    >"Nothing..."
  3835. 3835.
    "Right. Anyway it's going to stop. From now on, you are forbidden to call her that."
  3836. 3836.
    >"Forbidden? Seriously?"
  3837. 3837.
    >She sits up straight again, you suppose to show off the irritation on her face
  3838. 3838.
    >You take note of the blush as well
  3839. 3839.
    "A prisoner doesn't get to exercise free speech, let alone use it to insult her superior."
  3840. 3840.
    >"...SuPERIO-"
  3841. 3841.
    >The tank's lid audibly shifts as the siren sits against it and grabs hold of her twin-tails
  3842. 3842.
    >She pulls on them, hard
  3843. 3843.
    >"FINE. I won't insult your PRINCESS. Happy?"
  3844. 3844.
    "Yeah."
  3845. 3845.
    >Every time you get Aria flustered, it gets even more exciting
  3846. 3846.
    >Her tough exterior just begs to be fucked with
  3847. 3847.
    >"Now let me piss in peace, will you?!"
  3848. 3848.
    "Not yet."
  3849. 3849.
    >You step up and raise out your hands
  3850. 3850.
    >Trying to move further into the tank doesn't work out for her
  3851. 3851.
    >Regardless, you freeze with your fingers grazing her sides
  3852. 3852.
    >Something curbs your excitement
  3853. 3853.
    >Guilt...
  3854. 3854.
    >A bawling Sonata, hiding her face in your chest
  3855. 3855.
    "...uh..."
  3856. 3856.
    >Twin-tails eyes you up and down
  3857. 3857.
    >"The fuck are you doing?"
  3858. 3858.
    >Well, now you feel silly
  3859. 3859.
    >You scratch the back of your head
  3860. 3860.
    >Maybe you can play it off
  3861. 3861.
    "You smell worse than usual. I don't want it on my hands."
  3862. 3862.
    >"What... ever."
  3863. 3863.
    >She relaxes a bit as you back off, then raises her hands in disbelief when you sit back down
  3864. 3864.
    >"SERIOUSLY? How long am I supposed to hold it in?"
  3865. 3865.
    >The urge to fuck with her rises
  3866. 3866.
    >But touching her is...
  3867. 3867.
    >As much as you enjoyed feeling her impressive body, you shouldn't
  3868. 3868.
    >With how much pain Sonata's already gone through you'll have to make some changes
  3869. 3869.
    >Aria raises an eyebrow at your sigh
  3870. 3870.
    >...what were you thinking when you kidnapped them?
  3871. 3871.
    >Why would it ever work out with all three?
  3872. 3872.
    >Those daydreams about having a trio of loving, affectionate companions?
  3873. 3873.
    >Sonata can't handle that...
  3874. 3874.
    >And you can hardly blame her
  3875. 3875.
    >It's depressing
  3876. 3876.
    "I've got an idea."
  3877. 3877.
    >You're fine with one wife and two servants
  3878. 3878.
    >Right?
  3879. 3879.
    >It can still work out
  3880. 3880.
    >You don't even need to touch Aria to humiliate her, either
  3881. 3881.
    >There are plenty of ways...
  3882. 3882.
    >Such as:
  3883. 3883.
    "Go ahead. Relieve yourself."
  3884. 3884.
    >"...WHAT?"
  3885. 3885.
    "You heard me."
  3886. 3886.
    >"You. Have. Got. To be. Kidding."
  3887. 3887.
    "Nope."
  3888. 3888.
    >Her mouth hangs open
  3889. 3889.
    >It seems she's waiting for you to laugh and tell her it was a joke
  3890. 3890.
    >You cross your arms and give her a stern look
  3891. 3891.
    "It wasn't a request. I have stuff to do, so get to it."
  3892. 3892.
    >"A-Are you... serious... oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You're an actual pervert."
  3893. 3893.
    >Never has flipping the bird been so energetic
  3894. 3894.
    >Her fist and extended middle finger are waved all around
  3895. 3895.
    >"I'm drawing the line. This is beyond disgusting. I refuse."
  3896. 3896.
    >She refuses
  3897. 3897.
    >Isn't that cute?
  3898. 3898.
    >Curious how her rude hand gesture disappears the moment you get on your feet
  3899. 3899.
    >"I'm serious. I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I've had enough."
  3900. 3900.
    "Garbage?"
  3901. 3901.
    >"...huh?"
  3902. 3902.
    "You'd be the luckiest girl in the world to be treated like garbage."
  3903. 3903.
    >"What do you mean by THAT?"
  3904. 3904.
    "That, as long as you're a prisoner, you're nothing."
  3905. 3905.
    >You hold on to her shoulders and get in her face
  3906. 3906.
    >Not eager to risk a kick to the dick, you step on her feet
  3907. 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. 3908.
    >"...you-"
  3909. 3909.
    "And you've only got yourself to blame."
  3910. 3910.
    >"No, I'v-"
  3911. 3911.
    "Now hurry up."
  3912. 3912.
    >Her lip trembles
  3913. 3913.
    >She squeezes her fists
  3914. 3914.
    >"N-N-"
  3915. 3915.
    >With a stomp, she stands up and pulls her pants down to her ankles
  3916. 3916.
    >She brings her hands back up and hooks her fingers into the band of her panties
  3917. 3917.
    >As soon as they're far enough down falls back into the seat
  3918. 3918.
    >Her eyes are full of hate
  3919. 3919.
    >"Nothing. I'm 'nothing', huh?"
  3920. 3920.
    >All of a sudden, the situation sets in
  3921. 3921.
    >You're standing right in front of an angry tomboy who's about to take a piss
  3922. 3922.
    >Displaying your discomfort would be bad though, so you cross your arms and wait
  3923. 3923.
    >After ten seconds or so she mumbles something and you hear spattering against the bowl, alongside tiny splashes
  3924. 3924.
    "There you go."
  3925. 3925.
    >You give her two good pats on the head
  3926. 3926.
    "Was that so hard?"
  3927. 3927.
    >"...can't... believe... you."
  3928. 3928.
    >The sounds fade, and she slumps
  3929. 3929.
    "Good twin-tails. Okay, I've got other stuff to get to, so-"
  3930. 3930.
    >"Take me upstairs then."
  3931. 3931.
    >She stands and pulls her underwear and pants back on
  3932. 3932.
    >To your amusement she slams her fist into the flusher
  3933. 3933.
    >"I'm nothing, right? A f-fuck up. Go tie me up and leave me to die. I don't care anymore."
  3934. 3934.
    "Oh, Aria!"
  3935. 3935.
    >"...huh?"
  3936. 3936.
    >You take a step back
  3937. 3937.
    "Shouldn't you have uh."
  3938. 3938.
    >She follows your pointing finger to the toilet paper roll
  3939. 3939.
    >"Ugh! Whatever! It's your fault, standing over me like a sexual predator! Of course I forgot!"
  3940. 3940.
    "Man. You really are gross."
  3941. 3941.
    >With the doorknob in your hand, you motion her toward it
  3942. 3942.
    >She steps forward
  3943. 3943.
    "One thing though."
  3944. 3944.
    >"What?"
  3945. 3945.
    "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I said you're nothing *so long as you're a prisoner*."
  3946. 3946.
    >"...so?"
  3947. 3947.
    "So, how about you spend the day thinking about it."
  3948. 3948.
    >"Just. Take me up."
  3949. 3949.
    >Ew
  3950. 3950.
    "I'm not carrying you this time. Start marching, I'll tie you up in the guest room..."
  3951. 3951.
    ___
  3952. 3952.
    >Standing out by your hedges, you pet your pocket
  3953. 3953.
    >An idea struck you after Aria was back in her place
  3954. 3954.
    >The bullshit lead you needed was right there in your house all along
  3955. 3955.
    >It took a while to find it, but at least now you have something
  3956. 3956.
    >You run your hand over your pocket one last time
  3957. 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. 3958.
    "Okay. Here we go."
  3959. 3959.
    >You make your way out to your car
  3960. 3960.
    >Twilight jumps as the door clicks open
  3961. 3961.
    "Hey. Sorry I was in there so long."
  3962. 3962.
    >"Oh. It's... fine."
  3963. 3963.
    "Not very manager-like."
  3964. 3964.
    >You climb in, close the door and buckle up
  3965. 3965.
    >Twilight just sits there staring at the glovebox
  3966. 3966.
    "Gonna go without buckling? I mean, I won't force you. But I'm a pretty bad driver."
  3967. 3967.
    >"Oh! I'm sorry!"
  3968. 3968.
    >She frantically reaches over her shoulder and secures herself
  3969. 3969.
    >"I'd never go without it. It's the rules."
  3970. 3970.
    "Uh-huh..."
  3971. 3971.
    >Something's up
  3972. 3972.
    >She's not looking at you when she speaks
  3973. 3973.
    >Is it because you were in your underwear?
  3974. 3974.
    >It's not that big of a deal, is it?
  3975. 3975.
    "Um."
  3976. 3976.
    >Well this is embarrassing
  3977. 3977.
    "Sorry if I made it weird before. I'm not used to having visitors."
  3978. 3978.
    >"...it's okay, I wasn't even thinking about that."
  3979. 3979.
    "Oh."
  3980. 3980.
    >...
  3981. 3981.
    >Awkward silence
  3982. 3982.
    >She's fidgeting
  3983. 3983.
    >This is going badly
  3984. 3984.
    >Just start the car
  3985. 3985.
    >Wait, what if she's like this the whole drive?
  3986. 3986.
    >Or the whole day?
  3987. 3987.
    >Fuck
  3988. 3988.
    "You're acting kind of strange."
  3989. 3989.
    >"...oh."
  3990. 3990.
    "You alright?"
  3991. 3991.
    >"Uh."
  3992. 3992.
    >She rubs her face
  3993. 3993.
    >"Please don't lecture me."
  3994. 3994.
    >She looks over
  3995. 3995.
    >Her eyes are red and weary
  3996. 3996.
    >"I was up all night."
  3997. 3997.
    >Not terribly surprising
  3998. 3998.
    "What were you doing all night...? Reading? Because I was joking about two bo-"
  3999. 3999.
    >"I decided to go to the school."
  4000. 4000.
    >Your jaw drops
  4001. 4001.
    >But, you should have expected this
  4002. 4002.
    "Are you serious?"
  4003. 4003.
    >"Yes. I feel so stupid."
  4004. 4004.
    >She lays against the head rest and makes frustrated hand gestures
  4005. 4005.
    >"It was dark, so I couldn't even find it."
  4006. 4006.
    "You got lost?!"
  4007. 4007.
    >"Yes! Why are there so many buildings?!"
  4008. 4008.
    >How disappointing
  4009. 4009.
    >Giving Twilight that little speech yesterday about relaxing and having fun felt good
  4010. 4010.
    >Now you feel like an idiot for trusting the anxiety addict to not worry
  4011. 4011.
    "You really shouldn't be wandering around the city at night by yourself."
  4012. 4012.
    >"I didn't want to."
  4013. 4013.
    "How'd you find your way back to Rarity's house?"
  4014. 4014.
    >"P-Police officer..."
  4015. 4015.
    "Uh oh. You got arrested?"
  4016. 4016.
    >She looks genuinely insulted, at least a little bit
  4017. 4017.
    >"No, no. He asked me if I was alright. Anonymous, I'd never be arrested, because I'd never commit a crime."
  4018. 4018.
    "Of course. I know."
  4019. 4019.
    >You chuckle
  4020. 4020.
    "I'm glad you made it home okay."
  4021. 4021.
    >"Thanks... I'm sorry."
  4022. 4022.
    "For not doing what I said? You should be sorry."
  4023. 4023.
    >"I know! That's why I apologized!"
  4024. 4024.
    >Didn't expect her to snap at you
  4025. 4025.
    >You back into the window and raise your hands defensively
  4026. 4026.
    "It was a joke. Spare my life."
  4027. 4027.
    >She looks confused, then apologetic, and then stifles a laugh
  4028. 4028.
    >"Sorry. I wasn't mad. Last night was just so stressful."
  4029. 4029.
    "That's why I told you."
  4030. 4030.
    >Something bothers you
  4031. 4031.
    "Couldn't you have pestered Rarity to drive you there?"
  4032. 4032.
    >"No."
  4033. 4033.
    "Why not?"
  4034. 4034.
    >Twilight runs her fingers over the stacked pages of her closed notebook
  4035. 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. 4036.
    "I see."
  4037. 4037.
    >"Please don't mention it to them."
  4038. 4038.
    "Don't worry. I probably won't even talk to them."
  4039. 4039.
    >"Thank you. Thank you, Anonymous."
  4040. 4040.
    >Her worries influence everything about her, from her restless posture to her antsy tone
  4041. 4041.
    >She looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a while
  4042. 4042.
    >It almost feels that, by capturing the sirens, you've also imprisoned Twilight
  4043. 4043.
    >That's not what you wanted
  4044. 4044.
    >"Now then, to the school. We have a very thorough search to conduct."
  4045. 4045.
    "...About that. What do you say we hold off? For just a little bit."
  4046. 4046.
    >"WHAT?"
  4047. 4047.
    >She seems to shock herself with her own volume
  4048. 4048.
    >"Sorry- what do you mean?"
  4049. 4049.
    "That. Exactly that. You are unbelievably high strung right now."
  4050. 4050.
    >"That's not true! I'm just focused, Anonymous!"
  4051. 4051.
    ___
  4052. 4052.
    >Giving in to the shaking hand guiding it, the spoon presses into the corner of Adagio's mouth
  4053. 4053.
    >Not good, Sonata whispers in her mind
  4054. 4054.
    >When she sees that her former leader's stare has become cold, her mind starts to yell
  4055. 4055.
    >Not good, not good, not good...
  4056. 4056.
    >"S-Sorry Adagio."
  4057. 4057.
    >Sonata pulls back the spoon, takes a deep breath, and goes to try again
  4058. 4058.
    >"Stop."
  4059. 4059.
    >As commanded, her hand freezes in place and her fingers tighten
  4060. 4060.
    >"What's wrong?"
  4061. 4061.
    >" 'What's wrong' ? Do you really need to ask?"
  4062. 4062.
    >Sonata shrugs her shoulders and looks away
  4063. 4063.
    >Only for a moment
  4064. 4064.
    >"Look at me."
  4065. 4065.
    >"S-Sorry."
  4066. 4066.
    >She snaps back to Adagio's face
  4067. 4067.
    >Her droopy, exhausted, yet terrifying face
  4068. 4068.
    >There's a bit of refried beans on her. Must be what the problem is
  4069. 4069.
    >Sonata takes a finger and scrapes it off
  4070. 4070.
    >"Same as always, Sonata."
  4071. 4071.
    >"...what does that mean?"
  4072. 4072.
    >"You know exactly what it means."
  4073. 4073.
    >Sonata's heart was already beating fast
  4074. 4074.
    >But now she feels a strong urge to either raise her voice, or run away
  4075. 4075.
    >With no clue which to choose, she elects to look at the floor
  4076. 4076.
    >"...SONATA."
  4077. 4077.
    >"Ye-yes! Oh, okay! Sorry Ada... gio..."
  4078. 4078.
    >What is she doing, she thinks, bending so easily to her?
  4079. 4079.
    >For some time, Sonata rubs the spoon handle and studies Adagio's figure
  4080. 4080.
    >She's sitting with her knees against her chest
  4081. 4081.
    >Her head hanging a bit to the side
  4082. 4082.
    >Rope around her foot, and rope binding her hands
  4083. 4083.
    >What can she do?
  4084. 4084.
    >"Adag..."
  4085. 4085.
    >In an effort to muster up extra courage, Sonata thinks of you
  4086. 4086.
    >Being so afraid of Dagi is a betrayal
  4087. 4087.
    >Sounds crazy, but it's not, she asserts to herself
  4088. 4088.
    >If Dagi can't do anything right now...
  4089. 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. 4090.
    >"Yes?"
  4091. 4091.
    >"...p-pr-"
  4092. 4092.
    >Sonata scoops up some refried beans and holds it up to Adagio's face
  4093. 4093.
    >Using every ounce of her willpower, she frowns and speaks up
  4094. 4094.
    >"Prisoners will be quiet as they're fed. Even with beans on their faces!"
  4095. 4095.
    >She said it!
  4096. 4096.
    >Excitement and mortal terror bubble up in Sonata's stomach
  4097. 4097.
    >Signals run to her legs telling her to stand and run
  4098. 4098.
    >But she keeps her butt planted on the wooden floor
  4099. 4099.
    >Adagio can't do anything
  4100. 4100.
    >And yet Sonata's skin crawls as she sees her mouth open up
  4101. 4101.
    >"So. The brainwashing has been going well?"
  4102. 4102.
    >"Brainwashing? You mean like what we used to do...?"
  4103. 4103.
    >Adagio laughs softly
  4104. 4104.
    >"Oh, Sonata. I'm referring to something much more simple, and a victim who is far more pathetic."
  4105. 4105.
    >Adagio shakes her head
  4106. 4106.
    >After it's dropped, the spoon dings into the rim of the bowl
  4107. 4107.
    >"Are you calling me a victim?"
  4108. 4108.
    >"Do you think otherwise?"
  4109. 4109.
    >"I'm not a victim... and he didn't brainwash me. He doesn't even have magic, so-"
  4110. 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. 4111.
    >"Wh-what are you talking about?! I didn't 'trade' you..."
  4112. 4112.
    >"Have you forgotten your agreement with that human?"
  4113. 4113.
    >"Well..."
  4114. 4114.
    >"He is your new leader. Your loyalties have shifted. You, are a traitor."
  4115. 4115.
    >Sonata shakes her head and clenches her fists
  4116. 4116.
    >However, no proper counter argument springs into her mind
  4117. 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. 4118.
    >"Uhh..."
  4119. 4119.
    >"So tell me. Are you going to admit that you've whored yourself out to him?"
  4120. 4120.
    >It's not
  4121. 4121.
    >LIKE that
  4122. 4122.
    >Sonata's vision blurs and she runs her arm over her watery eyes
  4123. 4123.
    >Is Aria hearing this, she wonders?
  4124. 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. 4125.
    >"What do you see happening to you in ten years?"
  4126. 4126.
    >"...I'll be here. With Anon."
  4127. 4127.
    >"Will you be happy?"
  4128. 4128.
    >"Yeah..."
  4129. 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. 4130.
    >"...what...?"
  4131. 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. 4132.
    >"That's stupid... what are you even saying?"
  4133. 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. 4134.
    >Sonata squeezes tight around her wrist, wincing at each insult
  4135. 4135.
    >She's wrong, Sonata knows she is... but she can't help but visualize you saying each and every heartbreaking word
  4136. 4136.
    >Your face angry and impatient
  4137. 4137.
    >Just like Adagio's
  4138. 4138.
    >"Y-Yo-You're wrong."
  4139. 4139.
    >"Am I?"
  4140. 4140.
    >"Y-Yes!"
  4141. 4141.
    >"I suppose those tears are joyful, and that you've reassured yourself that Anon cares about you."
  4142. 4142.
    >Sonata quickly wipes her eyes and stands, sending the bowl of beans tumbling into the floor by Adagio's foot
  4143. 4143.
    >"A-Anon WON'T get tired of me! He WON'T be mean!"
  4144. 4144.
    >After glancing at the slumbering Aria and quieting herself, Sonata reaches over and grips her own arm again
  4145. 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. 4146.
    >She shouldn't, and she's aware of it. But the words come so easily
  4147. 4147.
    >"He loves me. He told me that I'm special to him."
  4148. 4148.
    >Adagio's eyebrows raise, just a little. Interpreting this as surprise, Sonata continues confidently
  4149. 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. 4150.
    >Sonata smiles
  4151. 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. 4152.
    >Her finger pushes painfully into her arm as anxiety builds. Every word she speaks at this point is surely a bad idea
  4153. 4153.
    >Best to stop here, she decides
  4154. 4154.
    >She releases her arm and rests her hands on her hips
  4155. 4155.
    >"...Special?"
  4156. 4156.
    >Adagio slowly turns her head toward Aria
  4157. 4157.
    >When she looks back, the smile she's adopted sends a chill down Sonata's spine
  4158. 4158.
    >"...mhm."
  4159. 4159.
    >"You think this human is in love with you?"
  4160. 4160.
    >"I think he is. No, I KNOW he is."
  4161. 4161.
    >Her eerie smile strengthens
  4162. 4162.
    >"Very, very interesting."
  4163. 4163.
    >Scooting her foot around the bowl of beans, Adagio stretches out her legs and yawns
  4164. 4164.
    >"Sonata, you've just given me something to think about."
  4165. 4165.
    >"What?"
  4166. 4166.
    >"Let's just say I'm going to have to re-evaluate Anon after hearing that."
  4167. 4167.
    >"Wait. Really? Are, are you serious?!"
  4168. 4168.
    >She bounces and clasps her hands together, which is enough to send Adagio right back into that irritated state
  4169. 4169.
    >"Calm down."
  4170. 4170.
    >"Yeah, yeah..."
  4171. 4171.
    >"Listen. I'm not very hungry."
  4172. 4172.
    >"Are you sure? You barely ate any."
  4173. 4173.
    >"If I tell you that I'm not hungry, it means I'm not hungry."
  4174. 4174.
    >Sonata nods and takes the bowl in her hands
  4175. 4175.
    >The beans have slid up to the edge, but it's still fine
  4176. 4176.
    >Trying to contain the excitement of her victory, she hums and kneels in front of Aria
  4177. 4177.
    >"Don't worry about that. Just go down stairs."
  4178. 4178.
    >"But, she'll be mad!"
  4179. 4179.
    >"Being like this, eating as little as we do..."
  4180. 4180.
    >Adagio cracks her neck, to the left, and then to the right
  4181. 4181.
    >"...shrinks your stomach. Do you understand me?"
  4182. 4182.
    >"Yeah. I do."
  4183. 4183.
    >"So, go downstairs, Sonata."
  4184. 4184.
    >She pokes at the side of the bowl for a while
  4185. 4185.
    >Then she sighs and stands by the doorway
  4186. 4186.
    >"You don't have to have a small stomach. If you jus-"
  4187. 4187.
    >Adagio's face is hidden again by her hair as she stares at the wall
  4188. 4188.
    >But that's okay
  4189. 4189.
    >This conversation was a success, Sonata tells herself
  4190. 4190.
    >With a big smile she dashes out of the guest room and down the stairs
  4191. 4191.
    >If only Anon were here right now...
  4192. 4192.
    ___
  4193. 4193.
    "I swear. You'll be thanking me."
  4194. 4194.
    >"No! It's inappropriate!"
  4195. 4195.
    "It's not about what's... 'appropriate,' for crying out loud. It's about enjoying yourself."
  4196. 4196.
    >"Anonymous, I respectfully decline."
  4197. 4197.
    "No you don't."
  4198. 4198.
    >"WH- you can't consent for me!"
  4199. 4199.
    "I so can. I'm gonna do it right now."
  4200. 4200.
    >You reach out your hand and Twilight grunts
  4201. 4201.
    >"I'll feel guilty. Just, please stop it already..."
  4202. 4202.
    >The glovebox's little weight becomes apparent the moment its handle is pulled, and you let it fall open
  4203. 4203.
    >You take your wallet and wag it in the air
  4204. 4204.
    "It's nothing. Seriously."
  4205. 4205.
    >Facing the speaker again, you clear your throat and try to talk loud and clear
  4206. 4206.
    "We changed our mind, she'll take the deluxe ice cream sundae after all."
  4207. 4207.
    >The passenger buckle clicks and the belt zips up and over
  4208. 4208.
    >A palm presses into your leg
  4209. 4209.
    >Hair fills your vision
  4210. 4210.
    >"DISREGARD! Please, strike that from the record, I did NOT consent!"
  4211. 4211.
    "Twilight. Come on..."
  4212. 4212.
    >You push her back into her seat
  4213. 4213.
    >"Unhand me, Anonymous!"
  4214. 4214.
    "Alright."
  4215. 4215.
    >You hold her down with your foot the best you can
  4216. 4216.
    "Ignore her, she's just trying to be funny."
  4217. 4217.
    >Twilight shoves on your leg, barely budging it, and the speaker fuzzes
  4218. 4218.
    >"...okay sir, please check the screen and confirm your order..."
  4219. 4219.
    "That's right. ESPECIALLY the last bit, with the deluxe ice cream sundae."
  4220. 4220.
    >"Anonymous!"
  4221. 4221.
    ___
  4222. 4222.
    >Twenty minutes later you sit across from an irritated Twilight, at the tables outside a fancy book store
  4223. 4223.
    >You've finished eating, but Twilight's pretty slow
  4224. 4224.
    >Something has been making you feel a childish excitement since you got here:
  4225. 4225.
    >She hasn't noticed where you are
  4226. 4226.
    "So. Once you're done with your fries, and the sundae, I have another idea."
  4227. 4227.
    >Her mouth shuts hard, mashing a fry in half
  4228. 4228.
    >Through gritted teeth, she asks,
  4229. 4229.
    >"Anonymous. Don't tell me we aren't going to the school next?"
  4230. 4230.
    "Nope."
  4231. 4231.
    >"Are you KIDDING ME?!"
  4232. 4232.
    "Uh. Twilight?"
  4233. 4233.
    >"I was only keeping my mouth shut because I knew it was almost time to go!"
  4234. 4234.
    >She seems to notice the worry on your face
  4235. 4235.
    >Twilight shuts her eyes, and while gesturing toward her chest, breathes in
  4236. 4236.
    >Then while gesturing away, breathes out
  4237. 4237.
    >"Ahhh... alright. Alright. I'm sorry for yelling."
  4238. 4238.
    "It's fine."
  4239. 4239.
    >"What do you have in mind, manager?"
  4240. 4240.
    "I'll tell you right after you finish your sundae."
  4241. 4241.
    >"...to be honest, I'm already full. Why don't you eat the sundae?"
  4242. 4242.
    "Come on. I've come to expect girls to eat three times as much as you just did."
  4243. 4243.
    >"What?"
  4244. 4244.
    "Nothing, just enjoy the sundae. I want you to have it."
  4245. 4245.
    >"I don't... want it."
  4246. 4246.
    >Why's she being so adamant about this ice cream?
  4247. 4247.
    "What is there to feel guilty about if I happily bought it for you?"
  4248. 4248.
    >"I... don't deserve it. After what I did to y-"
  4249. 4249.
    "Stop. Seriously. I'm not upset."
  4250. 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. 4251.
    >Don't... understand?
  4252. 4252.
    "I understand just fine."
  4253. 4253.
    >"You don't."
  4254. 4254.
    "Being responsible is one thing. Worrying yourself into the ground is another. Just eat the sundae, Twilight."
  4255. 4255.
    >"No, Anonymous!"
  4256. 4256.
    "Come on!"
  4257. 4257.
    >"I decline! I'm FULL!"
  4258. 4258.
    "No you're not!"
  4259. 4259.
    >"First you consent for me, then you consent for my stomach?!"
  4260. 4260.
    "I-"
  4261. 4261.
    >You realize you've stood up
  4262. 4262.
    >Twilight's glare doesn't soften, even after you smile and scratch your chin in embarrassment
  4263. 4263.
    "Sorry."
  4264. 4264.
    >"Yeah."
  4265. 4265.
    >Uh oh
  4266. 4266.
    >Sleep deprivation and stress are not pretty on this girl. Not pretty at all
  4267. 4267.
    >Not that they'd be pretty on anybody
  4268. 4268.
    "Tell you what. Forget about the sundae."
  4269. 4269.
    >"Gladly. I didn't want it in the first place."
  4270. 4270.
    "Eheh. Okay. Uh, about that idea."
  4271. 4271.
    >Pointing off to the side, you drop down into your chair
  4272. 4272.
    >You feel better the moment her eyes are on the hanging sign
  4273. 4273.
    >"Oh. A book store?"
  4274. 4274.
    "Yeah. You like books. Right?"
  4275. 4275.
    >"I love books."
  4276. 4276.
    "How about we look around? I bet you've never been in a human book store before."
  4277. 4277.
    >"I haven't."
  4278. 4278.
    >Twilight looks back with a faint smile, which disappears immediately after she sees the sundae again
  4279. 4279.
    >She shoves it to your side of the table and continues
  4280. 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. 4281.
    "Exactly."
  4282. 4282.
    >She frowns
  4283. 4283.
    >"No thank you."
  4284. 4284.
    "What?"
  4285. 4285.
    >"I'm not going to let you buy me a bunch of books."
  4286. 4286.
    "Really? Don't you wish you could amass a human literature collection, and bring it back to your world?"
  4287. 4287.
    >"I d-... um."
  4288. 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. 4289.
    >Her lips move as if to say something, but she just ponders
  4290. 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. 4291.
    >Her eyes widen a bit
  4292. 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. 4293.
    >"Uhhhh."
  4294. 4294.
    >It seems as though she's trying to be angry, and just can't
  4295. 4295.
    >A potent curiosity is painted on her face
  4296. 4296.
    >"They have those books here for sure?"
  4297. 4297.
    "Yeah!"
  4298. 4298.
    >That's how you catch a nerd
  4299. 4299.
    >"Well. I guess a few minutes of looking around wouldn't hurt."
  4300. 4300.
    "Damn right they wouldn't. Let's go."
  4301. 4301.
    ___
  4302. 4302.
    >For the past ten minutes, she's been moving from section to section, gawking at the many different genres on display
  4303. 4303.
    >"The art. There's so many beautiful covers."
  4304. 4304.
    "That's a weird thing to notice."
  4305. 4305.
    >"Well, I mean-"
  4306. 4306.
    >She holds up a romance novel with a beautifully painted forest in Fall
  4307. 4307.
    >As she swoons she rubs its side
  4308. 4308.
    >"Art on the cover of a book is less common in Equestria."
  4309. 4309.
    "Ah."
  4310. 4310.
    >"I think it's fantastic. Imagine how many children it could lure in."
  4311. 4311.
    >Creepy way to phrase it, but who can disagree?
  4312. 4312.
    >She continues moving from shelf to shelf, reading summaries and noting which ones she's interested in
  4313. 4313.
    >Eventually she stumbles upon a section with a big banner advertising pre-owned study material
  4314. 4314.
    >Textbooks lay side by side on a few tables with reduced prices
  4315. 4315.
    "Ah, we found it. Math, Science, Literature, Health-"
  4316. 4316.
    >Twilight snatches up a biology book and flips it open
  4317. 4317.
    >"Oh my gosh. There are so many pages..."
  4318. 4318.
    "Yeah! You can read all about our weird fingers and stuff."
  4319. 4319.
    >"Oh my gosh! A whole chapter on the human heart."
  4320. 4320.
    "Uh-huh. A good thing to learn about, I guess."
  4321. 4321.
    >She skips ahead
  4322. 4322.
    >"Oh my... gosh."
  4323. 4323.
    >She looks at you from beside it, apparently comparing you to an illustration, and quickly looks back to the book
  4324. 4324.
    "...Twilight?"
  4325. 4325.
    >Over the next ten seconds you watch a blush form on her face
  4326. 4326.
    >You grab it out of her hands and put it back on the table
  4327. 4327.
    "Alright, maybe you should start with another textbook."
  4328. 4328.
    >"Y-Yes."
  4329. 4329.
    >A little while later, you're looking around in embarrassment as the bookworm argues with you
  4330. 4330.
    >"I. Decline."
  4331. 4331.
    "Come on. It was the whole point of coming in here. I can afford it, so enjoy it."
  4332. 4332.
    >"Anonymous, I really don't feel comfortable. I'll acquire human books on my own."
  4333. 4333.
    "You're not even technically a student, right? Do you have your own textbooks?"
  4334. 4334.
    >"If I find time, I'll study Rarity's..."
  4335. 4335.
    "And then leave them behind?"
  4336. 4336.
    >She stamps her foot and shakes her head
  4337. 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. 4338.
    >"There! Now drop it, would you?"
  4339. 4339.
    "Twilight. You're... something else."
  4340. 4340.
    >"Uh-huh! I'm going back to the vehicle!"
  4341. 4341.
    "It's called a car you dork."
  4342. 4342.
    >"Uh-huh!"
  4343. 4343.
    >She stomps off
  4344. 4344.
    ___
  4345. 4345.
    >Back on the road
  4346. 4346.
    >Almost to Canterlot High
  4347. 4347.
    >Thankfully for your nerves, Twilight is too mad to say anything
  4348. 4348.
    >Her frustration is difficult for you to relate to
  4349. 4349.
    >Probably because you know so little about Equestria, or magical beings...
  4350. 4350.
    >...but you couldn't resist giving it one last shot
  4351. 4351.
    >You pull the shopping bag further up your lap so that it doesn't fall to the floor as you turn
  4352. 4352.
    >The Taco Bell you usually eat at passes by
  4353. 4353.
    "Okay. We're pretty much there now."
  4354. 4354.
    >A few minutes later you pull into the mostly empty High School parking lot
  4355. 4355.
    >Before the car has even come to a complete stop, Twilight unbuckles and goes for the door handle
  4356. 4356.
    "Wait a second."
  4357. 4357.
    >No response, she's just frozen in place
  4358. 4358.
    "I don't want you to be mad at me."
  4359. 4359.
    >You notice her shoulders rise and fall before she turns around
  4360. 4360.
    >"I just want to search for information."
  4361. 4361.
    "Yeah, I get it. But listen."
  4362. 4362.
    >"...Okay."
  4363. 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. 4364.
    >"Oh, well I don't know about that."
  4365. 4365.
    >With how little time you've spent with Twilight, it's very true
  4366. 4366.
    "I know you feel guilty, but I have to insist. Because I want you to learn to balance your time."
  4367. 4367.
    >"Insist on wha-"
  4368. 4368.
    >She notices the shopping bag, and sighs
  4369. 4369.
    >"You said that you bought yourself a dictionary."
  4370. 4370.
    "Ha!"
  4371. 4371.
    >You pull the bag up from its bottom and catch the novel in your hand
  4372. 4372.
    >Staring up at Twilight is that same romance novel, with the Fall forest
  4373. 4373.
    >Upside down. Just as planned, right?
  4374. 4374.
    >"A-Anonymous..."
  4375. 4375.
    "Hundreds of pages of humans being humans."
  4376. 4376.
    >"But..."
  4377. 4377.
    >Her voice softens
  4378. 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. 4379.
    >She carefully takes the book from your hand and places it in her lap
  4380. 4380.
    >Running her finger up and down the cover seems like a pretty positive reaction
  4381. 4381.
    >"...it is a beautiful book."
  4382. 4382.
    "Yeah."
  4383. 4383.
    >"And I know you're trying to help me."
  4384. 4384.
    >She picks up the shopping bag, places the novel inside and pushes it against your leg
  4385. 4385.
    >"But for the last time, I decline."
  4386. 4386.
    "...What?! I had you that time!"
  4387. 4387.
    >"Not even close actually."
  4388. 4388.
    "This is so damn stupid... just take it!"
  4389. 4389.
    >You drop the bag onto her
  4390. 4390.
    >"Hey!"
  4391. 4391.
    >She picks it up and drops it from slightly higher up
  4392. 4392.
    >You similarly raise the stakes and go just about as high as is possible in the car
  4393. 4393.
    >"ANONYMOUS!"
  4394. 4394.
    >Twilight grips it tight
  4395. 4395.
    >Smacks it into the ceiling
  4396. 4396.
    >And slams it into your crotch
  4397. 4397.
    "...FFF-"
  4398. 4398.
    >You grab the steering wheel and look away
  4399. 4399.
    >Judging by Twilight's immediate ranting, she doesn't realize what she did
  4400. 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. 4401.
    "Y-Yeah? What? How to treat a small mystery like a blooming World War?"
  4402. 4402.
    >"No, I'm going to teach you how to be a better friend!"
  4403. 4403.
    "Th-this entire day was about being a good friend to you."
  4404. 4404.
    >"Are you sure?"
  4405. 4405.
    >You groan and look at her
  4406. 4406.
    >She's crossing her arms and tapping her elbow
  4407. 4407.
    >"Are you sure this is being a good friend?"
  4408. 4408.
    "What are you saying?"
  4409. 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. 4410.
    "I wanted to-"
  4411. 4411.
    >"Did I look like I wanted you to?"
  4412. 4412.
    "...Twilight..."
  4413. 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. 4414.
    >She hops out of the car and slams the door
  4415. 4415.
    >Though you're still suffering from an agonizing pain between your legs, her words seem to have struck you the hardest
  4416. 4416.
    >"Don't wait for me! Just tell me what room you overheard the girls talking in, and go home."
  4417. 4417.
    "...uh..."
  4418. 4418.
    >Which room
  4419. 4419.
    >Which fucking room?
  4420. 4420.
    >How are you going to do this?
  4421. 4421.
    "Uhhh..."
  4422. 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. 4423.
    "Do you know where the art rooms are?"
  4424. 4424.
    >"Yes."
  4425. 4425.
    "It was in one of them. I don't remember which."
  4426. 4426.
    >Though Twilight's anger doesn't dissipate, you catch a hint of a smile
  4427. 4427.
    >"Good. Then I'll be off."
  4428. 4428.
    >She takes a few steps, and then returns to the passenger window
  4429. 4429.
    >"Um. Anonymous. Even though you're absolutely in the wrong... um..."
  4430. 4430.
    >After grabbing her notebook off of the seat, she forces a smile
  4431. 4431.
    >"...I know you were... trying to be good. So..."
  4432. 4432.
    >Twilight sighs, and takes off
  4433. 4433.
    >You slide into your door
  4434. 4434.
    >The warm window heats up the side of your face
  4435. 4435.
    >But you can't bring yourself to get off of it
  4436. 4436.
    >You just watch Twilight rush inside
  4437. 4437.
    "...fuck."
  4438. 4438.
    ___
  4439. 4439.
    >Dozens of channels surfed, and none have distracted you in the slightest
  4440. 4440.
    >Annoying commercials trying hard to be "random"
  4441. 4441.
    >The shopping channel feels pointless
  4442. 4442.
    >Cooking shows will just make you hungry
  4443. 4443.
    >Hey, your favorite movie's playing
  4444. 4444.
    >It seems like a perfect opportunity at first, but there's no way you'll commit to the runtime
  4445. 4445.
    "Ughh."
  4446. 4446.
    >It's not the first time TV has let you down. The internet will have to pick up the slack
  4447. 4447.
    >...though, if you're on your laptop, you probably won't be able to resist checking for messages from Twilight
  4448. 4448.
    >You sigh and fall onto your side
  4449. 4449.
    >Might as well just check if Sonata's show is on-
  4450. 4450.
    "Uggghhh."
  4451. 4451.
    >"Anon?"
  4452. 4452.
    >You sit up and find Sonata, standing behind the couch
  4453. 4453.
    "Hey."
  4454. 4454.
    >"They don't need to go to the bathroom."
  4455. 4455.
    "That's good."
  4456. 4456.
    >Sonata smiles, opens her mouth to speak, but stops, as if unsure of what to say or how to say it
  4457. 4457.
    >"...Aria wanted to talk to you."
  4458. 4458.
    "About what?"
  4459. 4459.
    >Once again she pauses
  4460. 4460.
    >Ever since you got home today you've noticed this behavior. This subtle discomfort she's hiding
  4461. 4461.
    >It makes you wonder: did it start today?
  4462. 4462.
    >Or has she been doing this the whole time, while you've been too naive to notice?
  4463. 4463.
    >"She wouldn't say. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
  4464. 4464.
    "Just tell her to give a reason, or I won't bother."
  4465. 4465.
    >Sonata nods and heads on out of the living room
  4466. 4466.
    >You lay back down
  4467. 4467.
    "Twin-tails... let me mope in peace..."
  4468. 4468.
    >Soon, Sonata's face is hovering over yours
  4469. 4469.
    >"She wants to know when you're going to punish her."
  4470. 4470.
    >Oh, right
  4471. 4471.
    >You'd forgotten about punishment completely
  4472. 4472.
    >The select button on the remote brings up the time
  4473. 4473.
    >11:24 PM I guess it is getting late."
  4474. 4474.
    >"...You don't have to punish her, do you?"
  4475. 4475.
    "Still worrying about them?"
  4476. 4476.
    >"Well, yeah."
  4477. 4477.
    "Hmm. I don't really feel like punishing her. I'm pretty tired."
  4478. 4478.
    >"Great! Then I'll tell her!"
  4479. 4479.
    "W-Wait."
  4480. 4480.
    >You sit up and rest a hand on Sonata's shoulder
  4481. 4481.
    >She jumps
  4482. 4482.
    >Though it catches your attention, you try to stay focused
  4483. 4483.
    "It's fine. I'll do it. I guess I have to."
  4484. 4484.
    >"Why?"
  4485. 4485.
    "You know. Intimidation. I don't want to look like a slacker."
  4486. 4486.
    >"Don't worry Anon. You're intimidating anyway."
  4487. 4487.
    >It's like a knife through the heart
  4488. 4488.
    >Your suspicions seem to materialize as ice packed into your stomach
  4489. 4489.
    >You let yourself slide backwards off the couch
  4490. 4490.
    >"Anon!?"
  4491. 4491.
    >Her bare feet appear upside down before your eyes
  4492. 4492.
    >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  4493. 4493.
    >She gets down on one knee
  4494. 4494.
    >She doesn't seem aware, but her panties are in clear view
  4495. 4495.
    >You can't muster up any excitement over it
  4496. 4496.
    >"Are you sick?"
  4497. 4497.
    "Nah... don't worry, Sonata. I'm just exhausted after today."
  4498. 4498.
    >"Turning into a snake isn't going to help, silly."
  4499. 4499.
    "Yeah, but it gives me an excuse to have you pick me up."
  4500. 4500.
    >Sonata smiles
  4501. 4501.
    >At least you hope she does
  4502. 4502.
    >All you see is her legs straightening out
  4503. 4503.
    >"You're a boy, so."
  4504. 4504.
    "You calling me heavy?"
  4505. 4505.
    >She takes both of your hands and pulls as hard as she can
  4506. 4506.
    >Your back rubs against the cushion and your head meets the carpet
  4507. 4507.
    "Are you picking me up or pulling me into the floor?"
  4508. 4508.
    >"Uh! You're a BOY, so!"
  4509. 4509.
    "That's no excuse."
  4510. 4510.
    >You lift your legs
  4511. 4511.
    >Sonata grabs them and tugs
  4512. 4512.
    >It works much better this time, flipping you onto your stomach
  4513. 4513.
    "There we go."
  4514. 4514.
    >"You look like you're really, really tired. Just punish her tomo-another day, okay?"
  4515. 4515.
    "No, no... I went and said it would be an everyday thing."
  4516. 4516.
    >You pull yourself up by the arm of the couch
  4517. 4517.
    "Just prepare for relentless hugging once I'm done."
  4518. 4518.
    ___
  4519. 4519.
    >"Why are you going so slow?"
  4520. 4520.
    >Aria's voice is practically a growl already
  4521. 4521.
    >The microwave on the kitchen counter catches your eye
  4522. 4522.
    >You hum and poke at the buttons
  4523. 4523.
    "This thing's so old. I should buy a new one."
  4524. 4524.
    >"I don't even know what you're talking about."
  4525. 4525.
    "Oh."
  4526. 4526.
    >You spin around. Aria's ass joins you in staring at the doorway for a moment before you turn back
  4527. 4527.
    >"Well what is it?"
  4528. 4528.
    "A microwave. It warms up your beans."
  4529. 4529.
    >"Yeah, used to maybe."
  4530. 4530.
    "Still mad about that?"
  4531. 4531.
    >She wiggles around on your shoulder
  4532. 4532.
    >"Just keep going."
  4533. 4533.
    "I don't know... maybe I should google some good modern microwaves first?"
  4534. 4534.
    >"The hell does google mean? I- I don't even care. Why do you keep stopping?"
  4535. 4535.
    "Because you keep complaining."
  4536. 4536.
    >"Well GO! I need to talk to you about something very, VERY important!"
  4537. 4537.
    >Something important?
  4538. 4538.
    >Maybe something along the lines of, 'I want to be your slave'?
  4539. 4539.
    "Well, well, well."
  4540. 4540.
    >She settles as you head into the hallway
  4541. 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. 4542.
    >"OW?"
  4543. 4543.
    "Oh. Sorry."
  4544. 4544.
    >You drop Aria into the chair and cross your arms
  4545. 4545.
    >"What's up with you? You're being even weirder than usual."
  4546. 4546.
    "Don't worry about that. Just go ahead."
  4547. 4547.
    >"Uh..."
  4548. 4548.
    >She looks down at her lap
  4549. 4549.
    >Given that it's probably a humiliating thing for her to say, you give her some time
  4550. 4550.
    >About fifteen seconds
  4551. 4551.
    >Then you lose patience
  4552. 4552.
    "All that complaining and you didn't even want to tell me what's on your mind?"
  4553. 4553.
    >"I want to. It's just. Ugh..."
  4554. 4554.
    "Get it over with. You'll feel better."
  4555. 4555.
    >"Okay..."
  4556. 4556.
    >Twin-tails takes a deep breath, and exhales very slowly
  4557. 4557.
    >"Will you... fuckin'..."
  4558. 4558.
    >She extends her arms as well as she can, pushes her bound hands into the floor and crawls onto her knees
  4559. 4559.
    >"Talk to Adagio, and make things okay between her and I?"
  4560. 4560.
    >Wait
  4561. 4561.
    >This again? Seriously?
  4562. 4562.
    >Before you can get a word in, Aria gets down on her arms and lowers her face into the smelly carpet
  4563. 4563.
    >"PLEASE."
  4564. 4564.
    "...Are you really begging on your hands and knees?"
  4565. 4565.
    >She maintains the position in complete silence
  4566. 4566.
    "Wow, Aria. I don't know what to say."
  4567. 4567.
    >You sit down in front of her
  4568. 4568.
    "What happened to make you do this?"
  4569. 4569.
    >A cute little muffled groan can be heard
  4570. 4570.
    >She really doesn't want to say
  4571. 4571.
    >Even prodding the side of her head doesn't get it out of her
  4572. 4572.
    "Come on. Tell me. I'm not going to stop poking until you tell m-"
  4573. 4573.
    >Her head pushes your hand away as she shoots back up
  4574. 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. 4575.
    >Her face is already beet red
  4576. 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. 4577.
    "For once? Didn't that sandwich count?"
  4578. 4578.
    >"Wh-whatever. Two favors?"
  4579. 4579.
    "Don't forget about the chips and the soda."
  4580. 4580.
    >"...Four favors. Okay?"
  4581. 4581.
    "Man. Four favors for my prisoner. I'm awfully nice."
  4582. 4582.
    >"Just agree already."
  4583. 4583.
    "Aria..."
  4584. 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. 4585.
    "Let's say I go up there, and take all of it back. Adagio's happy with you again."
  4586. 4586.
    >"Yeah. Will you?"
  4587. 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. 4588.
    >"N-No."
  4589. 4589.
    "You escape, right? Slip right out of the rope or something. Now what? You get your necklaces?"
  4590. 4590.
    >"..."
  4591. 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. 4592.
    >She frowns
  4593. 4593.
    >Time to lay it on thick
  4594. 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. 4595.
    >She rolls her eyes
  4596. 4596.
    "How much, Aria?"
  4597. 4597.
    >"None. Obviously."
  4598. 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. 4599.
    >"You must think we're idiots. Maybe I'll find work?"
  4600. 4600.
    "No one's going to hire a girl who can't prove her identity."
  4601. 4601.
    >"Why would I need to prove my identity?"
  4602. 4602.
    >You shake your head
  4603. 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. 4604.
    >"So you're trying to say that my ONLY option is to stay with you."
  4605. 4605.
    "Well-"
  4606. 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. 4607.
    >Ouch
  4608. 4608.
    >Parried her reality check, and brought yours right back into focus
  4609. 4609.
    >Judging from her suspicious stare she probably expects the answer to be that you're just a pervert
  4610. 4610.
    "I'm... not sure anymore."
  4611. 4611.
    >She raises an eyebrow
  4612. 4612.
    >Punishing the sirens seemed like a necessary step
  4613. 4613.
    >They're criminals, after all. But more importantly...
  4614. 4614.
    >If you break them down, and turn them into slaves...
  4615. 4615.
    >They'll have to depend on you
  4616. 4616.
    >They CAN'T leave you
  4617. 4617.
    >And the guilt you feel in doing this to them can be pushed away by just remembering:
  4618. 4618.
    >They're monsters
  4619. 4619.
    >They're not even people
  4620. 4620.
    "I guess I was just trying to fill a hole in my life. But, it was a bad idea."
  4621. 4621.
    >"What?"
  4622. 4622.
    "All of this. I didn't think it through."
  4623. 4623.
    >You pull Aria into the chair
  4624. 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. 4625.
    >"Uh. That still doesn't tell me WHY you kidnapped me. What do you mean, hole in your life?"
  4626. 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. 4627.
    >"Yes."
  4628. 4628.
    >No hesitation...
  4629. 4629.
    "You mean it when you tell me to hang myself, right?"
  4630. 4630.
    >"Uhh."
  4631. 4631.
    "See? I don't know why I ever thought this would work out."
  4632. 4632.
    >"What are you saying?"
  4633. 4633.
    "This was all... a mistake. That's what I'm saying. I should never have kidnapped you."
  4634. 4634.
    >"M-Mistake? But you said-"
  4635. 4635.
    >She slowly pulls her legs up to her chest
  4636. 4636.
    "I said what?"
  4637. 4637.
    >"You said... you said I was-"
  4638. 4638.
    >Her face scrunches up
  4639. 4639.
    >She lets out a quiet, exhausted whine and rocks around in the chair
  4640. 4640.
    >"Wo-would you just hit me already?"
  4641. 4641.
    "What?"
  4642. 4642.
    >"Hit me! Like you did Sonata! No, worse than Sonata! Punch me in the stomach until I can't breath!"
  4643. 4643.
    >On instinct alone, you take a step away from her
  4644. 4644.
    >"Do it! You're fuckin' AWFUL at this. Maybe you can REDEEM yourself. Kick me until my teeth fall out!"
  4645. 4645.
    "Twin-tails? You uh, you feeling alright?"
  4646. 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. 4647.
    "Aria, are you... about to cry?"
  4648. 4648.
    >"NO!"
  4649. 4649.
    >She throws herself off of the chair
  4650. 4650.
    >Her twin-tails spiral around her as she rolls to the wall and back, ranting all the while
  4651. 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. 4652.
    "You're creeping me out."
  4653. 4653.
    >"I'M CREEPY, RIGHT?"
  4654. 4654.
    "Right now... yes..."
  4655. 4655.
    >"I smell bad, I'm not pretty, I'm stupid, I'm NOTHING, and I was all a MISTAKE!"
  4656. 4656.
    >Is she having some kind of meltdown?
  4657. 4657.
    >The discomfort building in your gut makes it clear that you're not equipped to deal with this
  4658. 4658.
    >Her rolling picks up in speed
  4659. 4659.
    >The chair has officially tipped over
  4660. 4660.
    >Aria's shirt rides up her stomach, and her hair is a wild mess
  4661. 4661.
    >"HIT! ME! IDIOT! GIVE ME A REASON! HIT! ME! HIT! MEE!"
  4662. 4662.
    >She comes to a sudden stop against your raised foot
  4663. 4663.
    >Her face is so scrunched up that you can't even tell if her eyes are closed
  4664. 4664.
    "I'm not going to hit you."
  4665. 4665.
    >"Right. Fuckin' coward..."
  4666. 4666.
    "Aria."
  4667. 4667.
    >"H-Huh?"
  4668. 4668.
    "I think punishment is over."
  4669. 4669.
    >"Whatever. Gonna be thirty seconds long every night or what?"
  4670. 4670.
    "No, I mean, I think punishment is over... forever."
  4671. 4671.
    ___
  4672. 4672.
    >She's been standing against the kitchen table for a few minutes now
  4673. 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. 4674.
    >You lean over and try and gauge her mood, but her face is...
  4675. 4675.
    >Blank
  4676. 4676.
    "What do you think of sleeping in here?"
  4677. 4677.
    >"The kitchen...?"
  4678. 4678.
    "Yeah. For now, anyway."
  4679. 4679.
    >"...for now?"
  4680. 4680.
    >You nod and tap on the table
  4681. 4681.
    "Yeah. For now."
  4682. 4682.
    >She shrugs her shoulders as slowly as a person possibly could
  4683. 4683.
    "Hmm. Alright. I'm going to get a pillow and a blanket or something, I guess."
  4684. 4684.
    >"Uh-huh..."
  4685. 4685.
    >You take a step past her, and her bound hands come flying into your chest
  4686. 4686.
    >"Wait."
  4687. 4687.
    "What?"
  4688. 4688.
    >"Uh... I... uhhh... I, I need to go to the bathroom."
  4689. 4689.
    >A loud, dramatic stinger plays on the TV in the living room
  4690. 4690.
    >She doesn't find it nearly as amusing as you do
  4691. 4691.
    "Ha... what, were you lying before?"
  4692. 4692.
    >"No. Just wanted to talk to you."
  4693. 4693.
    "Oh?"
  4694. 4694.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and make your way into your bedroom
  4695. 4695.
    "Are you feeling better now?"
  4696. 4696.
    >"Uh-huh..."
  4697. 4697.
    "Are you lying?"
  4698. 4698.
    >"Uh-h-nno..."
  4699. 4699.
    "Hmmm."
  4700. 4700.
    >After getting the ropes off of her, you gesture toward the bathroom
  4701. 4701.
    >She drags her feet on the way in
  4702. 4702.
    >As if watching that freakout wasn't a big enough guilt trip...
  4703. 4703.
    >"What are you doing? Are you not going to come in?"
  4704. 4704.
    "I told you. We're not doing punishment anymore."
  4705. 4705.
    >She shrugs her shoulders again, leans against the door frame and rubs her wrists
  4706. 4706.
    >"Are you really going to give up? Kinda makes you a quitter, huh?"
  4707. 4707.
    "Aria. Go to the bathroom."
  4708. 4708.
    >"Anyway, there's no paper on the roll. I don't know how to put more on there, so."
  4709. 4709.
    "What? There should be some."
  4710. 4710.
    >"I just saw it, dude."
  4711. 4711.
    >She steps in and points
  4712. 4712.
    >Did Sonata play with the-
  4713. 4713.
    >No, come on
  4714. 4714.
    >She's not a puppy
  4715. 4715.
    "Okay. I'll show you how to put more on. Pay attention, okay?"
  4716. 4716.
    >Once inside, you reach down for the cabinet, but stop yourself
  4717. 4717.
    "Aria. There's definitely still paper on-"
  4718. 4718.
    >In an instant, you're staring at the clean, white ceiling
  4719. 4719.
    >One rim of the bathtub slams into the top of your head, and the other jabs into your back
  4720. 4720.
    >You hear a gasp, a few stomps and a slam
  4721. 4721.
    "What. The fuck..."
  4722. 4722.
    >As you sit up, you notice a jingling of the door knob that is impossibly far away
  4723. 4723.
    >And when stand you nearly fall
  4724. 4724.
    "Holy shit."
  4725. 4725.
    >You take a moment
  4726. 4726.
    >Breathing slowly and waiting...
  4727. 4727.
    >The dizziness starts to fade
  4728. 4728.
    >The throbbing pain, however, intensifies
  4729. 4729.
    "Aria..."
  4730. 4730.
    >Sliding your hand on the wall helps keep your balance to the door
  4731. 4731.
    >The knob won't budge
  4732. 4732.
    >Not one bit
  4733. 4733.
    "Aria. Aria!"
  4734. 4734.
    >She's not there, is she?
  4735. 4735.
    >Yeah
  4736. 4736.
    >She's gone
  4737. 4737.
    >You flip the lock both ways a few times, and obviously it makes no difference
  4738. 4738.
    >Looks like you taught her a new trick
  4739. 4739.
    "S-"
  4740. 4740.
    >You ball your fist, and hit the door a few times
  4741. 4741.
    "SONATA!"
  4742. 4742.
    >And then you wait
  4743. 4743.
    >You repeat this, two more times
  4744. 4744.
    >Nothing
  4745. 4745.
    "SONATA!"
  4746. 4746.
    >Probably asleep
  4747. 4747.
    >Or distracted by the TV?
  4748. 4748.
    "SO... NAATA...aaaa."
  4749. 4749.
    >The knob turns, and the door opens up slowly
  4750. 4750.
    >On the other side is a terrified Sonata holding a chair up to her chest
  4751. 4751.
    >"Anon! What happened!?"
  4752. 4752.
    >The chair tumbles to the floor
  4753. 4753.
    >She puts a hand on your shoulder and gets as far up on her tiptoes as she can
  4754. 4754.
    >"Are you hurt?"
  4755. 4755.
    "Did you see Aria?"
  4756. 4756.
    >"Uhh. I."
  4757. 4757.
    >Feeling your balance fully return, you let go of the wall and walk through your bedroom
  4758. 4758.
    >The living room's empty
  4759. 4759.
    >"I heard the front door slam, and I woke up. I thought it was you."
  4760. 4760.
    >So, she really did it
  4761. 4761.
    "I didn't think she had it in her."
  4762. 4762.
    >"Anon! Why are you rubbing your head? What happened?"
  4763. 4763.
    "I fell. It's nothing. Come on."
  4764. 4764.
    >You open a nearby drawer and take a flashlight
  4765. 4765.
    "There's another behind the TV. Go get it, okay?"
  4766. 4766.
    >"Wait. Is Aria outside?!"
  4767. 4767.
    >You dash through the living room
  4768. 4768.
    >The doormat slides under your feet
  4769. 4769.
    >If you hadn't grabbed the knob you'd be on the floor
  4770. 4770.
    "Yeesh."
  4771. 4771.
    >The chilly night air hits you
  4772. 4772.
    >No time to get a jacket
  4773. 4773.
    >You flip the flashlight's switch
  4774. 4774.
    >Nothing
  4775. 4775.
    "Seriously?"
  4776. 4776.
    >You raise it up and slap its back end into the palm of your hand, over and over
  4777. 4777.
    >"Are y-you mad, Anon?"
  4778. 4778.
    "No, this is how you get it to work."
  4779. 4779.
    >"I didn't have to do that. Look!"
  4780. 4780.
    >Bright light invades your eyes
  4781. 4781.
    "SONATA."
  4782. 4782.
    >Should have grabbed that one to begin with
  4783. 4783.
    >You spin around and groan
  4784. 4784.
    >This piece of shit never works when you need it to
  4785. 4785.
    >"See? Just flip the switch Anon."
  4786. 4786.
    "I have to do this!"
  4787. 4787.
    >"You don't! Watch!"
  4788. 4788.
    >She circles around you and points hers into your eyes as she flips it on and off
  4789. 4789.
    "SONATA!"
  4790. 4790.
    >"What!?"
  4791. 4791.
    >Fuck it
  4792. 4792.
    >You get to just beyond the hedges, wind up, and pitch the dollar store flashlight into the trees
  4793. 4793.
    >Leaves shake and branches shift before you hear a quiet thud in the distance
  4794. 4794.
    >"Why did you do that? I told you how to turn it on."
  4795. 4795.
    >You reach for her flashlight and she raises it up above her head
  4796. 4796.
    >"You threw yours away! I'm not giving you mine!"
  4797. 4797.
    "They're both mi- oh man. Just follow me and point it around!"
  4798. 4798.
    >She gasps, seeing you take off into the dark
  4799. 4799.
    >You stop just before the first row of trees and point down the dirt road
  4800. 4800.
    "Shine it this way! Quick!"
  4801. 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. 4802.
    >The light reaches far down the road and shows you nothing but dirt with trees on either side
  4803. 4803.
    "This way too."
  4804. 4804.
    >You turn Sonata around and once again stare down an empty road
  4805. 4805.
    >She couldn't have gotten very far in either direction
  4806. 4806.
    >So unless she's just hid herself in the back yard...
  4807. 4807.
    "Fuuuck."
  4808. 4808.
    >You take Sonata's hand and guide her around the side of the house
  4809. 4809.
    "Aria! You out here?!"
  4810. 4810.
    >Empty
  4811. 4811.
    >In the back yard, Sonata tries to search thoroughly, but is distracted by the empty pool she had yet to see
  4812. 4812.
    >"Arrriiaaaa! Aria out here!?"
  4813. 4813.
    "Shit."
  4814. 4814.
    >The two of you go by the other side of the house as well
  4815. 4815.
    "Okay, we're heading into the woods."
  4816. 4816.
    >"WHAT?! At night time?"
  4817. 4817.
    "She ran through there. We have to go after her."
  4818. 4818.
    >"But!"
  4819. 4819.
    "If you're scared you can stay here."
  4820. 4820.
    >You reach for the flashlight and she pulls it away
  4821. 4821.
    >"No. No, I'll help..."
  4822. 4822.
    "Then hurry up!"
  4823. 4823.
    >You head on
  4824. 4824.
    >She yelps and points the flashlight at your back
  4825. 4825.
    >"Don't leave me behind, Anon!"
  4826. 4826.
    ___
  4827. 4827.
    "Twin-taaaaails!"
  4828. 4828.
    >The echoes are loud and clear
  4829. 4829.
    >After they fade you can hear your own heavy breathing, as well as pants and snapping twigs behind you
  4830. 4830.
    >"Anon!"
  4831. 4831.
    "Hurry!"
  4832. 4832.
    >Sonata groans
  4833. 4833.
    >The hand slapped onto your back tells you she's finally caught up
  4834. 4834.
    >She shines the light all around
  4835. 4835.
    >This far into the woods, it's much easier to see since the trees are spaced apart
  4836. 4836.
    >In fact you're almost to the other side
  4837. 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. 4838.
    >Once she's ended up searching the direction you two came from, you decide to move on
  4839. 4839.
    "Let's go."
  4840. 4840.
    >"Waaait!"
  4841. 4841.
    "Huh?!"
  4842. 4842.
    >You freeze in the middle of a take-off, balancing on one foot
  4843. 4843.
    "If she's not out here hiding, it means crossed the other side and is- Well, she could be anywhere."
  4844. 4844.
    >"I'm... I'm tired."
  4845. 4845.
    >The light zooms across the ground and stops right beside her feet
  4846. 4846.
    >She's resting her hands on her knees and panting a bit too much to be believed
  4847. 4847.
    "I know you're not THAT tired."
  4848. 4848.
    >"What do you mean!?"
  4849. 4849.
    "You're gasping for air harder than when you'd just finished running."
  4850. 4850.
    >"Well I'm still tired!"
  4851. 4851.
    >Now she's straight up whining
  4852. 4852.
    "Do I have to carry you?"
  4853. 4853.
    >You flinch seeing her shadowy figure rush past you
  4854. 4854.
    >Her arms wrap around your neck
  4855. 4855.
    "Whoa."
  4856. 4856.
    >Her thigh presses against your hip
  4857. 4857.
    >"I thought you'd never ask!"
  4858. 4858.
    >Once your hand is supporting her leg, she lifts the other
  4859. 4859.
    >Sonata is heavier than she looks
  4860. 4860.
    >But at least you get two constant handfuls and a hug from behind
  4861. 4861.
    >Plus the light is now guiding you much more consistently
  4862. 4862.
    >The only true annoyance here is that you have to be extra careful about walking straight into branches
  4863. 4863.
    >It takes you a while to reach the other side of the woods
  4864. 4864.
    >Once the trees are behind you and a line of houses stands in front of you, Sonata sighs in relief
  4865. 4865.
    >"I'm never touching another stupid tree again."
  4866. 4866.
    "We're going through there to get home, of course."
  4867. 4867.
    >You smile at her gasp, and point around for her to direct the flash light >It's been an everyday thing
  4868. 4868.
    >And so far it seems to have worked
  4869. 4869.
    >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  4870. 4870.
    >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  4871. 4871.
    >Sonata is bent over your lap
  4872. 4872.
    >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  4873. 4873.
    >Half of her rear end is exposed
  4874. 4874.
    >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  4875. 4875.
    "You're squirming again."
  4876. 4876.
    >"Huh?"
  4877. 4877.
    >She stiffens up
  4878. 4878.
    >"I wasn't..."
  4879. 4879.
    "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  4880. 4880.
    >"...I'm sorry."
  4881. 4881.
    >You press your hand against her
  4882. 4882.
    >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  4883. 4883.
    >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  4884. 4884.
    >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  4885. 4885.
    >THWACK
  4886. 4886.
    >"AHH! Anon!"
  4887. 4887.
    >THWACK
  4888. 4888.
    >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  4889. 4889.
    >THWACK
  4890. 4890.
    >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  4891. 4891.
    >THWACK
  4892. 4892.
    >"Anooooooooon!"
  4893. 4893.
    >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  4894. 4894.
    "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  4895. 4895.
    >She gasps
  4896. 4896.
    >Looks at you with a pout
  4897. 4897.
    "Well?"
  4898. 4898.
    >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  4899. 4899.
    >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  4900. 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. 4901.
    >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  4902. 4902.
    "That's a good Sonata."
  4903. 4903.
    >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  4904. 4904.
    "You promise with all of your heart?"
  4905. 4905.
    >Sniff
  4906. 4906.
    >"I p-promise. But..."
  4907. 4907.
    "But what?"
  4908. 4908.
    >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  4909. 4909.
    >You pat her head
  4910. 4910.
    "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  4911. 4911.
    >Sniff
  4912. 4912.
    >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  4913. 4913.
    "Sonata."
  4914. 4914.
    >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  4915. 4915.
    "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  4916. 4916.
    >"Really?"
  4917. 4917.
    "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  4918. 4918.
    >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  4919. 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. 4920.
    >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  4921. 4921.
    >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  4922. 4922.
    ___
  4923. 4923.
    >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  4924. 4924.
    >One week since Sonata gave in
  4925. 4925.
    >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  4926. 4926.
    >They scowl all through out
  4927. 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. 4928.
    >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  4929. 4929.
    >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  4930. 4930.
    >"Shut. Up."
  4931. 4931.
    >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  4932. 4932.
    >Sonata frowns
  4933. 4933.
    >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  4934. 4934.
    >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  4935. 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. 4936.
    >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  4937. 4937.
    >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  4938. 4938.
    >"He, he does..."
  4939. 4939.
    >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  4940. 4940.
    >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  4941. 4941.
    >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  4942. 4942.
    >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  4943. 4943.
    >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  4944. 4944.
    >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  4945. 4945.
    >"But... but! Adagio!"
  4946. 4946.
    >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  4947. 4947.
    >"Yes, traitor?"
  4948. 4948.
    >Sonata's heart sinks
  4949. 4949.
    >She backs away
  4950. 4950.
    >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  4951. 4951.
    >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  4952. 4952.
    >Sonata runs out of the room
  4953. 4953.
    >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  4954. 4954.
    ___
  4955. 4955.
    >You're downstairs, watching TV
  4956. 4956.
    >Some dull documentary
  4957. 4957.
    >"...Anonnnnn..."
  4958. 4958.
    >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  4959. 4959.
    "How'd it go?"
  4960. 4960.
    >"Annnoooon!"
  4961. 4961.
    >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  4962. 4962.
    "Bad?"
  4963. 4963.
    >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  4964. 4964.
    >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  4965. 4965.
    "What about Aria?"
  4966. 4966.
    >"She spit in my eye."
  4967. 4967.
    "What?"
  4968. 4968.
    >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  4969. 4969.
    >Some specks of spit are still there
  4970. 4970.
    >How dare Aria?
  4971. 4971.
    >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  4972. 4972.
    "There."
  4973. 4973.
    >"You got it?"
  4974. 4974.
    "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  4975. 4975.
    >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  4976. 4976.
    >"Anon?"
  4977. 4977.
    "Yeah?"
  4978. 4978.
    >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  4979. 4979.
    "What makes you ask that?"
  4980. 4980.
    >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  4981. 4981.
    >You wonder
  4982. 4982.
    >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  4983. 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. 4984.
    >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  4985. 4985.
    >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  4986. 4986.
    "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  4987. 4987.
    >"Oh....."
  4988. 4988.
    "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  4989. 4989.
    >"What?"
  4990. 4990.
    "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  4991. 4991.
    >You poke her nose
  4992. 4992.
    "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  4993. 4993.
    >She nods
  4994. 4994.
    >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  4995. 4995.
    ___
  4996. 4996.
    >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  4997. 4997.
    >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  4998. 4998.
    >The former doesn't look at you
  4999. 4999.
    >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  5000. 5000.
    "Hello, Aria."
  5001. 5001.
    >She sticks her tongue out at you
  5002. 5002.
    >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  5003. 5003.
    >This one's just asking for it
  5004. 5004.
    "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  5005. 5005.
    >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  5006. 5006.
    >You smirk
  5007. 5007.
    "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  5008. 5008.
    >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  5009. 5009.
    "Whoa!"
  5010. 5010.
    >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  5011. 5011.
    >You take a moment to admire her body
  5012. 5012.
    >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  5013. 5013.
    >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  5014. 5014.
    >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  5015. 5015.
    "I'm really impressed."
  5016. 5016.
    >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  5017. 5017.
    "Calm down."
  5018. 5018.
    >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  5019. 5019.
    >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  5020. 5020.
    >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  5021. 5021.
    "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  5022. 5022.
    >"...Fuck you."
  5023. 5023.
    >Her spirit excites you
  5024. 5024.
    "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  5025. 5025.
    >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  5026. 5026.
    >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  5027. 5027.
    >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  5028. 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. 5029.
    >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  5030. 5030.
    >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  5031. 5031.
    >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  5032. 5032.
    >You turn to Adagio
  5033. 5033.
    >She's just staring at the wall
  5034. 5034.
    >Not the most sympathetic leader
  5035. 5035.
    "Let's go."
  5036. 5036.
    ___
  5037. 5037.
    >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  5038. 5038.
    >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  5039. 5039.
    "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  5040. 5040.
    >"I know~"
  5041. 5041.
    >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  5042. 5042.
    >"It's a new ep-"
  5043. 5043.
    >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  5044. 5044.
    >"Aria...."
  5045. 5045.
    >"..Yeah?!"
  5046. 5046.
    >They're quiet
  5047. 5047.
    >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  5048. 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. 5049.
    >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  5050. 5050.
    "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  5051. 5051.
    >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  5052. 5052.
    >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  5053. 5053.
    >You smile and nod your head
  5054. 5054.
    >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  5055. 5055.
    >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  5056. 5056.
    "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  5057. 5057.
    >"Oh. Yeah!"
  5058. 5058.
    >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  5059. 5059.
    >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  5060. 5060.
    ___
  5061. 5061.
    "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  5062. 5062.
    >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  5063. 5063.
    "Then what's it about?"
  5064. 5064.
    >You make your way through the kitchen
  5065. 5065.
    >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  5066. 5066.
    >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  5067. 5067.
    >The entrance to the punishment room
  5068. 5068.
    "Ready?"
  5069. 5069.
    >"Fuck off."
  5070. 5070.
    >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  5071. 5071.
    >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  5072. 5072.
    >You approach it and stand Aria up
  5073. 5073.
    >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  5074. 5074.
    >Fair
  5075. 5075.
    >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  5076. 5076.
    >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  5077. 5077.
    >"What, is the chair for me?"
  5078. 5078.
    "No."
  5079. 5079.
    >You sit down
  5080. 5080.
    >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  5081. 5081.
    >Not quite
  5082. 5082.
    >You pull her down onto your lap
  5083. 5083.
    >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  5084. 5084.
    "Shut up."
  5085. 5085.
    >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  5086. 5086.
    >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  5087. 5087.
    >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  5088. 5088.
    >"....What are you doing?"
  5089. 5089.
    >She's pretty fit
  5090. 5090.
    >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  5091. 5091.
    >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  5092. 5092.
    >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  5093. 5093.
    >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  5094. 5094.
    >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  5095. 5095.
    >"Are you... a pervert?"
  5096. 5096.
    >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  5097. 5097.
    "You need to wash your hair better."
  5098. 5098.
    >"What?!"
  5099. 5099.
    "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  5100. 5100.
    >In reality, it smells alright
  5101. 5101.
    >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  5102. 5102.
    "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  5103. 5103.
    >"..."
  5104. 5104.
    >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  5105. 5105.
    "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  5106. 5106.
    >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  5107. 5107.
    >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  5108. 5108.
    >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  5109. 5109.
    >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  5110. 5110.
    "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  5111. 5111.
    >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  5112. 5112.
    "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  5113. 5113.
    >"..."
  5114. 5114.
    >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  5115. 5115.
    >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  5116. 5116.
    "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  5117. 5117.
    >"Wh-"
  5118. 5118.
    "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  5119. 5119.
    >You slap her legs together
  5120. 5120.
    "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  5121. 5121.
    >She's quiet
  5122. 5122.
    "Well?"
  5123. 5123.
    >You feel around her thighs for some time
  5124. 5124.
    >No response
  5125. 5125.
    "I'm not surprised."
  5126. 5126.
    >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  5127. 5127.
    >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  5128. 5128.
    "You're the perfect weight though."
  5129. 5129.
    >"...What?"
  5130. 5130.
    "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  5131. 5131.
    >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  5132. 5132.
    >"...Whatever."
  5133. 5133.
    >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  5134. 5134.
    >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  5135. 5135.
    "Hey."
  5136. 5136.
    >"...Hm?"
  5137. 5137.
    "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  5138. 5138.
    >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  5139. 5139.
    >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  5140. 5140.
    >"Anything's better than that."
  5141. 5141.
    "Why settle for anything?"
  5142. 5142.
    >"Hm?"
  5143. 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. 5144.
    >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  5145. 5145.
    "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  5146. 5146.
    >Her eyes go straight to yours
  5147. 5147.
    >And she just stares
  5148. 5148.
    >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  5149. 5149.
    >And says
  5150. 5150.
    >"Hang yourself."
  5151. 5151.
    >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  5152. 5152.
    "Interesting."
  5153. 5153.
    >"...What?"
  5154. 5154.
    "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  5155. 5155.
    >"The hell are you talking about?"
  5156. 5156.
    "You were thinking about it."
  5157. 5157.
    >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  5158. 5158.
    >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  5159. 5159.
    "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  5160. 5160.
    >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  5161. 5161.
    >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  5162. 5162.
    >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  5163. 5163.
    "Come on, Aria."
  5164. 5164.
    >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  5165. 5165.
    >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  5166. 5166.
    >"Dude. Back off."
  5167. 5167.
    "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  5168. 5168.
    >"...And it is?"
  5169. 5169.
    "Close your eyes."
  5170. 5170.
    >"N-No."
  5171. 5171.
    >She does it anyway
  5172. 5172.
    >"Don't."
  5173. 5173.
    >She quietly groans
  5174. 5174.
    >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  5175. 5175.
    >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  5176. 5176.
    >You lower her just a bit further
  5177. 5177.
    >Tighten your grip
  5178. 5178.
    >And spit in her face
  5179. 5179.
    ___
  5180. 5180.
    >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  5181. 5181.
    >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  5182. 5182.
    >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  5183. 5183.
    "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  5184. 5184.
    >She responds by kicking the wall
  5185. 5185.
    >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  5186. 5186.
    >"Anon?"
  5187. 5187.
    "Hey. What's up?"
  5188. 5188.
    >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  5189. 5189.
    >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  5190. 5190.
    "I'm afraid not."
  5191. 5191.
    >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  5192. 5192.
    "It keeps the door locked."
  5193. 5193.
    >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  5194. 5194.
    "Go ahead, try to open it."
  5195. 5195.
    >"Okay."
  5196. 5196.
    >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  5197. 5197.
    >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  5198. 5198.
    "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  5199. 5199.
    >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  5200. 5200.
    "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  5201. 5201.
    >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  5202. 5202.
    "You can choose. I have no preference."
  5203. 5203.
    >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  5204. 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. 5205.
    >Now there's a pile of them
  5206. 5206.
    >It's fine, though
  5207. 5207.
    >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  5208. 5208.
    >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  5209. 5209.
    >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  5210. 5210.
    >Adorable
  5211. 5211.
    >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  5212. 5212.
    >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  5213. 5213.
    >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  5214. 5214.
    >It was like caging a wild animal
  5215. 5215.
    >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  5216. 5216.
    "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  5217. 5217.
    >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  5218. 5218.
    >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  5219. 5219.
    >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  5220. 5220.
    >But instead you swing it wide open
  5221. 5221.
    >"W-What the HELL!"
  5222. 5222.
    >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  5223. 5223.
    >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  5224. 5224.
    "Don't flatter yourself."
  5225. 5225.
    >You hold the towel out toward her
  5226. 5226.
    >"...just put it on the counter!"
  5227. 5227.
    "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  5228. 5228.
    >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  5229. 5229.
    >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  5230. 5230.
    >"Fucking. Creep."
  5231. 5231.
    >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  5232. 5232.
    >"...Anon?"
  5233. 5233.
    "Huh?"
  5234. 5234.
    >"I finished the bed."
  5235. 5235.
    "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  5236. 5236.
    >You pat Sonata's head
  5237. 5237.
    >"Anon?"
  5238. 5238.
    "Yeah?"
  5239. 5239.
    >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  5240. 5240.
    >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  5241. 5241.
    "Oh. I did..."
  5242. 5242.
    >She looks deeply bothered
  5243. 5243.
    "What's wrong?"
  5244. 5244.
    >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  5245. 5245.
    >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  5246. 5246.
    "Uh."
  5247. 5247.
    >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  5248. 5248.
    >So innocent
  5249. 5249.
    >So cute
  5250. 5250.
    >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  5251. 5251.
    "Is someone getting jealous?"
  5252. 5252.
    >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  5253. 5253.
    >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  5254. 5254.
    >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  5255. 5255.
    >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  5256. 5256.
    >Probably just her demeanor
  5257. 5257.
    "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  5258. 5258.
    >"Why not?"
  5259. 5259.
    "Because. You're special to me."
  5260. 5260.
    >"...special to you..."
  5261. 5261.
    >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  5262. 5262.
    >You're getting eager to go to bed
  5263. 5263.
    >It's about that time now
  5264. 5264.
    >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  5265. 5265.
    >The door opens up
  5266. 5266.
    >Oh fuck
  5267. 5267.
    >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  5268. 5268.
    >"Wow."
  5269. 5269.
    >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  5270. 5270.
    >"Hi Aria."
  5271. 5271.
    >"Hi, slut."
  5272. 5272.
    "...Aria."
  5273. 5273.
    >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  5274. 5274.
    >"I'm out of here."
  5275. 5275.
    "Haha, what?"
  5276. 5276.
    >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  5277. 5277.
    "Don't be so stupid."
  5278. 5278.
    >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  5279. 5279.
    >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  5280. 5280.
    "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  5281. 5281.
    >"Well-"
  5282. 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. 5283.
    >"...where are our necklaces?"
  5284. 5284.
    "So you admit it."
  5285. 5285.
    >"What? No."
  5286. 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. 5287.
    >"Fuck! You!"
  5288. 5288.
    >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  5289. 5289.
    >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  5290. 5290.
    >"LET GO!"
  5291. 5291.
    "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  5292. 5292.
    >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  5293. 5293.
    "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  5294. 5294.
    >"NO!"
  5295. 5295.
    >Well
  5296. 5296.
    >Alright then
  5297. 5297.
    "Time to go back up."
  5298. 5298.
    >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  5299. 5299.
    >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  5300. 5300.
    >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  5301. 5301.
    "Oh calm down..."
  5302. 5302.
    >"Aria!"
  5303. 5303.
    >You stop in the doorway
  5304. 5304.
    >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  5305. 5305.
    >You hear Sonata sniffling
  5306. 5306.
    >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  5307. 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. 5308.
    >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  5309. 5309.
    >"OW! Stop!"
  5310. 5310.
    "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  5311. 5311.
    >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  5312. 5312.
    ___
  5313. 5313.
    >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  5314. 5314.
    >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  5315. 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. 5316.
    >But your mind draws a blank
  5317. 5317.
    >She's barely said a word since her capture
  5318. 5318.
    >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  5319. 5319.
    "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  5320. 5320.
    >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  5321. 5321.
    >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  5322. 5322.
    "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  5323. 5323.
    >"Hmm?"
  5324. 5324.
    >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  5325. 5325.
    "You need to wake up now."
  5326. 5326.
    >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  5327. 5327.
    "Didn't sleep well?"
  5328. 5328.
    >"I slept great. You were really..."
  5329. 5329.
    >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  5330. 5330.
    >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  5331. 5331.
    >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  5332. 5332.
    >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  5333. 5333.
    >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  5334. 5334.
    "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  5335. 5335.
    >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  5336. 5336.
    >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  5337. 5337.
    >It's hard not to baby her
  5338. 5338.
    "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  5339. 5339.
    >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  5340. 5340.
    >You were right to start with Sonata
  5341. 5341.
    >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  5342. 5342.
    >You even considered releasing them
  5343. 5343.
    >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  5344. 5344.
    >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  5345. 5345.
    >"This is really, really delicio-"
  5346. 5346.
    >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  5347. 5347.
    "...who the..."
  5348. 5348.
    >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  5349. 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. 5350.
    >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  5351. 5351.
    >"Uhh, but-"
  5352. 5352.
    "Please, go."
  5353. 5353.
    >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  5354. 5354.
    ___
  5355. 5355.
    >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  5356. 5356.
    >Twilight Sparkle
  5357. 5357.
    >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  5358. 5358.
    >Thankfully, she's alone
  5359. 5359.
    >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  5360. 5360.
    >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  5361. 5361.
    >Please
  5362. 5362.
    >Just go
  5363. 5363.
    >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  5364. 5364.
    >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  5365. 5365.
    "Good morning, Twilight."
  5366. 5366.
    >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  5367. 5367.
    >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  5368. 5368.
    "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  5369. 5369.
    >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  5370. 5370.
    >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  5371. 5371.
    "What's this about?"
  5372. 5372.
    >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  5373. 5373.
    "What for?"
  5374. 5374.
    >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  5375. 5375.
    "Yes..."
  5376. 5376.
    >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  5377. 5377.
    "Yes."
  5378. 5378.
    >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  5379. 5379.
    >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  5380. 5380.
    >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  5381. 5381.
    "Gone?!"
  5382. 5382.
    >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  5383. 5383.
    "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  5384. 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. 5385.
    "Really?"
  5386. 5386.
    >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  5387. 5387.
    >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  5388. 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. 5389.
    >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  5390. 5390.
    >Now you'll do it your way
  5391. 5391.
    "So what do you think it means?"
  5392. 5392.
    >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  5393. 5393.
    >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  5394. 5394.
    >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  5395. 5395.
    "Hm."
  5396. 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. 5397.
    "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  5398. 5398.
    >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  5399. 5399.
    >She closes her notebook and looks away
  5400. 5400.
    >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  5401. 5401.
    >You exhale slowly
  5402. 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. 5403.
    >"...I-"
  5404. 5404.
    >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  5405. 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. 5406.
    >"What is it?!"
  5407. 5407.
    >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  5408. 5408.
    "....Uh."
  5409. 5409.
    >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  5410. 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. 5411.
    >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  5412. 5412.
    >You nod
  5413. 5413.
    "It could be anything, really..."
  5414. 5414.
    >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  5415. 5415.
    >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  5416. 5416.
    >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  5417. 5417.
    >Is she about to cry?
  5418. 5418.
    >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  5419. 5419.
    >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  5420. 5420.
    >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  5421. 5421.
    "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  5422. 5422.
    >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  5423. 5423.
    >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  5424. 5424.
    >You consider offering her a ride
  5425. 5425.
    >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  5426. 5426.
    ___
  5427. 5427.
    >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  5428. 5428.
    >"Anon, who was it?"
  5429. 5429.
    "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  5430. 5430.
    >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  5431. 5431.
    >She stands up with defensive posture
  5432. 5432.
    >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  5433. 5433.
    >But she just stares
  5434. 5434.
    >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  5435. 5435.
    "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  5436. 5436.
    >"What?"
  5437. 5437.
    >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  5438. 5438.
    >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  5439. 5439.
    "Hmm."
  5440. 5440.
    >"Why?"
  5441. 5441.
    >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  5442. 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. 5443.
    >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  5444. 5444.
    >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  5445. 5445.
    "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  5446. 5446.
    >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  5447. 5447.
    >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  5448. 5448.
    >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  5449. 5449.
    >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  5450. 5450.
    >"Hey."
  5451. 5451.
    "...what, Aria?"
  5452. 5452.
    >"You're too close."
  5453. 5453.
    >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  5454. 5454.
    >"H-Hey!"
  5455. 5455.
    "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  5456. 5456.
    >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  5457. 5457.
    >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  5458. 5458.
    "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  5459. 5459.
    >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  5460. 5460.
    >"...you told someone?"
  5461. 5461.
    "Nope."
  5462. 5462.
    >"Then how could-"
  5463. 5463.
    >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  5464. 5464.
    >She was the one who told you to begin with
  5465. 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. 5466.
    >"How much do they know?"
  5467. 5467.
    >Aria looks on edge
  5468. 5468.
    >You just smile
  5469. 5469.
    "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  5470. 5470.
    >Sonata gasps
  5471. 5471.
    >"But it sounded so fun!"
  5472. 5472.
    "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  5473. 5473.
    >Maybe a disguise or something
  5474. 5474.
    >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  5475. 5475.
    "Anything it takes! Haha."
  5476. 5476.
    >"W-what?"
  5477. 5477.
    "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  5478. 5478.
    >She frowns
  5479. 5479.
    "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  5480. 5480.
    >Aria glares
  5481. 5481.
    >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  5482. 5482.
    "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  5483. 5483.
    >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  5484. 5484.
    "She just stood there and gawked."
  5485. 5485.
    >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  5486. 5486.
    "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  5487. 5487.
    >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  5488. 5488.
    >Gotta admit, it hurts
  5489. 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. 5490.
    >"Aria."
  5491. 5491.
    >".....huh?"
  5492. 5492.
    >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  5493. 5493.
    >Aria's mouth hangs open
  5494. 5494.
    >"But I... he's lyi..."
  5495. 5495.
    "Hey."
  5496. 5496.
    >You whisper into her ear
  5497. 5497.
    "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  5498. 5498.
    >"...what?"
  5499. 5499.
    "Your hair."
  5500. 5500.
    >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  5501. 5501.
    "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  5502. 5502.
    >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  5503. 5503.
    "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  5504. 5504.
    ___
  5505. 5505.
    >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  5506. 5506.
    >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  5507. 5507.
    >She'll be fine though, right?
  5508. 5508.
    >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  5509. 5509.
    "Ughh..."
  5510. 5510.
    >Time for another distraction
  5511. 5511.
    "Sonata, where are you?"
  5512. 5512.
    >"TV~!"
  5513. 5513.
    >You head into the living room
  5514. 5514.
    >Some cartoon is on
  5515. 5515.
    "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  5516. 5516.
    >"Okay~"
  5517. 5517.
    "Can you do me a favor?"
  5518. 5518.
    >"Of course!"
  5519. 5519.
    >She hops off of the couch and beams
  5520. 5520.
    >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  5521. 5521.
    "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  5522. 5522.
    >"Uh-huh."
  5523. 5523.
    "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  5524. 5524.
    >You head outside
  5525. 5525.
    >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  5526. 5526.
    >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  5527. 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. 5528.
    >It's asking for trouble
  5529. 5529.
    "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  5530. 5530.
    >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  5531. 5531.
    >A phone call would be better, but...
  5532. 5532.
    >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  5533. 5533.
    "Wait..."
  5534. 5534.
    >There's something in your peripheral vision
  5535. 5535.
    >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  5536. 5536.
    >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  5537. 5537.
    "Oh for fuck's sake."
  5538. 5538.
    >A shovel
  5539. 5539.
    >THE shovel
  5540. 5540.
    >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  5541. 5541.
    "Talk about a give-away."
  5542. 5542.
    >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  5543. 5543.
    >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  5544. 5544.
    ___
  5545. 5545.
    "We have more magazines!"
  5546. 5546.
    >"OOH!"
  5547. 5547.
    >Sonata snatches them up
  5548. 5548.
    >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  5549. 5549.
    >"It's a fashion one!"
  5550. 5550.
    >Her eyes narrow
  5551. 5551.
    >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  5552. 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. 5553.
    >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  5554. 5554.
    >"Good."
  5555. 5555.
    >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  5556. 5556.
    >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  5557. 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. 5558.
    "Oh, Sonata."
  5559. 5559.
    >You hold up the envelope
  5560. 5560.
    "We're going to have some money again."
  5561. 5561.
    >"Someone sent you money?"
  5562. 5562.
    "Yeah, my parents."
  5563. 5563.
    >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  5564. 5564.
    >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  5565. 5565.
    >"Hello son."
  5566. 5566.
    >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  5567. 5567.
    >Yeah...
  5568. 5568.
    >You know...
  5569. 5569.
    >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  5570. 5570.
    >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  5571. 5571.
    >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  5572. 5572.
    >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  5573. 5573.
    "Ughh..."
  5574. 5574.
    >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  5575. 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. 5576.
    >That's it...?
  5577. 5577.
    >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  5578. 5578.
    "..."
  5579. 5579.
    >It's fine
  5580. 5580.
    >They're busy, right?
  5581. 5581.
    >Probably have a lot on their mind
  5582. 5582.
    "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  5583. 5583.
    >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  5584. 5584.
    "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  5585. 5585.
    >"OOH!"
  5586. 5586.
    "Got something in mind already?"
  5587. 5587.
    >"I DO!"
  5588. 5588.
    >You chuckle
  5589. 5589.
    "What is it?"
  5590. 5590.
    >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  5591. 5591.
    "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  5592. 5592.
    >"T-T-T-"
  5593. 5593.
    >She grabs hold of your arms
  5594. 5594.
    >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  5595. 5595.
    >Taco...
  5596. 5596.
    >Bell?
  5597. 5597.
    >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  5598. 5598.
    "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  5599. 5599.
    >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  5600. 5600.
    "Why not?"
  5601. 5601.
    >She scoffs
  5602. 5602.
    >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  5603. 5603.
    "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  5604. 5604.
    >"Anon. Please!"
  5605. 5605.
    >She hugs your arm
  5606. 5606.
    >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  5607. 5607.
    >Maybe it's better this way
  5608. 5608.
    "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  5609. 5609.
    >"Go get it?"
  5610. 5610.
    "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  5611. 5611.
    >She backs away
  5612. 5612.
    >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  5613. 5613.
    >She looks upset...
  5614. 5614.
    >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  5615. 5615.
    >...oh
  5616. 5616.
    "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  5617. 5617.
    >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  5618. 5618.
    "It's-"
  5619. 5619.
    >She pulls away
  5620. 5620.
    >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  5621. 5621.
    "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  5622. 5622.
    >"This isn't what?"
  5623. 5623.
    "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  5624. 5624.
    >"Why? You're just making us good."
  5625. 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. 5626.
    >"So?"
  5627. 5627.
    >Sonata
  5628. 5628.
    >Please...
  5629. 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. 5630.
    >Your heart starts to race
  5631. 5631.
    >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  5632. 5632.
    >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  5633. 5633.
    "I-"
  5634. 5634.
    >You feel light-headed
  5635. 5635.
    "I'm g-"
  5636. 5636.
    >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  5637. 5637.
    >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  5638. 5638.
    >It's too risky
  5639. 5639.
    "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  5640. 5640.
    >"It's okay. Never mind."
  5641. 5641.
    >She's there, beside you
  5642. 5642.
    >"I don't want..."
  5643. 5643.
    >She wraps her arms around your waist
  5644. 5644.
    >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  5645. 5645.
    "Sonata..."
  5646. 5646.
    >You stand there quietly with her
  5647. 5647.
    >Soon, you feel at ease...
  5648. 5648.
    >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  5649. 5649.
    "Sonata."
  5650. 5650.
    >A fast food trip
  5651. 5651.
    >What could happen on a fast food trip
  5652. 5652.
    "Let's..."
  5653. 5653.
    >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  5654. 5654.
    "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  5655. 5655.
    >"...Really?"
  5656. 5656.
    "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  5657. 5657.
    >"Anon, are you sure?"
  5658. 5658.
    "Definitely."
  5659. 5659.
    >This will be fine
  5660. 5660.
    >Just have to be careful
  5661. 5661.
    >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  5662. 5662.
    "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  5663. 5663.
    >"ANYTHING?!"
  5664. 5664.
    "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  5665. 5665.
    >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  5666. 5666.
    "Haha, of course!"
  5667. 5667.
    >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  5668. 5668.
    >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  5669. 5669.
    >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  5670. 5670.
    >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  5671. 5671.
    "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  5672. 5672.
    >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  5673. 5673.
    "Well I'm a little on edge."
  5674. 5674.
    >"Can't have that~"
  5675. 5675.
    >She wraps her legs around you
  5676. 5676.
    >It feels awkward... but secure
  5677. 5677.
    >Very secure
  5678. 5678.
    >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  5679. 5679.
    "Okay."
  5680. 5680.
    >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  5681. 5681.
    >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  5682. 5682.
    >Always...
  5683. 5683.
    >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  5684. 5684.
    >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  5685. 5685.
    >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  5686. 5686.
    ___
  5687. 5687.
    >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  5688. 5688.
    >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  5689. 5689.
    >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  5690. 5690.
    "Because this is all gonna work out."
  5691. 5691.
    >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  5692. 5692.
    >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  5693. 5693.
    "Yeah?"
  5694. 5694.
    >You drop her in the chair
  5695. 5695.
    >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  5696. 5696.
    >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  5697. 5697.
    "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  5698. 5698.
    >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  5699. 5699.
    >She rolls her eyes
  5700. 5700.
    "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  5701. 5701.
    >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  5702. 5702.
    "What do you mean?"
  5703. 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. 5704.
    >Aria looks pretty worried
  5705. 5705.
    >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  5706. 5706.
    "Not gonna happen."
  5707. 5707.
    >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  5708. 5708.
    "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  5709. 5709.
    >She waits for you to elaborate
  5710. 5710.
    "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  5711. 5711.
    >"You don't know anything..."
  5712. 5712.
    "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  5713. 5713.
    >"What about us?"
  5714. 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. 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. 5716.
    "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  5717. 5717.
    >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  5718. 5718.
    >Up her sides
  5719. 5719.
    >And press into her arm pits
  5720. 5720.
    >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  5721. 5721.
    >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  5722. 5722.
    >"Knock it off."
  5723. 5723.
    "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  5724. 5724.
    >"Obviously. Idiot."
  5725. 5725.
    "Well."
  5726. 5726.
    >You back off and stand
  5727. 5727.
    "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  5728. 5728.
    >"Huh?"
  5729. 5729.
    "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  5730. 5730.
    >"....shut up..."
  5731. 5731.
    "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  5732. 5732.
    >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  5733. 5733.
    "Have you always been so filthy?"
  5734. 5734.
    >"I'm not. Filthy."
  5735. 5735.
    "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  5736. 5736.
    >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  5737. 5737.
    >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  5738. 5738.
    "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  5739. 5739.
    >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  5740. 5740.
    >You can't help but laugh in her face
  5741. 5741.
    "Once again, you prove my point."
  5742. 5742.
    >"What?!"
  5743. 5743.
    "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  5744. 5744.
    >"....just."
  5745. 5745.
    >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  5746. 5746.
    >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  5747. 5747.
    >She's become quiet
  5748. 5748.
    >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  5749. 5749.
    "Well..."
  5750. 5750.
    >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  5751. 5751.
    "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  5752. 5752.
    >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  5753. 5753.
    "Maybe!"
  5754. 5754.
    >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  5755. 5755.
    >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  5756. 5756.
    "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  5757. 5757.
    >"I wasn't even scared!"
  5758. 5758.
    "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  5759. 5759.
    >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  5760. 5760.
    >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  5761. 5761.
    >"What?"
  5762. 5762.
    "You look terrible."
  5763. 5763.
    >"Kill yourself."
  5764. 5764.
    "Er, I mean,"
  5765. 5765.
    >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  5766. 5766.
    >She's trembling a bit
  5767. 5767.
    "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  5768. 5768.
    >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  5769. 5769.
    "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  5770. 5770.
    >Er, maybe too soon
  5771. 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. 5772.
    >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  5773. 5773.
    >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  5774. 5774.
    "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  5775. 5775.
    >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  5776. 5776.
    >You yawn and hold her tight
  5777. 5777.
    >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  5778. 5778.
    >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  5779. 5779.
    >Poor girl
  5780. 5780.
    >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  5781. 5781.
    >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  5782. 5782.
    "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  5783. 5783.
    >She sighs
  5784. 5784.
    >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  5785. 5785.
    "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  5786. 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. 5787.
    >You wouldn't say that
  5788. 5788.
    >...
  5789. 5789.
    >Yes you would
  5790. 5790.
    "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  5791. 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. 5792.
    >Alright, that struck a nerve
  5793. 5793.
    "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  5794. 5794.
    >"Then why'd you do it?"
  5795. 5795.
    "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  5796. 5796.
    >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  5797. 5797.
    >You do your best not to laugh
  5798. 5798.
    "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  5799. 5799.
    >"Ugh!"
  5800. 5800.
    >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  5801. 5801.
    >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  5802. 5802.
    "Come on, twin-tails."
  5803. 5803.
    >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  5804. 5804.
    >She flops around like a fish out of water
  5805. 5805.
    >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  5806. 5806.
    "Uh."
  5807. 5807.
    >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  5808. 5808.
    "Uh-huh?"
  5809. 5809.
    >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  5810. 5810.
    "...Go on..."
  5811. 5811.
    >She looks ready to explode
  5812. 5812.
    >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  5813. 5813.
    "Oh."
  5814. 5814.
    >You let her anger fester a bit
  5815. 5815.
    >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  5816. 5816.
    >Part of you really wants to know
  5817. 5817.
    >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  5818. 5818.
    >Yeah, probably strangling
  5819. 5819.
    "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  5820. 5820.
    >"Fu-wha?"
  5821. 5821.
    >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  5822. 5822.
    >It seems to have been effective
  5823. 5823.
    >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  5824. 5824.
    "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  5825. 5825.
    >"...yeah...?"
  5826. 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. 5827.
    >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  5828. 5828.
    >She just listens, so you keep going
  5829. 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. 5830.
    >"...but..."
  5831. 5831.
    >You cover her mouth
  5832. 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. 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. 5834.
    "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  5835. 5835.
    >You shut your eyes
  5836. 5836.
    >The good mood you had has evaporated
  5837. 5837.
    >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  5838. 5838.
    >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  5839. 5839.
    ___
  5840. 5840.
    >Your back kind of hurts
  5841. 5841.
    >Too used to your fancy bed
  5842. 5842.
    >What time is it?
  5843. 5843.
    >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  5844. 5844.
    >Has it been a couple of hours?
  5845. 5845.
    >Feels like longer
  5846. 5846.
    "Hey, Aria-"
  5847. 5847.
    >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  5848. 5848.
    >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  5849. 5849.
    >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  5850. 5850.
    "Oh boy."
  5851. 5851.
    >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  5852. 5852.
    >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  5853. 5853.
    "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  5854. 5854.
    >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  5855. 5855.
    "Fuck."
  5856. 5856.
    >9:14 A.M.
  5857. 5857.
    "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  5858. 5858.
    >"..nnnghh.."
  5859. 5859.
    >You shake her a bit
  5860. 5860.
    "You're going back upstairs now."
  5861. 5861.
    >"..ghhnn-no!"
  5862. 5862.
    >Her eyes shoot open
  5863. 5863.
    >"Huh?"
  5864. 5864.
    "How are you feeling?"
  5865. 5865.
    >She looks around and confirms her location
  5866. 5866.
    >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  5867. 5867.
    >You rub her head as you sit up
  5868. 5868.
    "I'm glad."
  5869. 5869.
    >"Psh..."
  5870. 5870.
    >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  5871. 5871.
    "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  5872. 5872.
    >....
  5873. 5873.
    >No comeback?
  5874. 5874.
    >Nothing?
  5875. 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. 5876.
    >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  5877. 5877.
    "Okay."
  5878. 5878.
    >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  5879. 5879.
    >"Wait!"
  5880. 5880.
    "What?"
  5881. 5881.
    >"Can you just wait?"
  5882. 5882.
    "Uh."
  5883. 5883.
    >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  5884. 5884.
    >Much more than a nap, actually
  5885. 5885.
    "You're adorable."
  5886. 5886.
    >"...wha?"
  5887. 5887.
    "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  5888. 5888.
    >Her face turns red and she frowns
  5889. 5889.
    >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  5890. 5890.
    "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  5891. 5891.
    >Her eye twitches
  5892. 5892.
    "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  5893. 5893.
    >"...so..."
  5894. 5894.
    "So?"
  5895. 5895.
    >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  5896. 5896.
    >Too cute
  5897. 5897.
    "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  5898. 5898.
    >"No."
  5899. 5899.
    "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  5900. 5900.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  5901. 5901.
    >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  5902. 5902.
    ___
  5903. 5903.
    >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  5904. 5904.
    >Did she...
  5905. 5905.
    "Sonata?"
  5906. 5906.
    >Yup
  5907. 5907.
    >Fell asleep watching TV again
  5908. 5908.
    >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  5909. 5909.
    >"Hey. The day has started."
  5910. 5910.
    >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  5911. 5911.
    "We've got a trip to m-"
  5912. 5912.
    >A message
  5913. 5913.
    >From...
  5914. 5914.
    >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  5915. 5915.
    >How could she possibly-
  5916. 5916.
    "That's crazy, Twilight"
  5917. 5917.
    >In no time, she responds
  5918. 5918.
    >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  5919. 5919.
    "Didn't find anything?"
  5920. 5920.
    >"Nothing..."
  5921. 5921.
    >"Anonymous"
  5922. 5922.
    >"I don't know what to do"
  5923. 5923.
    >You feel nauseated
  5924. 5924.
    >Maybe you can work something out?
  5925. 5925.
    >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  5926. 5926.
    >But that wouldn't be very believable
  5927. 5927.
    >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  5928. 5928.
    "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  5929. 5929.
    >"Yeah..."
  5930. 5930.
    >"Thank you Anonymous"
  5931. 5931.
    >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  5932. 5932.
    >"I must have made a mistake"
  5933. 5933.
    >No
  5934. 5934.
    >You didn't...
  5935. 5935.
    "Good luck."
  5936. 5936.
    >You sigh and close your laptop
  5937. 5937.
    "Sonata. Wake up."
  5938. 5938.
    >"Ghnnn..."
  5939. 5939.
    >You gently scratch her forehead
  5940. 5940.
    "Come onnnn."
  5941. 5941.
    >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  5942. 5942.
    "It's morning."
  5943. 5943.
    >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  5944. 5944.
    >Really?
  5945. 5945.
    >She's got to be making that up, right?
  5946. 5946.
    >You smile and ruffle her hair
  5947. 5947.
    "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  5948. 5948.
    >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  5949. 5949.
    >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  5950. 5950.
    "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  5951. 5951.
    >"What do we gotta do?!"
  5952. 5952.
    "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  5953. 5953.
    >She pouts
  5954. 5954.
    >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  5955. 5955.
    >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  5956. 5956.
    >It's not long before she gives in
  5957. 5957.
    >"Will you feed them, then?"
  5958. 5958.
    "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  5959. 5959.
    >"Okay~"
  5960. 5960.
    >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  5961. 5961.
    >"Anon..."
  5962. 5962.
    "Yeah?"
  5963. 5963.
    >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  5964. 5964.
    >Uh...?
  5965. 5965.
    "Just grab one right now?"
  5966. 5966.
    >"....wh... um. Okay."
  5967. 5967.
    >She looks at you with a blank face
  5968. 5968.
    >And then continues on
  5969. 5969.
    >Anyway
  5970. 5970.
    >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  5971. 5971.
    >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  5972. 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. 5973.
    >You scratch your chin and hum
  5974. 5974.
    >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  5975. 5975.
    "So then, clothes."
  5976. 5976.
    ___
  5977. 5977.
    >This room is... uncomfortable
  5978. 5978.
    >You were never allowed inside
  5979. 5979.
    >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  5980. 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. 5981.
    >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  5982. 5982.
    >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  5983. 5983.
    >As a result, she has a few-
  5984. 5984.
    "Bingo."
  5985. 5985.
    >A super curly blond wig
  5986. 5986.
    >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  5987. 5987.
    >That's good enough, you think
  5988. 5988.
    >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  5989. 5989.
    >"Anon! Where are you!"
  5990. 5990.
    "In here."
  5991. 5991.
    >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  5992. 5992.
    >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  5993. 5993.
    >"Who lives in here?"
  5994. 5994.
    "My parents used to."
  5995. 5995.
    >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  5996. 5996.
    >She points around at the mess you've made
  5997. 5997.
    "Yeah."
  5998. 5998.
    >"It's one of these!"
  5999. 5999.
    >Oh god
  6000. 6000.
    >Sonata
  6001. 6001.
    >Don't
  6002. 6002.
    "What about it?"
  6003. 6003.
    >"A, uh, b-something."
  6004. 6004.
    "Bra."
  6005. 6005.
    >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  6006. 6006.
    >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  6007. 6007.
    "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  6008. 6008.
    >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  6009. 6009.
    "You know you have to wear it today."
  6010. 6010.
    >"...but I don't like it."
  6011. 6011.
    >You shrug
  6012. 6012.
    "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  6013. 6013.
    >"But Anon."
  6014. 6014.
    >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  6015. 6015.
    >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  6016. 6016.
    >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  6017. 6017.
    >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  6018. 6018.
    >But you fail
  6019. 6019.
    >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  6020. 6020.
    "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  6021. 6021.
    >"As if!"
  6022. 6022.
    "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  6023. 6023.
    >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  6024. 6024.
    >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  6025. 6025.
    >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  6026. 6026.
    "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  6027. 6027.
    >"Really?!"
  6028. 6028.
    "But first, here!"
  6029. 6029.
    >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  6030. 6030.
    >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  6031. 6031.
    >"Heeeeeey..."
  6032. 6032.
    "There."
  6033. 6033.
    >You step back and admire your creation
  6034. 6034.
    >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  6035. 6035.
    >lumpy hair
  6036. 6036.
    >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  6037. 6037.
    >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  6038. 6038.
    "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  6039. 6039.
    >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  6040. 6040.
    >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  6041. 6041.
    >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  6042. 6042.
    >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  6043. 6043.
    "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  6044. 6044.
    >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  6045. 6045.
    >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  6046. 6046.
    >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  6047. 6047.
    "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  6048. 6048.
    >"We can go already?!"
  6049. 6049.
    "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  6050. 6050.
    >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  6051. 6051.
    >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  6052. 6052.
    >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  6053. 6053.
    >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  6054. 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. 6055.
    >"Sure!"
  6056. 6056.
    ___
  6057. 6057.
    Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  6058. 6058.
    >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  6059. 6059.
    >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  6060. 6060.
    "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  6061. 6061.
    >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  6062. 6062.
    >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  6063. 6063.
    "Try to have a little patience."
  6064. 6064.
    >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  6065. 6065.
    >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  6066. 6066.
    >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  6067. 6067.
    >She huffs and crosses her arms
  6068. 6068.
    >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  6069. 6069.
    "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  6070. 6070.
    >"Then whyyyy?"
  6071. 6071.
    "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  6072. 6072.
    >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  6073. 6073.
    >This is really starting to piss you off
  6074. 6074.
    "I'm worried about you."
  6075. 6075.
    >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  6076. 6076.
    "...Sona-"
  6077. 6077.
    >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  6078. 6078.
    >Aria's words from last night
  6079. 6079.
    >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  6080. 6080.
    "Sonata. This needs to-"
  6081. 6081.
    >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  6082. 6082.
    >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  6083. 6083.
    "Fuck!"
  6084. 6084.
    >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  6085. 6085.
    >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  6086. 6086.
    >and a truck passes by you from the right
  6087. 6087.
    >Holy shit
  6088. 6088.
    "...Sonata."
  6089. 6089.
    >"Huh?"
  6090. 6090.
    "You need to stop."
  6091. 6091.
    >"What?"
  6092. 6092.
    >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  6093. 6093.
    "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  6094. 6094.
    >"Oh..."
  6095. 6095.
    >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  6096. 6096.
    >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  6097. 6097.
    "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  6098. 6098.
    >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  6099. 6099.
    >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  6100. 6100.
    >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  6101. 6101.
    >...you didn't almost crash
  6102. 6102.
    >Right?
  6103. 6103.
    >You would have stopped no matter what
  6104. 6104.
    >...
  6105. 6105.
    >No
  6106. 6106.
    >Don't kid yourself
  6107. 6107.
    >This is important
  6108. 6108.
    "Oh thank God."
  6109. 6109.
    >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  6110. 6110.
    >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  6111. 6111.
    >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  6112. 6112.
    >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  6113. 6113.
    "Do you understand what just happened?"
  6114. 6114.
    >"Um..."
  6115. 6115.
    "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  6116. 6116.
    >"Not really."
  6117. 6117.
    "We could have died."
  6118. 6118.
    >"Wh-what?!"
  6119. 6119.
    >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  6120. 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. 6121.
    >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  6122. 6122.
    "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  6123. 6123.
    >She suddenly looks very upset
  6124. 6124.
    >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  6125. 6125.
    >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  6126. 6126.
    >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  6127. 6127.
    "Sonata..."
  6128. 6128.
    >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  6129. 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. 6130.
    >"Uhhh... I-"
  6131. 6131.
    "Understood?"
  6132. 6132.
    >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  6133. 6133.
    >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  6134. 6134.
    >Stiff as a board
  6135. 6135.
    >This... feels shitty
  6136. 6136.
    >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  6137. 6137.
    >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  6138. 6138.
    >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  6139. 6139.
    >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  6140. 6140.
    >Nobody here cares
  6141. 6141.
    >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  6142. 6142.
    "Are you ready?"
  6143. 6143.
    >"Um... uh-huh."
  6144. 6144.
    >She's practically hiding behind the car
  6145. 6145.
    >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  6146. 6146.
    "Come here, Sonata."
  6147. 6147.
    >She slowly walks over to your side
  6148. 6148.
    >God damn it
  6149. 6149.
    >This isn't what you wanted today
  6150. 6150.
    "Stop... please."
  6151. 6151.
    >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  6152. 6152.
    "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  6153. 6153.
    >"...s-sorry."
  6154. 6154.
    >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  6155. 6155.
    >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  6156. 6156.
    "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  6157. 6157.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  6158. 6158.
    "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  6159. 6159.
    >"Okay."
  6160. 6160.
    >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  6161. 6161.
    >She smiles back
  6162. 6162.
    >That's more like it
  6163. 6163.
    >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  6164. 6164.
    "Whoa!"
  6165. 6165.
    >A guy almost hits her with the door
  6166. 6166.
    >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  6167. 6167.
    >"C'mon!"
  6168. 6168.
    "Okay, okay!"
  6169. 6169.
    ___
  6170. 6170.
    >The air conditioning
  6171. 6171.
    >That pop music
  6172. 6172.
    >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  6173. 6173.
    >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  6174. 6174.
    >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  6175. 6175.
    >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  6176. 6176.
    >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  6177. 6177.
    >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  6178. 6178.
    "So. Any ideas?"
  6179. 6179.
    >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  6180. 6180.
    "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  6181. 6181.
    >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  6182. 6182.
    "Crazy, right?"
  6183. 6183.
    >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  6184. 6184.
    "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  6185. 6185.
    >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  6186. 6186.
    "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  6187. 6187.
    >"The whuh?"
  6188. 6188.
    >You point her up to the left
  6189. 6189.
    "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  6190. 6190.
    >"b-bacon!?"
  6191. 6191.
    "And it comes with a drink of course."
  6192. 6192.
    >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  6193. 6193.
    "Are you sure?"
  6194. 6194.
    >"WAIT."
  6195. 6195.
    >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  6196. 6196.
    >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  6197. 6197.
    "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  6198. 6198.
    >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  6199. 6199.
    >"YES!"
  6200. 6200.
    >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  6201. 6201.
    >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  6202. 6202.
    "We're ready. I think."
  6203. 6203.
    >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  6204. 6204.
    "Honey, you can just get both."
  6205. 6205.
    >"Ho...ney...?"
  6206. 6206.
    >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  6207. 6207.
    "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  6208. 6208.
    >You go through the motions of paying
  6209. 6209.
    >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  6210. 6210.
    >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  6211. 6211.
    >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  6212. 6212.
    "I know~"
  6213. 6213.
    >She runs over to the soda machines
  6214. 6214.
    >"You two are adorable."
  6215. 6215.
    "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  6216. 6216.
    >The cashier giggles
  6217. 6217.
    >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  6218. 6218.
    >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  6219. 6219.
    >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  6220. 6220.
    >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  6221. 6221.
    "...you too."
  6222. 6222.
    >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  6223. 6223.
    >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  6224. 6224.
    >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  6225. 6225.
    "Here."
  6226. 6226.
    >You snap it on
  6227. 6227.
    >"Thank yoooou~"
  6228. 6228.
    >There's a lot of flavors these days
  6229. 6229.
    >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  6230. 6230.
    >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  6231. 6231.
    >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  6232. 6232.
    >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  6233. 6233.
    "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  6234. 6234.
    >"Ohhh. Neato."
  6235. 6235.
    >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  6236. 6236.
    "Do you like it hot?"
  6237. 6237.
    >"I like it... I... like it..."
  6238. 6238.
    >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  6239. 6239.
    >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  6240. 6240.
    "Do you want some? Or-"
  6241. 6241.
    >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  6242. 6242.
    >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  6243. 6243.
    "Uhh."
  6244. 6244.
    >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  6245. 6245.
    >"Anon."
  6246. 6246.
    "Yeah?"
  6247. 6247.
    >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  6248. 6248.
    ___
  6249. 6249.
    >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  6250. 6250.
    >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  6251. 6251.
    "Don't choke!"
  6252. 6252.
    >"Ih woghn't!"
  6253. 6253.
    >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  6254. 6254.
    >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  6255. 6255.
    >And kind of turn you on
  6256. 6256.
    >Oh boy
  6257. 6257.
    >"Anaghn?"
  6258. 6258.
    >She swallows
  6259. 6259.
    >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  6260. 6260.
    "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  6261. 6261.
    >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  6262. 6262.
    >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  6263. 6263.
    "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  6264. 6264.
    >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  6265. 6265.
    >You take the moment in
  6266. 6266.
    >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  6267. 6267.
    >It feels amazing
  6268. 6268.
    >"Oh. And Anon?"
  6269. 6269.
    "Yeah?"
  6270. 6270.
    >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  6271. 6271.
    >Dizzy?
  6272. 6272.
    >Is that good or bad?
  6273. 6273.
    >"You should call me it more often~"
  6274. 6274.
    >Oh, it's good
  6275. 6275.
    >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  6276. 6276.
    "Okay, honey."
  6277. 6277.
    >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  6278. 6278.
    >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  6279. 6279.
    >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  6280. 6280.
    >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  6281. 6281.
    >It's blissful
  6282. 6282.
    >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  6283. 6283.
    "...oh God."
  6284. 6284.
    >"Hm?"
  6285. 6285.
    >The side door to the right opens up
  6286. 6286.
    >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  6287. 6287.
    >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  6288. 6288.
    "Oh man."
  6289. 6289.
    >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  6290. 6290.
    "What?"
  6291. 6291.
    >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  6292. 6292.
    >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  6293. 6293.
    "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  6294. 6294.
    >"Uh-huh."
  6295. 6295.
    >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  6296. 6296.
    >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  6297. 6297.
    >She's right
  6298. 6298.
    >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  6299. 6299.
    >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  6300. 6300.
    >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  6301. 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. 6302.
    >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  6303. 6303.
    >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  6304. 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. 6305.
    >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  6306. 6306.
    >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  6307. 6307.
    >They gave her a cup
  6308. 6308.
    >She's about to circle around
  6309. 6309.
    >Why did you have to sit here?
  6310. 6310.
    >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  6311. 6311.
    "Uhh."
  6312. 6312.
    >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  6313. 6313.
    >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  6314. 6314.
    "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  6315. 6315.
    >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  6316. 6316.
    >Here she comes
  6317. 6317.
    >Don't look at her
  6318. 6318.
    >Look at Sonata
  6319. 6319.
    >There we go
  6320. 6320.
    >Just let her pass
  6321. 6321.
    >Better hold still, too
  6322. 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. 6323.
    >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  6324. 6324.
    >She's as close as she can get
  6325. 6325.
    >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  6326. 6326.
    >Time seems to slow down
  6327. 6327.
    >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  6328. 6328.
    >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  6329. 6329.
    >Slide under the table?
  6330. 6330.
    >Run for it?
  6331. 6331.
    >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  6332. 6332.
    >You cover your mouth and groan
  6333. 6333.
    >"Anonymous?"
  6334. 6334.
    >...
  6335. 6335.
    >"Is that you?"
  6336. 6336.
    >You look up
  6337. 6337.
    >Her offense seems to have faded
  6338. 6338.
    >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  6339. 6339.
    "That's me, yeah."
  6340. 6340.
    >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  6341. 6341.
    >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  6342. 6342.
    "Oh?"
  6343. 6343.
    >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  6344. 6344.
    "That's not necessary."
  6345. 6345.
    >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  6346. 6346.
    >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  6347. 6347.
    "Ehheh."
  6348. 6348.
    >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  6349. 6349.
    >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  6350. 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. 6351.
    "Not a word."
  6352. 6352.
    >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  6353. 6353.
    "...feel free."
  6354. 6354.
    >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  6355. 6355.
    "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  6356. 6356.
    >"Applejack."
  6357. 6357.
    "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  6358. 6358.
    >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  6359. 6359.
    "Really?"
  6360. 6360.
    >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  6361. 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. 6362.
    "Oh."
  6363. 6363.
    >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  6364. 6364.
    >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  6365. 6365.
    >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  6366. 6366.
    "Did she?"
  6367. 6367.
    >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  6368. 6368.
    "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  6369. 6369.
    >She nods
  6370. 6370.
    >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  6371. 6371.
    "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  6372. 6372.
    >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  6373. 6373.
    >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  6374. 6374.
    >Maybe you can end this quickly
  6375. 6375.
    "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  6376. 6376.
    >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  6377. 6377.
    >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  6378. 6378.
    >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  6379. 6379.
    >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  6380. 6380.
    >All goes well for a few minutes
  6381. 6381.
    >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  6382. 6382.
    >"You're pretty."
  6383. 6383.
    >AJ's eyes open wide
  6384. 6384.
    >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  6385. 6385.
    >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  6386. 6386.
    >Good lord
  6387. 6387.
    >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  6388. 6388.
    >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  6389. 6389.
    >So you just smile and shrug
  6390. 6390.
    >"Yes or no, silly~"
  6391. 6391.
    >Urk
  6392. 6392.
    "Sure, she's pretty."
  6393. 6393.
    >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  6394. 6394.
    >What was she expecting?
  6395. 6395.
    >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  6396. 6396.
    "She's. My... cousin."
  6397. 6397.
    >"Oh really?"
  6398. 6398.
    "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  6399. 6399.
    >She tugs even harder
  6400. 6400.
    >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  6401. 6401.
    >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  6402. 6402.
    "Hey..."
  6403. 6403.
    >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  6404. 6404.
    "...her name is Bella."
  6405. 6405.
    >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  6406. 6406.
    >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  6407. 6407.
    "She's visiting right now."
  6408. 6408.
    >"Ah..."
  6409. 6409.
    >The table falls silent
  6410. 6410.
    >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  6411. 6411.
    >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  6412. 6412.
    >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  6413. 6413.
    >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  6414. 6414.
    >"I'm not just visiting."
  6415. 6415.
    >"...excuse me?"
  6416. 6416.
    >"I live with Anon."
  6417. 6417.
    >Sonata
  6418. 6418.
    >What the fuck
  6419. 6419.
    >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  6420. 6420.
    >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  6421. 6421.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  6422. 6422.
    >"In fact. We share the same-"
  6423. 6423.
    "Bella."
  6424. 6424.
    >"...we-"
  6425. 6425.
    >She hugs your arm
  6426. 6426.
    >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  6427. 6427.
    "BELLA."
  6428. 6428.
    >Both girls jump
  6429. 6429.
    >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  6430. 6430.
    >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  6431. 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. 6432.
    >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  6433. 6433.
    >Finally, she speaks
  6434. 6434.
    >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  6435. 6435.
    ___
  6436. 6436.
    >She knows
  6437. 6437.
    >She's not stupid
  6438. 6438.
    >Just southern
  6439. 6439.
    >Wait, that's fucked up
  6440. 6440.
    >Can't control racing thoughts
  6441. 6441.
    >She's not even looking at you
  6442. 6442.
    >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  6443. 6443.
    >"So."
  6444. 6444.
    "So!?"
  6445. 6445.
    >Too loud, calm down
  6446. 6446.
    >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  6447. 6447.
    "Uh."
  6448. 6448.
    >Can't really deny it now
  6449. 6449.
    "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  6450. 6450.
    >"Because yer livin' together."
  6451. 6451.
    "Y-Yeah?"
  6452. 6452.
    >"Alone."
  6453. 6453.
    "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  6454. 6454.
    >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  6455. 6455.
    >"An' will be for a while."
  6456. 6456.
    "...yeah?"
  6457. 6457.
    >She shakes her head
  6458. 6458.
    >Wait
  6459. 6459.
    >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  6460. 6460.
    "Is that a problem?"
  6461. 6461.
    >She spits into gutter
  6462. 6462.
    >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  6463. 6463.
    >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  6464. 6464.
    "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  6465. 6465.
    >"She pregnant?"
  6466. 6466.
    >Your jaw drops
  6467. 6467.
    "Does she... look pregnant?"
  6468. 6468.
    >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  6469. 6469.
    >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  6470. 6470.
    >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  6471. 6471.
    "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  6472. 6472.
    >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  6473. 6473.
    "That's not quite-"
  6474. 6474.
    >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  6475. 6475.
    "Well."
  6476. 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. 6477.
    "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  6478. 6478.
    >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  6479. 6479.
    >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  6480. 6480.
    >"Ah'm right."
  6481. 6481.
    "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  6482. 6482.
    >She smiles
  6483. 6483.
    >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  6484. 6484.
    "Get to the point."
  6485. 6485.
    >"Alright, alright."
  6486. 6486.
    >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  6487. 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. 6488.
    "Go on."
  6489. 6489.
    >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  6490. 6490.
    "True..."
  6491. 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. 6492.
    "Like?"
  6493. 6493.
    >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  6494. 6494.
    >It's as if her voice moves further away
  6495. 6495.
    >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  6496. 6496.
    >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  6497. 6497.
    >But she keeps going and going
  6498. 6498.
    >Like some kind of after school special
  6499. 6499.
    >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  6500. 6500.
    >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  6501. 6501.
    >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  6502. 6502.
    >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  6503. 6503.
    >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  6504. 6504.
    >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  6505. 6505.
    >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  6506. 6506.
    >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  6507. 6507.
    "Uh-huh."
  6508. 6508.
    >You extend your hand
  6509. 6509.
    >She takes it, and you pull her up
  6510. 6510.
    >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  6511. 6511.
    "I will."
  6512. 6512.
    >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  6513. 6513.
    >It makes your stomach turn
  6514. 6514.
    >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  6515. 6515.
    >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  6516. 6516.
    >Then, she stares at you
  6517. 6517.
    >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  6518. 6518.
    >"Anon."
  6519. 6519.
    "Yeah?"
  6520. 6520.
    >She takes one little step forward
  6521. 6521.
    >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  6522. 6522.
    "Just-"
  6523. 6523.
    >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  6524. 6524.
    >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  6525. 6525.
    >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  6526. 6526.
    >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  6527. 6527.
    >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  6528. 6528.
    >But fuck Aria
  6529. 6529.
    "Come here."
  6530. 6530.
    >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  6531. 6531.
    >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  6532. 6532.
    "I'm not mad."
  6533. 6533.
    >"Y-You aren't?"
  6534. 6534.
    "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  6535. 6535.
    >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  6536. 6536.
    "I think you do, Sonata."
  6537. 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. 6538.
    >She goes quiet
  6539. 6539.
    >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  6540. 6540.
    "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  6541. 6541.
    >"Huh?!"
  6542. 6542.
    "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  6543. 6543.
    >"Anon?"
  6544. 6544.
    "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  6545. 6545.
    >Urgh
  6546. 6546.
    >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  6547. 6547.
    >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  6548. 6548.
    >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  6549. 6549.
    >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  6550. 6550.
    >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  6551. 6551.
    >"Anon! I-"
  6552. 6552.
    >It gets tighter
  6553. 6553.
    >And tighter
  6554. 6554.
    >It's sort of hard to breathe
  6555. 6555.
    >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  6556. 6556.
    >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  6557. 6557.
    "Me too. But hey."
  6558. 6558.
    >"Yeah?"
  6559. 6559.
    "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  6560. 6560.
    >"I can't tell them?"
  6561. 6561.
    "It could mess up their punishment."
  6562. 6562.
    >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  6563. 6563.
    >"I won't tell them!"
  6564. 6564.
    "Good. I mean... thank you."
  6565. 6565.
    >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  6566. 6566.
    >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  6567. 6567.
    >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  6568. 6568.
    >...Yeah
  6569. 6569.
    >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  6570. 6570.
    "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  6571. 6571.
    >"...Sorry!"
  6572. 6572.
    "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  6573. 6573.
    >"Where are we going?"
  6574. 6574.
    >You lead her back inside
  6575. 6575.
    "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  6576. 6576.
    >"You don't know that!"
  6577. 6577.
    "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  6578. 6578.
    ___
  6579. 6579.
    >Your mood could not be any better
  6580. 6580.
    >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  6581. 6581.
    >Going on about the things she likes about you
  6582. 6582.
    >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  6583. 6583.
    >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  6584. 6584.
    >Can't stop smiling
  6585. 6585.
    >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  6586. 6586.
    "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  6587. 6587.
    >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  6588. 6588.
    >Adagio just stares
  6589. 6589.
    "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  6590. 6590.
    >Aria sighs
  6591. 6591.
    >"Took you long enough."
  6592. 6592.
    "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  6593. 6593.
    >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  6594. 6594.
    >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  6595. 6595.
    "Eat up."
  6596. 6596.
    >"...was that a joke?"
  6597. 6597.
    >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  6598. 6598.
    "Haha. Who's first today?"
  6599. 6599.
    >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  6600. 6600.
    >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  6601. 6601.
    >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  6602. 6602.
    >"I'm not hungry."
  6603. 6603.
    "Uh. Are you sure?"
  6604. 6604.
    >No response
  6605. 6605.
    "I guess I won't force you."
  6606. 6606.
    >That was disappointing
  6607. 6607.
    >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  6608. 6608.
    "Well. I guess that's that."
  6609. 6609.
    >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  6610. 6610.
    >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  6611. 6611.
    "Hm?"
  6612. 6612.
    >"Forget something?!"
  6613. 6613.
    "No?"
  6614. 6614.
    >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  6615. 6615.
    >You rub your chin and look around the room
  6616. 6616.
    "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  6617. 6617.
    >"Yo-You THINK?"
  6618. 6618.
    >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  6619. 6619.
    >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  6620. 6620.
    >That's... disgusting
  6621. 6621.
    >All the better
  6622. 6622.
    >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  6623. 6623.
    "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  6624. 6624.
    >"Shut up."
  6625. 6625.
    >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  6626. 6626.
    >Instantly she whines
  6627. 6627.
    >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  6628. 6628.
    >She forces herself to swallow
  6629. 6629.
    >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  6630. 6630.
    "Don't exaggerate."
  6631. 6631.
    >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  6632. 6632.
    "I think you are."
  6633. 6633.
    >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  6634. 6634.
    >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  6635. 6635.
    "How lewd."
  6636. 6636.
    >Her expression softens up
  6637. 6637.
    >"What are you talking about..."
  6638. 6638.
    "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  6639. 6639.
    >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  6640. 6640.
    "Right. Well."
  6641. 6641.
    >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  6642. 6642.
    >You're quick to swallow
  6643. 6643.
    "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  6644. 6644.
    >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  6645. 6645.
    "Haha!"
  6646. 6646.
    >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  6647. 6647.
    "Suit yourself."
  6648. 6648.
    >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  6649. 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. 6650.
    >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  6651. 6651.
    >"...Seriously?"
  6652. 6652.
    "Mm?"
  6653. 6653.
    >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  6654. 6654.
    >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  6655. 6655.
    >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  6656. 6656.
    >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  6657. 6657.
    >The crunch of the lettuce
  6658. 6658.
    >The texture of the meat
  6659. 6659.
    >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  6660. 6660.
    >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  6661. 6661.
    >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  6662. 6662.
    "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  6663. 6663.
    >"So?"
  6664. 6664.
    "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  6665. 6665.
    >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  6666. 6666.
    "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  6667. 6667.
    >"SO?"
  6668. 6668.
    "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  6669. 6669.
    >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  6670. 6670.
    >Bingo
  6671. 6671.
    "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  6672. 6672.
    >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  6673. 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. 6674.
    >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  6675. 6675.
    >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  6676. 6676.
    "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  6677. 6677.
    >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  6678. 6678.
    "You know that's not true."
  6679. 6679.
    >"What?!"
  6680. 6680.
    "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  6681. 6681.
    >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  6682. 6682.
    "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  6683. 6683.
    >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  6684. 6684.
    "...any time."
  6685. 6685.
    >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  6686. 6686.
    >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  6687. 6687.
    "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  6688. 6688.
    >"Huh?!"
  6689. 6689.
    "So eager to replace your leader..."
  6690. 6690.
    >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  6691. 6691.
    >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  6692. 6692.
    >There it is
  6693. 6693.
    >What Aria seems to care about most
  6694. 6694.
    >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  6695. 6695.
    >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  6696. 6696.
    "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  6697. 6697.
    >She looks past you
  6698. 6698.
    >Probably right at Adagio
  6699. 6699.
    >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  6700. 6700.
    >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  6701. 6701.
    >Her voice is somber and shaky
  6702. 6702.
    >You smile
  6703. 6703.
    >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  6704. 6704.
    >Not a word?
  6705. 6705.
    >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  6706. 6706.
    >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  6707. 6707.
    >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  6708. 6708.
    >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  6709. 6709.
    "...hmm."
  6710. 6710.
    >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  6711. 6711.
    >She looks at you in defeat
  6712. 6712.
    >Poor twin-tails
  6713. 6713.
    >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  6714. 6714.
    >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  6715. 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. 6716.
    >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  6717. 6717.
    >Oh come on twin-tails
  6718. 6718.
    >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  6719. 6719.
    >"..mpgh?!"
  6720. 6720.
    >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  6721. 6721.
    >At first she lets it sit there
  6722. 6722.
    >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  6723. 6723.
    >...there you go
  6724. 6724.
    >She chews slowly
  6725. 6725.
    >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  6726. 6726.
    >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  6727. 6727.
    >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  6728. 6728.
    >You smile at her
  6729. 6729.
    >She stares
  6730. 6730.
    >Your smile fades
  6731. 6731.
    >...and she keeps staring
  6732. 6732.
    >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  6733. 6733.
    >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  6734. 6734.
    >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  6735. 6735.
    >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  6736. 6736.
    >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  6737. 6737.
    >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  6738. 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. 6739.
    >You step outside
  6740. 6740.
    "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  6741. 6741.
    >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  6742. 6742.
    >Poor girl
  6743. 6743.
    >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  6744. 6744.
    ___
  6745. 6745.
    >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  6746. 6746.
    "Kitchen!"
  6747. 6747.
    >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  6748. 6748.
    >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  6749. 6749.
    >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  6750. 6750.
    >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  6751. 6751.
    >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  6752. 6752.
    "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  6753. 6753.
    >She hugs herself
  6754. 6754.
    >"Heehee~"
  6755. 6755.
    >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  6756. 6756.
    >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  6757. 6757.
    "Hm?"
  6758. 6758.
    >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  6759. 6759.
    "Oh!"
  6760. 6760.
    >A message
  6761. 6761.
    >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  6762. 6762.
    >Great
  6763. 6763.
    "Let's go see what it is."
  6764. 6764.
    >"Okay!"
  6765. 6765.
    >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  6766. 6766.
    ___
  6767. 6767.
    >You plop down onto the couch
  6768. 6768.
    >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  6769. 6769.
    >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  6770. 6770.
    >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  6771. 6771.
    >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  6772. 6772.
    >This picture always cracks you up
  6773. 6773.
    >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  6774. 6774.
    >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  6775. 6775.
    >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  6776. 6776.
    >...you're stalling
  6777. 6777.
    >Best get it over with
  6778. 6778.
    >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  6779. 6779.
    >"are you at your computer"
  6780. 6780.
    "I am now"
  6781. 6781.
    >"hello anonymous."
  6782. 6782.
    "What's up"
  6783. 6783.
    >"i went back to the mall"
  6784. 6784.
    "Didn't go well?"
  6785. 6785.
    >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  6786. 6786.
    "Oh"
  6787. 6787.
    "I'm sorry"
  6788. 6788.
    >"it's my fault"
  6789. 6789.
    "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  6790. 6790.
    >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  6791. 6791.
    >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  6792. 6792.
    >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  6793. 6793.
    "It's not your fault"
  6794. 6794.
    "Period"
  6795. 6795.
    >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  6796. 6796.
    "Who's they?"
  6797. 6797.
    >"my friends"
  6798. 6798.
    >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  6799. 6799.
    >"there are over seven billion of them"
  6800. 6800.
    >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  6801. 6801.
    "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  6802. 6802.
    >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  6803. 6803.
    "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  6804. 6804.
    >"they will"
  6805. 6805.
    >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  6806. 6806.
    >"they trusted me"
  6807. 6807.
    >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  6808. 6808.
    >Your chest hurts
  6809. 6809.
    >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  6810. 6810.
    >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  6811. 6811.
    >So what can you do?
  6812. 6812.
    >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  6813. 6813.
    >You start typing something
  6814. 6814.
    >Anything...
  6815. 6815.
    "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  6816. 6816.
    >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  6817. 6817.
    >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  6818. 6818.
    >She's... sorry
  6819. 6819.
    >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  6820. 6820.
    >God
  6821. 6821.
    >Damn it
  6822. 6822.
    >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  6823. 6823.
    >"you might be in the history books"
  6824. 6824.
    >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  6825. 6825.
    >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  6826. 6826.
    "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  6827. 6827.
    >You exhale sharply
  6828. 6828.
    >Here we go
  6829. 6829.
    >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  6830. 6830.
    "No"
  6831. 6831.
    "Stop typing"
  6832. 6832.
    "Just listen for a second"
  6833. 6833.
    >Sure enough, the message disappears
  6834. 6834.
    "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  6835. 6835.
    "From now on, I'm in charge"
  6836. 6836.
    "As your investigation manager"
  6837. 6837.
    "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  6838. 6838.
    "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  6839. 6839.
    "I just remembered"
  6840. 6840.
    >"what room is it"
  6841. 6841.
    >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  6842. 6842.
    "Nope"
  6843. 6843.
    "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  6844. 6844.
    "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  6845. 6845.
    "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  6846. 6846.
    "Your job today is to relax"
  6847. 6847.
    "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  6848. 6848.
    "Okay?"
  6849. 6849.
    >There's a long pause
  6850. 6850.
    >The typing notification brings anxiety
  6851. 6851.
    >"Anonymous..."
  6852. 6852.
    >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  6853. 6853.
    "I insist"
  6854. 6854.
    >"Okay..."
  6855. 6855.
    >"But."
  6856. 6856.
    >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  6857. 6857.
    "Don't worry, don't worry"
  6858. 6858.
    "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  6859. 6859.
    "I've got everything under control"
  6860. 6860.
    >"Okay..."
  6861. 6861.
    "Go relax"
  6862. 6862.
    >"Okay."
  6863. 6863.
    "Enjoy yourself"
  6864. 6864.
    >"ok"
  6865. 6865.
    >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  6866. 6866.
    >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  6867. 6867.
    >"Thank you Anonymous."
  6868. 6868.
    >Sonata bursts into laughter
  6869. 6869.
    >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  6870. 6870.
    >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  6871. 6871.
    >Feels kind of naughty
  6872. 6872.
    >"...excuuuuse me?"
  6873. 6873.
    "Huh?"
  6874. 6874.
    >She kicks at your shoulder
  6875. 6875.
    "Hey!"
  6876. 6876.
    >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  6877. 6877.
    >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  6878. 6878.
    >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  6879. 6879.
    >But what fun would that be
  6880. 6880.
    "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  6881. 6881.
    >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  6882. 6882.
    "I am."
  6883. 6883.
    >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  6884. 6884.
    "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  6885. 6885.
    >"Uuurgghh!"
  6886. 6886.
    >Her big toe twists into you
  6887. 6887.
    >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  6888. 6888.
    "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  6889. 6889.
    >"A-Anon!"
  6890. 6890.
    >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  6891. 6891.
    >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  6892. 6892.
    >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  6893. 6893.
    "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  6894. 6894.
    >"But you were looking!"
  6895. 6895.
    >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  6896. 6896.
    >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  6897. 6897.
    >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  6898. 6898.
    "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  6899. 6899.
    >"Yes. Yes you did."
  6900. 6900.
    ___
  6901. 6901.
    "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  6902. 6902.
    >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  6903. 6903.
    >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  6904. 6904.
    >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  6905. 6905.
    >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  6906. 6906.
    "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  6907. 6907.
    >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  6908. 6908.
    "Oh? Are you mad?"
  6909. 6909.
    >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  6910. 6910.
    "Let's play therapist."
  6911. 6911.
    >"Let's not."
  6912. 6912.
    "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  6913. 6913.
    >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  6914. 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. 6915.
    "Interesting..."
  6916. 6916.
    >"It's NOT interesting!"
  6917. 6917.
    "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  6918. 6918.
    >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  6919. 6919.
    >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  6920. 6920.
    >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  6921. 6921.
    >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  6922. 6922.
    "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  6923. 6923.
    >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  6924. 6924.
    >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  6925. 6925.
    >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  6926. 6926.
    >...poor, poor twin-tails
  6927. 6927.
    >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  6928. 6928.
    >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  6929. 6929.
    >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  6930. 6930.
    "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  6931. 6931.
    >"What?"
  6932. 6932.
    "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  6933. 6933.
    >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  6934. 6934.
    >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  6935. 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. 6936.
    "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  6937. 6937.
    >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  6938. 6938.
    >You lay down on your side in front of her
  6939. 6939.
    >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  6940. 6940.
    "Why?"
  6941. 6941.
    >"I don't have to tell you why."
  6942. 6942.
    "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  6943. 6943.
    >"Ugh. No."
  6944. 6944.
    "Then..."
  6945. 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. 6946.
    "Really?"
  6947. 6947.
    >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  6948. 6948.
    >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  6949. 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. 6950.
    >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  6951. 6951.
    >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  6952. 6952.
    "Aria..."
  6953. 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. 6954.
    "What happened at the bus stop?"
  6955. 6955.
    >Her breathing quickens
  6956. 6956.
    >And her eyebrows sink
  6957. 6957.
    >Oh boy
  6958. 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. 6959.
    "...And?"
  6960. 6960.
    >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  6961. 6961.
    >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  6962. 6962.
    >You're not quite sure, but
  6963. 6963.
    >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  6964. 6964.
    >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  6965. 6965.
    >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  6966. 6966.
    >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  6967. 6967.
    "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  6968. 6968.
    >"Oh fuck off..."
  6969. 6969.
    "Seriously. You show yo-"
  6970. 6970.
    >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  6971. 6971.
    >You raise your voice a bit
  6972. 6972.
    "Quiet!"
  6973. 6973.
    >...
  6974. 6974.
    >Just like before, she stares
  6975. 6975.
    >Looking a bit surprised
  6976. 6976.
    >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  6977. 6977.
    >It's exciting
  6978. 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. 6979.
    >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  6980. 6980.
    "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  6981. 6981.
    >"How's it different?"
  6982. 6982.
    "...huh?"
  6983. 6983.
    >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  6984. 6984.
    >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  6985. 6985.
    "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  6986. 6986.
    >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  6987. 6987.
    >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  6988. 6988.
    >She smells...
  6989. 6989.
    >Er
  6990. 6990.
    >She actually does smell kind of bad
  6991. 6991.
    "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  6992. 6992.
    >"So...?"
  6993. 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. 6994.
    >"Your sake?"
  6995. 6995.
    "Yes."
  6996. 6996.
    >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  6997. 6997.
    "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  6998. 6998.
    >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  6999. 6999.
    >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  7000. 7000.
    "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  7001. 7001.
    >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  7002. 7002.
    "Well that should be obvious."
  7003. 7003.
    >"It's not."
  7004. 7004.
    "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  7005. 7005.
    >You rub her cheek
  7006. 7006.
    >She just takes it
  7007. 7007.
    >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  7008. 7008.
    >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  7009. 7009.
    >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  7010. 7010.
    "Hey. You still hungry?"
  7011. 7011.
    >"Of course I am."
  7012. 7012.
    "Wait here."
  7013. 7013.
    >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  7014. 7014.
    ___
  7015. 7015.
    >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  7016. 7016.
    >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  7017. 7017.
    >Ah, what the hell?
  7018. 7018.
    >Might as well give her a full meal
  7019. 7019.
    >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  7020. 7020.
    >Perfect
  7021. 7021.
    ___
  7022. 7022.
    >"What the heck is all that?"
  7023. 7023.
    "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  7024. 7024.
    >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  7025. 7025.
    >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  7026. 7026.
    "Ohhh no no no."
  7027. 7027.
    >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  7028. 7028.
    "Don't get get too excited."
  7029. 7029.
    >"Huh?"
  7030. 7030.
    >It pops up into her view
  7031. 7031.
    >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  7032. 7032.
    "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  7033. 7033.
    >"...I don't want it."
  7034. 7034.
    >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  7035. 7035.
    "Buuuullshit."
  7036. 7036.
    >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  7037. 7037.
    >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  7038. 7038.
    "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  7039. 7039.
    >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  7040. 7040.
    >"...urmmpphh."
  7041. 7041.
    >At this point she stops responding
  7042. 7042.
    >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  7043. 7043.
    "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  7044. 7044.
    >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  7045. 7045.
    >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  7046. 7046.
    >Her chewing is full of sass
  7047. 7047.
    >You didn't even know that was possible
  7048. 7048.
    >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  7049. 7049.
    >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  7050. 7050.
    "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  7051. 7051.
    >"...yeah."
  7052. 7052.
    "Haha... twin-tails."
  7053. 7053.
    >"...what?"
  7054. 7054.
    "You're cute."
  7055. 7055.
    >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  7056. 7056.
    >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  7057. 7057.
    >It feels kind of... rapey
  7058. 7058.
    >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  7059. 7059.
    >"SEE?"
  7060. 7060.
    >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  7061. 7061.
    >"LOOK!"
  7062. 7062.
    >Smack, smack, smack
  7063. 7063.
    >"I'm EATING it!"
  7064. 7064.
    "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  7065. 7065.
    "Shut UP!"
  7066. 7066.
    >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  7067. 7067.
    >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  7068. 7068.
    >And another bite down
  7069. 7069.
    >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  7070. 7070.
    >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  7071. 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. 7072.
    >Then, she takes that next bite
  7073. 7073.
    >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  7074. 7074.
    >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  7075. 7075.
    >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  7076. 7076.
    >And then, you bring out the coke
  7077. 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. 7078.
    >You smile
  7079. 7079.
    >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  7080. 7080.
    >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  7081. 7081.
    >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  7082. 7082.
    >She gulps down half of it at once
  7083. 7083.
    >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  7084. 7084.
    >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  7085. 7085.
    "Really?"
  7086. 7086.
    >"Yes, really."
  7087. 7087.
    "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  7088. 7088.
    >"What!? ...I mean..."
  7089. 7089.
    >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  7090. 7090.
    >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  7091. 7091.
    >"Oh. Those."
  7092. 7092.
    "Do you like them?"
  7093. 7093.
    >She shrugs
  7094. 7094.
    "You like them."
  7095. 7095.
    >The bag ruffles
  7096. 7096.
    >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  7097. 7097.
    >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  7098. 7098.
    >You raise it toward her
  7099. 7099.
    >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  7100. 7100.
    >...along with part of you
  7101. 7101.
    "Ack."
  7102. 7102.
    >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  7103. 7103.
    >Every inch of her face is moving
  7104. 7104.
    >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  7105. 7105.
    >"These are... pretty well made."
  7106. 7106.
    "Think so?"
  7107. 7107.
    >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  7108. 7108.
    >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  7109. 7109.
    >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  7110. 7110.
    >It's like feeding a deer or something
  7111. 7111.
    >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  7112. 7112.
    >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  7113. 7113.
    >She swallows
  7114. 7114.
    >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  7115. 7115.
    >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  7116. 7116.
    >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  7117. 7117.
    >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  7118. 7118.
    >She barely seems to mind
  7119. 7119.
    "Aria... maybe I don't want you to be a prisoner forever."
  7120. 7120.
    >"What..."
  7121. 7121.
    "Maybe I feel like I have to guide you toward the obvious best choice."
  7122. 7122.
    >She focuses on the bag of chips and keeps her mouth shut
  7123. 7123.
    "So?"
  7124. 7124.
    >"So what?"
  7125. 7125.
    "Do you want do finish off this bag, or not?"
  7126. 7126.
    >She frowns
  7127. 7127.
    >Then rolls her eyes
  7128. 7128.
    >And sighs
  7129. 7129.
    "Haha... okay then."
  7130. 7130.
    >You dig in for another handful
  7131. 7131.
    ___
  7132. 7132.
    >Having elected to draw out the trip upstairs, you casually stroll through the kitchen
  7133. 7133.
    >When you told her punishment had ended, Aria had nothing to say
  7134. 7134.
    >Didn't even make a face
  7135. 7135.
    >Kind of disappointing
  7136. 7136.
    >You creep up the stairs, one by one
  7137. 7137.
    >Listening for a reaction of any kind
  7138. 7138.
    >...halfway up now...
  7139. 7139.
    >Nothing?
  7140. 7140.
    >Three quarters
  7141. 7141.
    >There's the final step
  7142. 7142.
    >"Wait."
  7143. 7143.
    >Lo and behold
  7144. 7144.
    "Yeah?"
  7145. 7145.
    >".......uh."
  7146. 7146.
    >You wait patiently, but she delays for far too long
  7147. 7147.
    >She gets a bit heavy on your shoulder
  7148. 7148.
    >Once you feel an urge to set her down, you rush her
  7149. 7149.
    "Go ahead."
  7150. 7150.
    >"Just- ...ugh. Never mind."
  7151. 7151.
    "What were you going to say?"
  7152. 7152.
    >"Nothing."
  7153. 7153.
    "I think it was something."
  7154. 7154.
    >You pat her ass and she kicks her legs
  7155. 7155.
    >"Fuck you. Go hang yourself."
  7156. 7156.
    "Alright, alright."
  7157. 7157.
    >You carry her into the guest bedroom
  7158. 7158.
    >Adagio's fast asleep, her head hanging and hair obscuring her face
  7159. 7159.
    >After Aria is tied up properly again she flops right onto her side and closes her eyes
  7160. 7160.
    "Uhh."
  7161. 7161.
    >It's almost funny
  7162. 7162.
    "...sleep tight, twin-tails."
  7163. 7163.
    ___
  7164. 7164.
    >"Anon?"
  7165. 7165.
    >You jolt awake
  7166. 7166.
    >The white glow of your laptop screen hurts your eyes
  7167. 7167.
    >Sonata's hand rests on your knee
  7168. 7168.
    >Shit
  7169. 7169.
    >Why are you so tired?
  7170. 7170.
    "Hey."
  7171. 7171.
    >You rub your eyes and then sigh at the blinking cursor with nothing behind it
  7172. 7172.
    >Some brainstorming session that amounted to
  7173. 7173.
    "I thought you were going to go to sleep? That's why I turned the lights off."
  7174. 7174.
    >Sonata grabs the remote off the back of the couch and lowers the volume just a bit before answering:
  7175. 7175.
    >"I can't fall asleep."
  7176. 7176.
    "Since when are you too good for the couch? Am I spoiling you?"
  7177. 7177.
    >You absolutely are
  7178. 7178.
    >"Hee hee. It's not that. I'm just worried about why you're so worried."
  7179. 7179.
    "Er."
  7180. 7180.
    >She gets up and sits so close to you that she's forced to rest her arm on your lap
  7181. 7181.
    >If this is some kind of pressure tactic...
  7182. 7182.
    >It's working
  7183. 7183.
    >"You can tell me, you know."
  7184. 7184.
    "I..."
  7185. 7185.
    >Telling her couldn't possibly end well
  7186. 7186.
    >Going out to spend time with a girl she's already shown jealousy toward?
  7187. 7187.
    >She'd worry, she'd get angry
  7188. 7188.
    >Judging by that little outburst at Taco Bell, Sonata might even contact Twilight to set the record straight
  7189. 7189.
    >So, you can't
  7190. 7190.
    >Sorry Sonata, but...
  7191. 7191.
    "It's about the money."
  7192. 7192.
    >"Huh? ...oh! Oh no!"
  7193. 7193.
    "Wh-what?"
  7194. 7194.
    >She covers her mouth and distances herself from you
  7195. 7195.
    >"I knew it..."
  7196. 7196.
    "What?"
  7197. 7197.
    >"I'm so stupid..."
  7198. 7198.
    "What?! What's wrong?"
  7199. 7199.
    >She buries her face into a cushion
  7200. 7200.
    >Her legs flop out onto the floor
  7201. 7201.
    >"I spent all our money at Taco Bell!"
  7202. 7202.
    >...
  7203. 7203.
    "Not quite. I'm not exactly rich, but I'm far from poor. I mean, we're."
  7204. 7204.
    >"So I didn't waste the money?"
  7205. 7205.
    "No, silly."
  7206. 7206.
    >She perks up and sits down again
  7207. 7207.
    >"Good! Then what is the problem?"
  7208. 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. 7209.
    >"The cops and judges!?"
  7210. 7210.
    "Yes? Sort of."
  7211. 7211.
    >"Are you going to jail?!"
  7212. 7212.
    >Jesus Christ
  7213. 7213.
    >This girl goes from calm to panic in an instant
  7214. 7214.
    >You ruffle her hair and shake your head
  7215. 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. 7216.
    >"Oh."
  7217. 7217.
    >She puts on an innocent smile
  7218. 7218.
    >Trusting your every word as you spew bullshit
  7219. 7219.
    >God damn it
  7220. 7220.
    "Yeah. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow and I'm just nervous about it."
  7221. 7221.
    >"You should have told me. I can help you."
  7222. 7222.
    "It's okay. I c-"
  7223. 7223.
    >"Anon!"
  7224. 7224.
    >She crawls into the floor in front of you and rests her head on your lap
  7225. 7225.
    >Very quickly you start to feel her warmth
  7226. 7226.
    >That, and her weight - this feeling of being trapped where you sit is oddly comforting
  7227. 7227.
    >Why is she so good at calming your mind?
  7228. 7228.
    >"I need to help you."
  7229. 7229.
    "Need to?"
  7230. 7230.
    >"Yeah... um."
  7231. 7231.
    >She slips her arms under her face and settles in
  7232. 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. 7233.
    >She stuffs her face into your leg for a moment to quiet a squee
  7234. 7234.
    >"we're a couple."
  7235. 7235.
    >You are, aren't you?
  7236. 7236.
    >It still seems so surreal for this girl you met so recently, who was initially scared of you, to be with you
  7237. 7237.
    >"And a girlfriend is supposed to comfort her boyfriend. Especially when he's about to face a battle."
  7238. 7238.
    "Sonata..."
  7239. 7239.
    >'Battle' is a bit dramatic, but you let it slide
  7240. 7240.
    >A dog food commercial passes by on TV
  7241. 7241.
    >Thirty seconds of contemplation as she hums and gently rocks left and right on top of you
  7242. 7242.
    >Even though you aren't doing anything wrong, you feel guilty
  7243. 7243.
    >Lying so that you can spend the day with Twilight...
  7244. 7244.
    >Maybe it's best just to tell her?
  7245. 7245.
    "Sonata. There's something I need to-"
  7246. 7246.
    >The words escape you
  7247. 7247.
    >Her head shoots up
  7248. 7248.
    >"Uh, do you mean..."
  7249. 7249.
    >She sit sup straight and lets her eyelids sink down a bit
  7250. 7250.
    >"...that you need me?"
  7251. 7251.
    "Huh?"
  7252. 7252.
    >Her eyes revert as she studies your confused reaction
  7253. 7253.
    >"Is it what you need?"
  7254. 7254.
    "Uh."
  7255. 7255.
    >"Anon?"
  7256. 7256.
    >She runs her hand up and down your leg, very slowly
  7257. 7257.
    >Your face heats up
  7258. 7258.
    >Your mind draws a blank
  7259. 7259.
    >Where is this coming from?
  7260. 7260.
    >"I-Is it what you need or not?"
  7261. 7261.
    >Her hand stops moving
  7262. 7262.
    >Though it's hard to see her face with the laptop glowing behind her, you can tell she's nervous
  7263. 7263.
    >Time to force some words
  7264. 7264.
    "What's this all about?"
  7265. 7265.
    >"What do you mean..."
  7266. 7266.
    "Where did this come from?"
  7267. 7267.
    >She waits a while
  7268. 7268.
    >"I'm confused..."
  7269. 7269.
    "Me too?"
  7270. 7270.
    >"Don't you-"
  7271. 7271.
    >Her ponytail whips around as she looks away
  7272. 7272.
    >"Don't you want me, Anon?"
  7273. 7273.
    >Of course
  7274. 7274.
    >How could you not?
  7275. 7275.
    >But so soon, and with this investigation shit on your mind?
  7276. 7276.
    "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"
  7277. 7277.
    >"I don't know. Is it?"
  7278. 7278.
    "Maybe. We literally started dating today."
  7279. 7279.
    >You glance at the time
  7280. 7280.
    "Yesterday..."
  7281. 7281.
    >Sonata looks at your laptop, and then to you
  7282. 7282.
    >"Isn't this what boys want?"
  7283. 7283.
    "Well. Yes?"
  7284. 7284.
    >"They want to get really close with a pretty girl."
  7285. 7285.
    "Yeah."
  7286. 7286.
    >"So I'm not pretty? Is that it?"
  7287. 7287.
    >What?!
  7288. 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. 7289.
    >The more she goes on, the faster she talks, and the faster she talks, the higher she climbs up your lap
  7290. 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. 7291.
    >"I can be smart, too. I can... maybe not as much as that one girl. But I promise I can be smart."
  7292. 7292.
    >Her voice shakes with her unsteady breathing
  7293. 7293.
    "Sonata, why are you saying this stuff?"
  7294. 7294.
    >"Because."
  7295. 7295.
    >She runs her fingers over her eyes
  7296. 7296.
    >"I'm scared."
  7297. 7297.
    "Of what?"
  7298. 7298.
    >She shakes her head
  7299. 7299.
    >"You're more interested in all the other girls."
  7300. 7300.
    >That's not true...
  7301. 7301.
    >"Like how you wanted to see Aria naked, but not me."
  7302. 7302.
    >Where in the world did she get that impression?
  7303. 7303.
    >...
  7304. 7304.
    >Your jaw drops as a sentence from earlier on hits you with all of its meaning
  7305. 7305.
    >"And Applejack - you kept looking and, I know you said you were just nervous, but then you said she's pretty."
  7306. 7306.
    >It was kind of forced out of your mouth, though-
  7307. 7307.
    >"You didn't tell me what you talked to her about either."
  7308. 7308.
    >A bunch of bullshit is all-
  7309. 7309.
    >"When that smart girl came to the house, you wanted to be alone with her too!"
  7310. 7310.
    >She knows why that is-
  7311. 7311.
    >"And. And..."
  7312. 7312.
    >She's lightly sobbing at this point
  7313. 7313.
    >Talking so quickly you can't even think straight
  7314. 7314.
    >"You spent last night with Aria, huh?"
  7315. 7315.
    >...
  7316. 7316.
    >Well
  7317. 7317.
    >It's true
  7318. 7318.
    >"It's just so... scary having a boy leader."
  7319. 7319.
    "So that's what it is?"
  7320. 7320.
    >Her mouth shuts tight and she leans in a bit
  7321. 7321.
    >Apparently eager to hear your response
  7322. 7322.
    >You reach around and rub her back
  7323. 7323.
    "Sonata, you think I'm going to abandon you for other girls?"
  7324. 7324.
    >She shrugs her shoulders and sniffles
  7325. 7325.
    "Don't be crazy. Do you really think I'd trade you off?"
  7326. 7326.
    >"If they were prettier."
  7327. 7327.
    "Well I wouldn't. You're mine. No matter what happens you'll be by my side."
  7328. 7328.
    >"Anon..."
  7329. 7329.
    "Besides that, you're insane if you think you're not as pretty as those other girls. You're..."
  7330. 7330.
    >You caress the side of her face
  7331. 7331.
    "...the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
  7332. 7332.
    >"...Anonnn..."
  7333. 7333.
    "I don't want to hear about you being stupid, either."
  7334. 7334.
    >"But I am."
  7335. 7335.
    "You aren't. A bit naive maybe. But you're just saying this because Aria calls you stupid. Right?"
  7336. 7336.
    >"I don't know."
  7337. 7337.
    "I do."
  7338. 7338.
    >She presses into your hand and whimpers
  7339. 7339.
    >You'll have to do something about Aria...
  7340. 7340.
    "And about last night. I was punishing her and fell asleep. That's all there is to it."
  7341. 7341.
    >She looks perplexed for a moment, likely thinking back to her own punishment and wondering how one dozes off during a spanking
  7342. 7342.
    "Did you already forget what I told you?"
  7343. 7343.
    >"What?"
  7344. 7344.
    "You're special to me, Sonata."
  7345. 7345.
    >The faint sound of the TV is all you hear for some time
  7346. 7346.
    >You start to worry that she isn't convinced
  7347. 7347.
    >But then she lunges into a hug so hard you nearly lose your breath
  7348. 7348.
    >As soon as presses her face into your shirt, her quiet sobbing intensifies
  7349. 7349.
    "Sonata..."
  7350. 7350.
    >"Y-You mean it?"
  7351. 7351.
    >You hug her back
  7352. 7352.
    "Of course."
  7353. 7353.
    >"I'm... I'm s... I'm so happy..."
  7354. 7354.
    >You stay like this so long that your laptop's screen shuts off
  7355. 7355.
    >Resisting the urge to reach over and wake it up, you decide...
  7356. 7356.
    >Fuck it
  7357. 7357.
    >You'll just wing it tomorrow
  7358. 7358.
    >Right now, she needs you
  7359. 7359.
    ___
  7360. 7360.
    >You wake up to the intro theme of Sonata's favorite show
  7361. 7361.
    >The previously dark living room is lit partially through the windows and their closed curtains
  7362. 7362.
    >Morning already
  7363. 7363.
    "Your show is on~"
  7364. 7364.
    >She stirs a bit
  7365. 7365.
    "Don't you want to watch it?"
  7366. 7366.
    >"Mmm... tired."
  7367. 7367.
    "Come on~"
  7368. 7368.
    >Truthfully, you just need her to get off of you
  7369. 7369.
    >"tired..."
  7370. 7370.
    "I've got to pee."
  7371. 7371.
    >"Oh."
  7372. 7372.
    >She gets up, rubs her groggy eyes and falls into the vacant side of the couch
  7373. 7373.
    >Already fast asleep again
  7374. 7374.
    >Time to get ready for the investigation
  7375. 7375.
    >While making your way to your bedroom's bathroom, you strip off your shirt and pants
  7376. 7376.
    >After you've done what must be done you stand in the living room and stretch
  7377. 7377.
    >The fact that there's a girl in the room strikes you, and you feel a bit awkward
  7378. 7378.
    >Too used to living alone
  7379. 7379.
    >You start back to your bedroom to get changed and are stopped by three knocks on the door
  7380. 7380.
    "What the hell?"
  7381. 7381.
    >You glance at Sonata
  7382. 7382.
    >Still asleep, thank god
  7383. 7383.
    >You hop over to the door and look through the peephole
  7384. 7384.
    >As you thought... Twilight
  7385. 7385.
    >You can't let her inside with Sonata right there on the couch
  7386. 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. 7387.
    "Damn it."
  7388. 7388.
    >You stand up straight, and try not to panic
  7389. 7389.
    >She's going to knock again. What if Sonata wakes up?
  7390. 7390.
    >After adjusting your boxers a bit, you open the door, step outside and close it as quickly - and quietly - as possible
  7391. 7391.
    >"Hello Anoh my gosh..."
  7392. 7392.
    >She raises her notebook over her face
  7393. 7393.
    "Hey. Why're you here? You should've messaged me."
  7394. 7394.
    >"Ahh... I, uh, I did. Five times."
  7395. 7395.
    "Oh. Well it's so early. I just woke up. Please excuse me while I get dressed."
  7396. 7396.
    >"It's twelve-thirty..."
  7397. 7397.
    "Feel free to hop into the passenger seat of my car, I'll just be a minute."
  7398. 7398.
    >"Okay. I will."
  7399. 7399.
    >She scurries off
  7400. 7400.
    >Perfect
  7401. 7401.
    >You smile in victory and head back into the house
  7402. 7402.
    >After shaking her a bit, Sonata springs awake
  7403. 7403.
    >"Mmmmm. Anooon! You didn't tell me my show was on!"
  7404. 7404.
    "I did too, silly. Hey, you have to get up."
  7405. 7405.
    >"Noooo..."
  7406. 7406.
    >She watches as you pass by the couch
  7407. 7407.
    >"Anaawwwn~!"
  7408. 7408.
    "Huh?"
  7409. 7409.
    >"Oh my GOSH~!"
  7410. 7410.
    >Oh, right
  7411. 7411.
    >Almost naked
  7412. 7412.
    "Sorry, I was changing for my meeting."
  7413. 7413.
    >"Oh you don't have to apologize~"
  7414. 7414.
    >You feel your face heat up and your stomach get all tingly
  7415. 7415.
    >No time though
  7416. 7416.
    >Got to act fast
  7417. 7417.
    "No seducing your leader."
  7418. 7418.
    >"More like you're seducing me~"
  7419. 7419.
    "Oh boy."
  7420. 7420.
    >Now you really don't want to leave
  7421. 7421.
    >But you've got a girl waiting in your car
  7422. 7422.
    >Urk
  7423. 7423.
    "I've gotta get dressed, follow me!"
  7424. 7424.
    >You dash into your room and throw on a fresh t-shirt and jeans
  7425. 7425.
    >Your shoes are hiding under the edge of your bed, but you manage to find them
  7426. 7426.
    >Sonata jumps onto your side of the bed and starts to get cozy
  7427. 7427.
    "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake. I need you to feed the prisoners."
  7428. 7428.
    >"Awwww!"
  7429. 7429.
    "Listen close, this is important okay? Remember not t-"
  7430. 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. 7431.
    >She smiles, and you do as well
  7432. 7432.
    "Sorry. I'm nervous because it's a bit different this time. I might be gone for a long time today."
  7433. 7433.
    >Hold it
  7434. 7434.
    >Taking them to use the restroom involves untying them
  7435. 7435.
    >You can't really leave that to Sonata
  7436. 7436.
    "Fuuuuck. I've gotta check on them. Aria has to pee."
  7437. 7437.
    >"What? How do you know?"
  7438. 7438.
    "I just know. Hey, I'm going to head out right after that, okay? I'll see you later."
  7439. 7439.
    >"Okay.... I'll miss you."
  7440. 7440.
    "You too! Go get their food ready!"
  7441. 7441.
    >"Arghhh!"
  7442. 7442.
    ___
  7443. 7443.
    >"Hey, asshole! I don't need your help!"
  7444. 7444.
    "You sure?"
  7445. 7445.
    >She shoves you, but you hold your position
  7446. 7446.
    >Twin-tails could just sprint off if you don't
  7447. 7447.
    >She stands there and glares at you
  7448. 7448.
    "Forgive me. You just seem so feeble and helpless after literally eating out of my hand."
  7449. 7449.
    >"I didn't have a choice."
  7450. 7450.
    "Oh, you enjoyed it."
  7451. 7451.
    >"Yeah, I just LOOOoove being at your mercy like that."
  7452. 7452.
    >...
  7453. 7453.
    >She groans and slams the door
  7454. 7454.
    "Make sure you wash your hands."
  7455. 7455.
    >"Don't be stupid!"
  7456. 7456.
    >Oh, why not check that off the list right now?
  7457. 7457.
    >Like an asshole, you wait a few moments before opening the door
  7458. 7458.
    >"...what the FUCK!"
  7459. 7459.
    >She's got her purple pants pulled down to her knees
  7460. 7460.
    >For a split second, anyway. She practically falls over pulling them back up
  7461. 7461.
    >"Get out!"
  7462. 7462.
    "Just a moment."
  7463. 7463.
    >"..Huh?"
  7464. 7464.
    >You shut the door behind you, and her eyes widen
  7465. 7465.
    >"...hey."
  7466. 7466.
    >She backpedals into the corner as you approach
  7467. 7467.
    >"Wh-what? Freak."
  7468. 7468.
    "I need to talk to you about something."
  7469. 7469.
    >You lean over her and pray she doesn't kick you in the balls
  7470. 7470.
    "Sonata, actually."
  7471. 7471.
    >Like a child told to clean her room, Aria lets out an exaggerated sigh
  7472. 7472.
    >"What is it now? You're the only one who's spitting on people lately."
  7473. 7473.
    "Still mad I didn't kiss you?"
  7474. 7474.
    >"I would've puked if you did."
  7475. 7475.
    "So unladylike..."
  7476. 7476.
    >You get closer and she mashes her face into the wall
  7477. 7477.
    "Pfft."
  7478. 7478.
    >"Just get out of here! Fucking creep!"
  7479. 7479.
    >She pushes a hand into your chest with impressive force, for a single arm
  7480. 7480.
    >You snatch up her wrist
  7481. 7481.
    "Aria."
  7482. 7482.
    >"Let! GO!"
  7483. 7483.
    >She throws her fist
  7484. 7484.
    >You raise your hand just in time to catch it, sending a sharp pain through your arm
  7485. 7485.
    "Man. You're pretty strong, twin-tails."
  7486. 7486.
    >With your leg firmly pressed into both of hers, you shift your weight onto her
  7487. 7487.
    >She groans and twists and turns as she tries to get away
  7488. 7488.
    "Anyway, about Sonata. You're going to st-"
  7489. 7489.
    >"Go! Go AWAY!"
  7490. 7490.
    "Aria. Calm down."
  7491. 7491.
    >"UGH!"
  7492. 7492.
    >She thrusts herself into the toilet tank and tries to squeeze by you, and you catch her by the waist
  7493. 7493.
    >Her grunts get increasingly pathetic
  7494. 7494.
    >She tries to climb over your arm
  7495. 7495.
    "Jesus. You're going to piss yourself if you keep it u-"
  7496. 7496.
    >"I can't even go to the fucking bathroom now? God!"
  7497. 7497.
    "Ari-"
  7498. 7498.
    >"You are the WORST!"
  7499. 7499.
    >Being interrupted by this girl is the most frustrating thing
  7500. 7500.
    >And after what you did last night?
  7501. 7501.
    >Maybe you're being too soft on twin-tails
  7502. 7502.
    "ARIA."
  7503. 7503.
    >She jumps
  7504. 7504.
    >And then like magic she's frozen in place, and completely silent
  7505. 7505.
    "Sit down."
  7506. 7506.
    >"...ugh..."
  7507. 7507.
    >Her head hangs low
  7508. 7508.
    >The toilet seat clunks under her ass
  7509. 7509.
    >That...
  7510. 7510.
    >Felt pretty good
  7511. 7511.
    "Okay. Now."
  7512. 7512.
    >You take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, facing the top of Aria's head
  7513. 7513.
    "I've got a problem with the way you talk to Sonata."
  7514. 7514.
    >"Okay?"
  7515. 7515.
    "Namely, you calling her stupid."
  7516. 7516.
    >"...well..."
  7517. 7517.
    "Well what?"
  7518. 7518.
    >She exhales sharply and lowers her head even more
  7519. 7519.
    >"Nothing..."
  7520. 7520.
    "Right. Anyway it's going to stop. From now on, you are forbidden to call her that."
  7521. 7521.
    >"Forbidden? Seriously?"
  7522. 7522.
    >She sits up straight again, you suppose to show off the irritation on her face
  7523. 7523.
    >You take note of the blush as well
  7524. 7524.
    "A prisoner doesn't get to exercise free speech, let alone use it to insult her superior."
  7525. 7525.
    >"...SuPERIO-"
  7526. 7526.
    >The tank's lid audibly shifts as the siren sits against it and grabs hold of her twin-tails
  7527. 7527.
    >She pulls on them, hard
  7528. 7528.
    >"FINE. I won't insult your PRINCESS. Happy?"
  7529. 7529.
    "Yeah."
  7530. 7530.
    >Every time you get Aria flustered, it gets even more exciting
  7531. 7531.
    >Her tough exterior just begs to be fucked with
  7532. 7532.
    >"Now let me piss in peace, will you?!"
  7533. 7533.
    "Not yet."
  7534. 7534.
    >You step up and raise out your hands
  7535. 7535.
    >Trying to move further into the tank doesn't work out for her
  7536. 7536.
    >Regardless, you freeze with your fingers grazing her sides
  7537. 7537.
    >Something curbs your excitement
  7538. 7538.
    >Guilt...
  7539. 7539.
    >A bawling Sonata, hiding her face in your chest
  7540. 7540.
    "...uh..."
  7541. 7541.
    >Twin-tails eyes you up and down
  7542. 7542.
    >"The fuck are you doing?"
  7543. 7543.
    >Well, now you feel silly
  7544. 7544.
    >You scratch the back of your head
  7545. 7545.
    >Maybe you can play it off
  7546. 7546.
    "You smell worse than usual. I don't want it on my hands."
  7547. 7547.
    >"What... ever."
  7548. 7548.
    >She relaxes a bit as you back off, then raises her hands in disbelief when you sit back down
  7549. 7549.
    >"SERIOUSLY? How long am I supposed to hold it in?"
  7550. 7550.
    >The urge to fuck with her rises
  7551. 7551.
    >But touching her is...
  7552. 7552.
    >As much as you enjoyed feeling her impressive body, you shouldn't
  7553. 7553.
    >With how much pain Sonata's already gone through you'll have to make some changes
  7554. 7554.
    >Aria raises an eyebrow at your sigh
  7555. 7555.
    >...what were you thinking when you kidnapped them?
  7556. 7556.
    >Why would it ever work out with all three?
  7557. 7557.
    >Those daydreams about having a trio of loving, affectionate companions?
  7558. 7558.
    >Sonata can't handle that...
  7559. 7559.
    >And you can hardly blame her
  7560. 7560.
    >It's depressing
  7561. 7561.
    "I've got an idea."
  7562. 7562.
    >You're fine with one wife and two servants
  7563. 7563.
    >Right?
  7564. 7564.
    >It can still work out
  7565. 7565.
    >You don't even need to touch Aria to humiliate her, either
  7566. 7566.
    >There are plenty of ways...
  7567. 7567.
    >Such as:
  7568. 7568.
    "Go ahead. Relieve yourself."
  7569. 7569.
    >"...WHAT?"
  7570. 7570.
    "You heard me."
  7571. 7571.
    >"You. Have. Got. To be. Kidding."
  7572. 7572.
    "Nope."
  7573. 7573.
    >Her mouth hangs open
  7574. 7574.
    >It seems she's waiting for you to laugh and tell her it was a joke
  7575. 7575.
    >You cross your arms and give her a stern look
  7576. 7576.
    "It wasn't a request. I have stuff to do, so get to it."
  7577. 7577.
    >"A-Are you... serious... oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You're an actual pervert."
  7578. 7578.
    >Never has flipping the bird been so energetic
  7579. 7579.
    >Her fist and extended middle finger are waved all around
  7580. 7580.
    >"I'm drawing the line. This is beyond disgusting. I refuse."
  7581. 7581.
    >She refuses
  7582. 7582.
    >Isn't that cute?
  7583. 7583.
    >Curious how her rude hand gesture disappears the moment you get on your feet
  7584. 7584.
    >"I'm serious. I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I've had enough."
  7585. 7585.
    "Garbage?"
  7586. 7586.
    >"...huh?"
  7587. 7587.
    "You'd be the luckiest girl in the world to be treated like garbage."
  7588. 7588.
    >"What do you mean by THAT?"
  7589. 7589.
    "That, as long as you're a prisoner, you're nothing."
  7590. 7590.
    >You hold on to her shoulders and get in her face
  7591. 7591.
    >Not eager to risk a kick to the dick, you step on her feet
  7592. 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. 7593.
    >"...you-"
  7594. 7594.
    "And you've only got yourself to blame."
  7595. 7595.
    >"No, I'v-"
  7596. 7596.
    "Now hurry up."
  7597. 7597.
    >Her lip trembles
  7598. 7598.
    >She squeezes her fists
  7599. 7599.
    >"N-N-"
  7600. 7600.
    >With a stomp, she stands up and pulls her pants down to her ankles
  7601. 7601.
    >She brings her hands back up and hooks her fingers into the band of her panties
  7602. 7602.
    >As soon as they're far enough down falls back into the seat
  7603. 7603.
    >Her eyes are full of hate
  7604. 7604.
    >"Nothing. I'm 'nothing', huh?"
  7605. 7605.
    >All of a sudden, the situation sets in
  7606. 7606.
    >You're standing right in front of an angry tomboy who's about to take a piss
  7607. 7607.
    >Displaying your discomfort would be bad though, so you cross your arms and wait
  7608. 7608.
    >After ten seconds or so she mumbles something and you hear spattering against the bowl, alongside tiny splashes
  7609. 7609.
    "There you go."
  7610. 7610.
    >You give her two good pats on the head
  7611. 7611.
    "Was that so hard?"
  7612. 7612.
    >"...can't... believe... you."
  7613. 7613.
    >The sounds fade, and she slumps
  7614. 7614.
    "Good twin-tails. Okay, I've got other stuff to get to, so-"
  7615. 7615.
    >"Take me upstairs then."
  7616. 7616.
    >She stands and pulls her underwear and pants back on
  7617. 7617.
    >To your amusement she slams her fist into the flusher
  7618. 7618.
    >"I'm nothing, right? A f-fuck up. Go tie me up and leave me to die. I don't care anymore."
  7619. 7619.
    "Oh, Aria!"
  7620. 7620.
    >"...huh?"
  7621. 7621.
    >You take a step back
  7622. 7622.
    "Shouldn't you have uh."
  7623. 7623.
    >She follows your pointing finger to the toilet paper roll
  7624. 7624.
    >"Ugh! Whatever! It's your fault, standing over me like a sexual predator! Of course I forgot!"
  7625. 7625.
    "Man. You really are gross."
  7626. 7626.
    >With the doorknob in your hand, you motion her toward it
  7627. 7627.
    >She steps forward
  7628. 7628.
    "One thing though."
  7629. 7629.
    >"What?"
  7630. 7630.
    "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I said you're nothing *so long as you're a prisoner*."
  7631. 7631.
    >"...so?"
  7632. 7632.
    "So, how about you spend the day thinking about it."
  7633. 7633.
    >"Just. Take me up."
  7634. 7634.
    >Ew
  7635. 7635.
    "I'm not carrying you this time. Start marching, I'll tie you up in the guest room..."
  7636. 7636.
    ___
  7637. 7637.
    >Standing out by your hedges, you pet your pocket
  7638. 7638.
    >An idea struck you after Aria was back in her place
  7639. 7639.
    >The bullshit lead you needed was right there in your house all along
  7640. 7640.
    >It took a while to find it, but at least now you have something
  7641. 7641.
    >You run your hand over your pocket one last time
  7642. 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. 7643.
    "Okay. Here we go."
  7644. 7644.
    >You make your way out to your car
  7645. 7645.
    >Twilight jumps as the door clicks open
  7646. 7646.
    "Hey. Sorry I was in there so long."
  7647. 7647.
    >"Oh. It's... fine."
  7648. 7648.
    "Not very manager-like."
  7649. 7649.
    >You climb in, close the door and buckle up
  7650. 7650.
    >Twilight just sits there staring at the glovebox
  7651. 7651.
    "Gonna go without buckling? I mean, I won't force you. But I'm a pretty bad driver."
  7652. 7652.
    >"Oh! I'm sorry!"
  7653. 7653.
    >She frantically reaches over her shoulder and secures herself
  7654. 7654.
    >"I'd never go without it. It's the rules."
  7655. 7655.
    "Uh-huh..."
  7656. 7656.
    >Something's up
  7657. 7657.
    >She's not looking at you when she speaks
  7658. 7658.
    >Is it because you were in your underwear?
  7659. 7659.
    >It's not that big of a deal, is it?
  7660. 7660.
    "Um."
  7661. 7661.
    >Well this is embarrassing
  7662. 7662.
    "Sorry if I made it weird before. I'm not used to having visitors."
  7663. 7663.
    >"...it's okay, I wasn't even thinking about that."
  7664. 7664.
    "Oh."
  7665. 7665.
    >...
  7666. 7666.
    >Awkward silence
  7667. 7667.
    >She's fidgeting
  7668. 7668.
    >This is going badly
  7669. 7669.
    >Just start the car
  7670. 7670.
    >Wait, what if she's like this the whole drive?
  7671. 7671.
    >Or the whole day?
  7672. 7672.
    >Fuck
  7673. 7673.
    "You're acting kind of strange."
  7674. 7674.
    >"...oh."
  7675. 7675.
    "You alright?"
  7676. 7676.
    >"Uh."
  7677. 7677.
    >She rubs her face
  7678. 7678.
    >"Please don't lecture me."
  7679. 7679.
    >She looks over
  7680. 7680.
    >Her eyes are red and weary
  7681. 7681.
    >"I was up all night."
  7682. 7682.
    >Not terribly surprising
  7683. 7683.
    "What were you doing all night...? Reading? Because I was joking about two bo-"
  7684. 7684.
    >"I decided to go to the school."
  7685. 7685.
    >Your jaw drops
  7686. 7686.
    >But, you should have expected this
  7687. 7687.
    "Are you serious?"
  7688. 7688.
    >"Yes. I feel so stupid."
  7689. 7689.
    >She lays against the head rest and makes frustrated hand gestures
  7690. 7690.
    >"It was dark, so I couldn't even find it."
  7691. 7691.
    "You got lost?!"
  7692. 7692.
    >"Yes! Why are there so many buildings?!"
  7693. 7693.
    >How disappointing
  7694. 7694.
    >Giving Twilight that little speech yesterday about relaxing and having fun felt good
  7695. 7695.
    >Now you feel like an idiot for trusting the anxiety addict to not worry
  7696. 7696.
    "You really shouldn't be wandering around the city at night by yourself."
  7697. 7697.
    >"I didn't want to."
  7698. 7698.
    "How'd you find your way back to Rarity's house?"
  7699. 7699.
    >"P-Police officer..."
  7700. 7700.
    "Uh oh. You got arrested?"
  7701. 7701.
    >She looks genuinely insulted, at least a little bit
  7702. 7702.
    >"No, no. He asked me if I was alright. Anonymous, I'd never be arrested, because I'd never commit a crime."
  7703. 7703.
    "Of course. I know."
  7704. 7704.
    >You chuckle
  7705. 7705.
    "I'm glad you made it home okay."
  7706. 7706.
    >"Thanks... I'm sorry."
  7707. 7707.
    "For not doing what I said? You should be sorry."
  7708. 7708.
    >"I know! That's why I apologized!"
  7709. 7709.
    >Didn't expect her to snap at you
  7710. 7710.
    >You back into the window and raise your hands defensively
  7711. 7711.
    "It was a joke. Spare my life."
  7712. 7712.
    >She looks confused, then apologetic, and then stifles a laugh
  7713. 7713.
    >"Sorry. I wasn't mad. Last night was just so stressful."
  7714. 7714.
    "That's why I told you."
  7715. 7715.
    >Something bothers you
  7716. 7716.
    "Couldn't you have pestered Rarity to drive you there?"
  7717. 7717.
    >"No."
  7718. 7718.
    "Why not?"
  7719. 7719.
    >Twilight runs her fingers over the stacked pages of her closed notebook
  7720. 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. 7721.
    "I see."
  7722. 7722.
    >"Please don't mention it to them."
  7723. 7723.
    "Don't worry. I probably won't even talk to them."
  7724. 7724.
    >"Thank you. Thank you, Anonymous."
  7725. 7725.
    >Her worries influence everything about her, from her restless posture to her antsy tone
  7726. 7726.
    >She looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a while
  7727. 7727.
    >It almost feels that, by capturing the sirens, you've also imprisoned Twilight
  7728. 7728.
    >That's not what you wanted
  7729. 7729.
    >"Now then, to the school. We have a very thorough search to conduct."
  7730. 7730.
    "...About that. What do you say we hold off? For just a little bit."
  7731. 7731.
    >"WHAT?"
  7732. 7732.
    >She seems to shock herself with her own volume
  7733. 7733.
    >"Sorry- what do you mean?"
  7734. 7734.
    "That. Exactly that. You are unbelievably high strung right now."
  7735. 7735.
    >"That's not true! I'm just focused, Anonymous!"
  7736. 7736.
    ___
  7737. 7737.
    >Giving in to the shaking hand guiding it, the spoon presses into the corner of Adagio's mouth
  7738. 7738.
    >Not good, Sonata whispers in her mind
  7739. 7739.
    >When she sees that her former leader's stare has become cold, her mind starts to yell
  7740. 7740.
    >Not good, not good, not good...
  7741. 7741.
    >"S-Sorry Adagio."
  7742. 7742.
    >Sonata pulls back the spoon, takes a deep breath, and goes to try again
  7743. 7743.
    >"Stop."
  7744. 7744.
    >As commanded, her hand freezes in place and her fingers tighten
  7745. 7745.
    >"What's wrong?"
  7746. 7746.
    >" 'What's wrong' ? Do you really need to ask?"
  7747. 7747.
    >Sonata shrugs her shoulders and looks away
  7748. 7748.
    >Only for a moment
  7749. 7749.
    >"Look at me."
  7750. 7750.
    >"S-Sorry."
  7751. 7751.
    >She snaps back to Adagio's face
  7752. 7752.
    >Her droopy, exhausted, yet terrifying face
  7753. 7753.
    >There's a bit of refried beans on her. Must be what the problem is
  7754. 7754.
    >Sonata takes a finger and scrapes it off
  7755. 7755.
    >"Same as always, Sonata."
  7756. 7756.
    >"...what does that mean?"
  7757. 7757.
    >"You know exactly what it means."
  7758. 7758.
    >Sonata's heart was already beating fast
  7759. 7759.
    >But now she feels a strong urge to either raise her voice, or run away
  7760. 7760.
    >With no clue which to choose, she elects to look at the floor
  7761. 7761.
    >"...SONATA."
  7762. 7762.
    >"Ye-yes! Oh, okay! Sorry Ada... gio..."
  7763. 7763.
    >What is she doing, she thinks, bending so easily to her?
  7764. 7764.
    >For some time, Sonata rubs the spoon handle and studies Adagio's figure
  7765. 7765.
    >She's sitting with her knees against her chest
  7766. 7766.
    >Her head hanging a bit to the side
  7767. 7767.
    >Rope around her foot, and rope binding her hands
  7768. 7768.
    >What can she do?
  7769. 7769.
    >"Adag..."
  7770. 7770.
    >In an effort to muster up extra courage, Sonata thinks of you
  7771. 7771.
    >Being so afraid of Dagi is a betrayal
  7772. 7772.
    >Sounds crazy, but it's not, she asserts to herself
  7773. 7773.
    >If Dagi can't do anything right now...
  7774. 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. 7775.
    >"Adagio."
  7776. 7776.
    >"Yes?"
  7777. 7777.
    >"...p-pr-"
  7778. 7778.
    >Sonata scoops up some refried beans and holds it up to Adagio's face
  7779. 7779.
    >Using every ounce of her willpower, she frowns and speaks up
  7780. 7780.
    >"Prisoners will be quiet as they're fed. Even with beans on their faces!"
  7781. 7781.
    >She said it!
  7782. 7782.
    >Excitement and mortal terror bubble up in Sonata's stomach
  7783. 7783.
    >Signals run to her legs telling her to stand and run
  7784. 7784.
    >But she keeps her butt planted on the wooden floor
  7785. 7785.
    >Adagio can't do anything
  7786. 7786.
    >And yet Sonata's skin crawls as she sees her mouth open up
  7787. 7787.
    >"So. The brainwashing has been going well?"
  7788. 7788.
    >"Brainwashing? You mean like what we used to do...?"
  7789. 7789.
    >Adagio laughs softly
  7790. 7790.
    >"Oh, Sonata. I'm referring to something much more simple, and a victim who is far more pathetic."
  7791. 7791.
    >Adagio shakes her head
  7792. 7792.
    >After it's dropped, the spoon dings into the rim of the bowl
  7793. 7793.
    >"Are you calling me a victim?"
  7794. 7794.
    >"Do you think otherwise?"
  7795. 7795.
    >"I'm not a victim... and he didn't brainwash me. He doesn't even have magic, so-"
  7796. 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. 7797.
    >"Wh-what are you talking about?! I didn't 'trade' you..."
  7798. 7798.
    >"Have you forgotten your agreement with that human?"
  7799. 7799.
    >"Well..."
  7800. 7800.
    >"He is your new leader. Your loyalties have shifted. You, are a traitor."
  7801. 7801.
    >Sonata shakes her head and clenches her fists
  7802. 7802.
    >However, no proper counter argument springs into her mind
  7803. 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. 7804.
    >"Uhh..."
  7805. 7805.
    >"So tell me. Are you going to admit that you've whored yourself out to him?"
  7806. 7806.
    >It's not
  7807. 7807.
    >LIKE that
  7808. 7808.
    >Sonata's vision blurs and she runs her arm over her watery eyes
  7809. 7809.
    >Is Aria hearing this, she wonders?
  7810. 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. 7811.
    >"What do you see happening to you in ten years?"
  7812. 7812.
    >"...I'll be here. With Anon."
  7813. 7813.
    >"Will you be happy?"
  7814. 7814.
    >"Yeah..."
  7815. 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. 7816.
    >"...what...?"
  7817. 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. 7818.
    >"That's stupid... what are you even saying?"
  7819. 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. 7820.
    >Sonata squeezes tight around her wrist, wincing at each insult
  7821. 7821.
    >She's wrong, Sonata knows she is... but she can't help but visualize you saying each and every heartbreaking word
  7822. 7822.
    >Your face angry and impatient
  7823. 7823.
    >Just like Adagio's
  7824. 7824.
    >"Y-Yo-You're wrong."
  7825. 7825.
    >"Am I?"
  7826. 7826.
    >"Y-Yes!"
  7827. 7827.
    >"I suppose those tears are joyful, and that you've reassured yourself that Anon cares about you."
  7828. 7828.
    >Sonata quickly wipes her eyes and stands, sending the bowl of beans tumbling into the floor by Adagio's foot
  7829. 7829.
    >"A-Anon WON'T get tired of me! He WON'T be mean!"
  7830. 7830.
    >After glancing at the slumbering Aria and quieting herself, Sonata reaches over and grips her own arm again
  7831. 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. 7832.
    >She shouldn't, and she's aware of it. But the words come so easily
  7833. 7833.
    >"He loves me. He told me that I'm special to him."
  7834. 7834.
    >Adagio's eyebrows raise, just a little. Interpreting this as surprise, Sonata continues confidently
  7835. 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. 7836.
    >Sonata smiles
  7837. 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. 7838.
    >Her finger pushes painfully into her arm as anxiety builds. Every word she speaks at this point is surely a bad idea
  7839. 7839.
    >Best to stop here, she decides
  7840. 7840.
    >She releases her arm and rests her hands on her hips
  7841. 7841.
    >"...Special?"
  7842. 7842.
    >Adagio slowly turns her head toward Aria
  7843. 7843.
    >When she looks back, the smile she's adopted sends a chill down Sonata's spine
  7844. 7844.
    >"...mhm."
  7845. 7845.
    >"You think this human is in love with you?"
  7846. 7846.
    >"I think he is. No, I KNOW he is."
  7847. 7847.
    >Her eerie smile strengthens
  7848. 7848.
    >"Very, very interesting."
  7849. 7849.
    >Scooting her foot around the bowl of beans, Adagio stretches out her legs and yawns
  7850. 7850.
    >"Sonata, you've just given me something to think about."
  7851. 7851.
    >"What?"
  7852. 7852.
    >"Let's just say I'm going to have to re-evaluate Anon after hearing that."
  7853. 7853.
    >"Wait. Really? Are, are you serious?!"
  7854. 7854.
    >She bounces and clasps her hands together, which is enough to send Adagio right back into that irritated state
  7855. 7855.
    >"Calm down."
  7856. 7856.
    >"Yeah, yeah..."
  7857. 7857.
    >"Listen. I'm not very hungry."
  7858. 7858.
    >"Are you sure? You barely ate any."
  7859. 7859.
    >"If I tell you that I'm not hungry, it means I'm not hungry."
  7860. 7860.
    >Sonata nods and takes the bowl in her hands
  7861. 7861.
    >The beans have slid up to the edge, but it's still fine
  7862. 7862.
    >Trying to contain the excitement of her victory, she hums and kneels in front of Aria
  7863. 7863.
    >"Don't worry about that. Just go down stairs."
  7864. 7864.
    >"But, she'll be mad!"
  7865. 7865.
    >"Being like this, eating as little as we do..."
  7866. 7866.
    >Adagio cracks her neck, to the left, and then to the right
  7867. 7867.
    >"...shrinks your stomach. Do you understand me?"
  7868. 7868.
    >"Yeah. I do."
  7869. 7869.
    >"So, go downstairs, Sonata."
  7870. 7870.
    >She pokes at the side of the bowl for a while
  7871. 7871.
    >Then she sighs and stands by the doorway
  7872. 7872.
    >"You don't have to have a small stomach. If you jus-"
  7873. 7873.
    >Adagio's face is hidden again by her hair as she stares at the wall
  7874. 7874.
    >But that's okay
  7875. 7875.
    >This conversation was a success, Sonata tells herself
  7876. 7876.
    >With a big smile she dashes out of the guest room and down the stairs
  7877. 7877.
    >If only Anon were here right now...
  7878. 7878.
    ___
  7879. 7879.
    "I swear. You'll be thanking me."
  7880. 7880.
    >"No! It's inappropriate!"
  7881. 7881.
    "It's not about what's... 'appropriate,' for crying out loud. It's about enjoying yourself."
  7882. 7882.
    >"Anonymous, I respectfully decline."
  7883. 7883.
    "No you don't."
  7884. 7884.
    >"WH- you can't consent for me!"
  7885. 7885.
    "I so can. I'm gonna do it right now."
  7886. 7886.
    >You reach out your hand and Twilight grunts
  7887. 7887.
    >"I'll feel guilty. Just, please stop it already..."
  7888. 7888.
    >The glovebox's little weight becomes apparent the moment its handle is pulled, and you let it fall open
  7889. 7889.
    >You take your wallet and wag it in the air
  7890. 7890.
    "It's nothing. Seriously."
  7891. 7891.
    >Facing the speaker again, you clear your throat and try to talk loud and clear
  7892. 7892.
    "We changed our mind, she'll take the deluxe ice cream sundae after all."
  7893. 7893.
    >The passenger buckle clicks and the belt zips up and over
  7894. 7894.
    >A palm presses into your leg
  7895. 7895.
    >Hair fills your vision
  7896. 7896.
    >"DISREGARD! Please, strike that from the record, I did NOT consent!"
  7897. 7897.
    "Twilight. Come on..."
  7898. 7898.
    >You push her back into her seat
  7899. 7899.
    >"Unhand me, Anonymous!"
  7900. 7900.
    "Alright."
  7901. 7901.
    >You hold her down with your foot the best you can
  7902. 7902.
    "Ignore her, she's just trying to be funny."
  7903. 7903.
    >Twilight shoves on your leg, barely budging it, and the speaker fuzzes
  7904. 7904.
    >"...okay sir, please check the screen and confirm your order..."
  7905. 7905.
    "That's right. ESPECIALLY the last bit, with the deluxe ice cream sundae."
  7906. 7906.
    >"Anonymous!"
  7907. 7907.
    ___
  7908. 7908.
    >Twenty minutes later you sit across from an irritated Twilight, at the tables outside a fancy book store
  7909. 7909.
    >You've finished eating, but Twilight's pretty slow
  7910. 7910.
    >Something has been making you feel a childish excitement since you got here:
  7911. 7911.
    >She hasn't noticed where you are
  7912. 7912.
    "So. Once you're done with your fries, and the sundae, I have another idea."
  7913. 7913.
    >Her mouth shuts hard, mashing a fry in half
  7914. 7914.
    >Through gritted teeth, she asks,
  7915. 7915.
    >"Anonymous. Don't tell me we aren't going to the school next?"
  7916. 7916.
    "Nope."
  7917. 7917.
    >"Are you KIDDING ME?!"
  7918. 7918.
    "Uh. Twilight?"
  7919. 7919.
    >"I was only keeping my mouth shut because I knew it was almost time to go!"
  7920. 7920.
    >She seems to notice the worry on your face
  7921. 7921.
    >Twilight shuts her eyes, and while gesturing toward her chest, breathes in
  7922. 7922.
    >Then while gesturing away, breathes out
  7923. 7923.
    >"Ahhh... alright. Alright. I'm sorry for yelling."
  7924. 7924.
    "It's fine."
  7925. 7925.
    >"What do you have in mind, manager?"
  7926. 7926.
    "I'll tell you right after you finish your sundae."
  7927. 7927.
    >"...to be honest, I'm already full. Why don't you eat the sundae?"
  7928. 7928.
    "Come on. I've come to expect girls to eat three times as much as you just did."
  7929. 7929.
    >"What?"
  7930. 7930.
    "Nothing, just enjoy the sundae. I want you to have it."
  7931. 7931.
    >"I don't... want it."
  7932. 7932.
    >Why's she being so adamant about this ice cream?
  7933. 7933.
    "What is there to feel guilty about if I happily bought it for you?"
  7934. 7934.
    >"I... don't deserve it. After what I did to y-"
  7935. 7935.
    "Stop. Seriously. I'm not upset."
  7936. 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. 7937.
    >Don't... understand?
  7938. 7938.
    "I understand just fine."
  7939. 7939.
    >"You don't."
  7940. 7940.
    "Being responsible is one thing. Worrying yourself into the ground is another. Just eat the sundae, Twilight."
  7941. 7941.
    >"No, Anonymous!"
  7942. 7942.
    "Come on!"
  7943. 7943.
    >"I decline! I'm FULL!"
  7944. 7944.
    "No you're not!"
  7945. 7945.
    >"First you consent for me, then you consent for my stomach?!"
  7946. 7946.
    "I-"
  7947. 7947.
    >You realize you've stood up
  7948. 7948.
    >Twilight's glare doesn't soften, even after you smile and scratch your chin in embarrassment
  7949. 7949.
    "Sorry."
  7950. 7950.
    >"Yeah."
  7951. 7951.
    >Uh oh
  7952. 7952.
    >Sleep deprivation and stress are not pretty on this girl. Not pretty at all
  7953. 7953.
    >Not that they'd be pretty on anybody
  7954. 7954.
    "Tell you what. Forget about the sundae."
  7955. 7955.
    >"Gladly. I didn't want it in the first place."
  7956. 7956.
    "Eheh. Okay. Uh, about that idea."
  7957. 7957.
    >Pointing off to the side, you drop down into your chair
  7958. 7958.
    >You feel better the moment her eyes are on the hanging sign
  7959. 7959.
    >"Oh. A book store?"
  7960. 7960.
    "Yeah. You like books. Right?"
  7961. 7961.
    >"I love books."
  7962. 7962.
    "How about we look around? I bet you've never been in a human book store before."
  7963. 7963.
    >"I haven't."
  7964. 7964.
    >Twilight looks back with a faint smile, which disappears immediately after she sees the sundae again
  7965. 7965.
    >She shoves it to your side of the table and continues
  7966. 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. 7967.
    "Exactly."
  7968. 7968.
    >She frowns
  7969. 7969.
    >"No thank you."
  7970. 7970.
    "What?"
  7971. 7971.
    >"I'm not going to let you buy me a bunch of books."
  7972. 7972.
    "Really? Don't you wish you could amass a human literature collection, and bring it back to your world?"
  7973. 7973.
    >"I d-... um."
  7974. 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. 7975.
    >Her lips move as if to say something, but she just ponders
  7976. 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. 7977.
    >Her eyes widen a bit
  7978. 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. 7979.
    >"Uhhhh."
  7980. 7980.
    >It seems as though she's trying to be angry, and just can't
  7981. 7981.
    >A potent curiosity is painted on her face
  7982. 7982.
    >"They have those books here for sure?"
  7983. 7983.
    "Yeah!"
  7984. 7984.
    >That's how you catch a nerd
  7985. 7985.
    >"Well. I guess a few minutes of looking around wouldn't hurt."
  7986. 7986.
    "Damn right they wouldn't. Let's go."
  7987. 7987.
    ___
  7988. 7988.
    >For the past ten minutes, she's been moving from section to section, gawking at the many different genres on display
  7989. 7989.
    >"The art. There's so many beautiful covers."
  7990. 7990.
    "That's a weird thing to notice."
  7991. 7991.
    >"Well, I mean-"
  7992. 7992.
    >She holds up a romance novel with a beautifully painted forest in Fall
  7993. 7993.
    >As she swoons she rubs its side
  7994. 7994.
    >"Art on the cover of a book is less common in Equestria."
  7995. 7995.
    "Ah."
  7996. 7996.
    >"I think it's fantastic. Imagine how many children it could lure in."
  7997. 7997.
    >Creepy way to phrase it, but who can disagree?
  7998. 7998.
    >She continues moving from shelf to shelf, reading summaries and noting which ones she's interested in
  7999. 7999.
    >Eventually she stumbles upon a section with a big banner advertising pre-owned study material
  8000. 8000.
    >Textbooks lay side by side on a few tables with reduced prices
  8001. 8001.
    "Ah, we found it. Math, Science, Literature, Health-"
  8002. 8002.
    >Twilight snatches up a biology book and flips it open
  8003. 8003.
    >"Oh my gosh. There are so many pages..."
  8004. 8004.
    "Yeah! You can read all about our weird fingers and stuff."
  8005. 8005.
    >"Oh my gosh! A whole chapter on the human heart."
  8006. 8006.
    "Uh-huh. A good thing to learn about, I guess."
  8007. 8007.
    >She skips ahead
  8008. 8008.
    >"Oh my... gosh."
  8009. 8009.
    >She looks at you from beside it, apparently comparing you to an illustration, and quickly looks back to the book
  8010. 8010.
    "...Twilight?"
  8011. 8011.
    >Over the next ten seconds you watch a blush form on her face
  8012. 8012.
    >You grab it out of her hands and put it back on the table
  8013. 8013.
    "Alright, maybe you should start with another textbook."
  8014. 8014.
    >"Y-Yes."
  8015. 8015.
    >A little while later, you're looking around in embarrassment as the bookworm argues with you
  8016. 8016.
    >"I. Decline."
  8017. 8017.
    "Come on. It was the whole point of coming in here. I can afford it, so enjoy it."
  8018. 8018.
    >"Anonymous, I really don't feel comfortable. I'll acquire human books on my own."
  8019. 8019.
    "You're not even technically a student, right? Do you have your own textbooks?"
  8020. 8020.
    >"If I find time, I'll study Rarity's..."
  8021. 8021.
    "And then leave them behind?"
  8022. 8022.
    >She stamps her foot and shakes her head
  8023. 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. 8024.
    >"There! Now drop it, would you?"
  8025. 8025.
    "Twilight. You're... something else."
  8026. 8026.
    >"Uh-huh! I'm going back to the vehicle!"
  8027. 8027.
    "It's called a car you dork."
  8028. 8028.
    >"Uh-huh!"
  8029. 8029.
    >She stomps off
  8030. 8030.
    ___
  8031. 8031.
    >Back on the road
  8032. 8032.
    >Almost to Canterlot High
  8033. 8033.
    >Thankfully for your nerves, Twilight is too mad to say anything
  8034. 8034.
    >Her frustration is difficult for you to relate to
  8035. 8035.
    >Probably because you know so little about Equestria, or magical beings...
  8036. 8036.
    >...but you couldn't resist giving it one last shot
  8037. 8037.
    >You pull the shopping bag further up your lap so that it doesn't fall to the floor as you turn
  8038. 8038.
    >The Taco Bell you usually eat at passes by
  8039. 8039.
    "Okay. We're pretty much there now."
  8040. 8040.
    >A few minutes later you pull into the mostly empty High School parking lot
  8041. 8041.
    >Before the car has even come to a complete stop, Twilight unbuckles and goes for the door handle
  8042. 8042.
    "Wait a second."
  8043. 8043.
    >No response, she's just frozen in place
  8044. 8044.
    "I don't want you to be mad at me."
  8045. 8045.
    >You notice her shoulders rise and fall before she turns around
  8046. 8046.
    >"I just want to search for information."
  8047. 8047.
    "Yeah, I get it. But listen."
  8048. 8048.
    >"...Okay."
  8049. 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. 8050.
    >"Oh, well I don't know about that."
  8051. 8051.
    >With how little time you've spent with Twilight, it's very true
  8052. 8052.
    "I know you feel guilty, but I have to insist. Because I want you to learn to balance your time."
  8053. 8053.
    >"Insist on wha-"
  8054. 8054.
    >She notices the shopping bag, and sighs
  8055. 8055.
    >"You said that you bought yourself a dictionary."
  8056. 8056.
    "Ha!"
  8057. 8057.
    >You pull the bag up from its bottom and catch the novel in your hand
  8058. 8058.
    >Staring up at Twilight is that same romance novel, with the Fall forest
  8059. 8059.
    >Upside down. Just as planned, right?
  8060. 8060.
    >"A-Anonymous..."
  8061. 8061.
    "Hundreds of pages of humans being humans."
  8062. 8062.
    >"But..."
  8063. 8063.
    >Her voice softens
  8064. 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. 8065.
    >She carefully takes the book from your hand and places it in her lap
  8066. 8066.
    >Running her finger up and down the cover seems like a pretty positive reaction
  8067. 8067.
    >"...it is a beautiful book."
  8068. 8068.
    "Yeah."
  8069. 8069.
    >"And I know you're trying to help me."
  8070. 8070.
    >She picks up the shopping bag, places the novel inside and pushes it against your leg
  8071. 8071.
    >"But for the last time, I decline."
  8072. 8072.
    "...What?! I had you that time!"
  8073. 8073.
    >"Not even close actually."
  8074. 8074.
    "This is so damn stupid... just take it!"
  8075. 8075.
    >You drop the bag onto her
  8076. 8076.
    >"Hey!"
  8077. 8077.
    >She picks it up and drops it from slightly higher up
  8078. 8078.
    >You similarly raise the stakes and go just about as high as is possible in the car
  8079. 8079.
    >"ANONYMOUS!"
  8080. 8080.
    >Twilight grips it tight
  8081. 8081.
    >Smacks it into the ceiling
  8082. 8082.
    >And slams it into your crotch
  8083. 8083.
    "...FFF-"
  8084. 8084.
    >You grab the steering wheel and look away
  8085. 8085.
    >Judging by Twilight's immediate ranting, she doesn't realize what she did
  8086. 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. 8087.
    "Y-Yeah? What? How to treat a small mystery like a blooming World War?"
  8088. 8088.
    >"No, I'm going to teach you how to be a better friend!"
  8089. 8089.
    "Th-this entire day was about being a good friend to you."
  8090. 8090.
    >"Are you sure?"
  8091. 8091.
    >You groan and look at her
  8092. 8092.
    >She's crossing her arms and tapping her elbow
  8093. 8093.
    >"Are you sure this is being a good friend?"
  8094. 8094.
    "What are you saying?"
  8095. 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. 8096.
    "I wanted to-"
  8097. 8097.
    >"Did I look like I wanted you to?"
  8098. 8098.
    "...Twilight..."
  8099. 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. 8100.
    >She hops out of the car and slams the door
  8101. 8101.
    >Though you're still suffering from an agonizing pain between your legs, her words seem to have struck you the hardest
  8102. 8102.
    >"Don't wait for me! Just tell me what room you overheard the girls talking in, and go home."
  8103. 8103.
    "...uh..."
  8104. 8104.
    >Which room
  8105. 8105.
    >Which fucking room?
  8106. 8106.
    >How are you going to do this?
  8107. 8107.
    "Uhhh..."
  8108. 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. 8109.
    "Do you know where the art rooms are?"
  8110. 8110.
    >"Yes."
  8111. 8111.
    "It was in one of them. I don't remember which."
  8112. 8112.
    >Though Twilight's anger doesn't dissipate, you catch a hint of a smile
  8113. 8113.
    >"Good. Then I'll be off."
  8114. 8114.
    >She takes a few steps, and then returns to the passenger window
  8115. 8115.
    >"Um. Anonymous. Even though you're absolutely in the wrong... um..."
  8116. 8116.
    >After grabbing her notebook off of the seat, she forces a smile
  8117. 8117.
    >"...I know you were... trying to be good. So..."
  8118. 8118.
    >Twilight sighs, and takes off
  8119. 8119.
    >You slide into your door
  8120. 8120.
    >The warm window heats up the side of your face
  8121. 8121.
    >But you can't bring yourself to get off of it
  8122. 8122.
    >You just watch Twilight rush inside
  8123. 8123.
    "...fuck."
  8124. 8124.
    ___
  8125. 8125.
    >Dozens of channels surfed, and none have distracted you in the slightest
  8126. 8126.
    >Annoying commercials trying hard to be "random"
  8127. 8127.
    >The shopping channel feels pointless
  8128. 8128.
    >Cooking shows will just make you hungry
  8129. 8129.
    >Hey, your favorite movie's playing
  8130. 8130.
    >It seems like a perfect opportunity at first, but there's no way you'll commit to the runtime
  8131. 8131.
    "Ughh."
  8132. 8132.
    >It's not the first time TV has let you down. The internet will have to pick up the slack
  8133. 8133.
    >...though, if you're on your laptop, you probably won't be able to resist checking for messages from Twilight
  8134. 8134.
    >You sigh and fall onto your side
  8135. 8135.
    >Might as well just check if Sonata's show is on-
  8136. 8136.
    "Uggghhh."
  8137. 8137.
    >"Anon?"
  8138. 8138.
    >You sit up and find Sonata, standing behind the couch
  8139. 8139.
    "Hey."
  8140. 8140.
    >"They don't need to go to the bathroom."
  8141. 8141.
    "That's good."
  8142. 8142.
    >Sonata smiles, opens her mouth to speak, but stops, as if unsure of what to say or how to say it
  8143. 8143.
    >"...Aria wanted to talk to you."
  8144. 8144.
    "About what?"
  8145. 8145.
    >Once again she pauses
  8146. 8146.
    >Ever since you got home today you've noticed this behavior. This subtle discomfort she's hiding
  8147. 8147.
    >It makes you wonder: did it start today?
  8148. 8148.
    >Or has she been doing this the whole time, while you've been too naive to notice?
  8149. 8149.
    >"She wouldn't say. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
  8150. 8150.
    "Just tell her to give a reason, or I won't bother."
  8151. 8151.
    >Sonata nods and heads on out of the living room
  8152. 8152.
    >You lay back down
  8153. 8153.
    "Twin-tails... let me mope in peace..."
  8154. 8154.
    >Soon, Sonata's face is hovering over yours
  8155. 8155.
    >"She wants to know when you're going to punish her."
  8156. 8156.
    >Oh, right
  8157. 8157.
    >You'd forgotten about punishment completely
  8158. 8158.
    >The select button on the remote brings up the time
  8159. 8159.
    >11:24 PM
  8160. 8160.
    "I guess it is getting late."
  8161. 8161.
    >"...You don't have to punish her, do you?"
  8162. 8162.
    "Still worrying about them?"
  8163. 8163.
    >"Well, yeah."
  8164. 8164.
    "Hmm. I don't really feel like punishing her. I'm pretty tired."
  8165. 8165.
    >"Great! Then I'll tell her!"
  8166. 8166.
    "W-Wait."
  8167. 8167.
    >You sit up and rest a hand on Sonata's shoulder
  8168. 8168.
    >She jumps
  8169. 8169.
    >Though it catches your attention, you try to stay focused
  8170. 8170.
    "It's fine. I'll do it. I guess I have to."
  8171. 8171.
    >"Why?"
  8172. 8172.
    "You know. Intimidation. I don't want to look like a slacker."
  8173. 8173.
    >"Don't worry Anon. You're intimidating anyway."
  8174. 8174.
    >It's like a knife through the heart
  8175. 8175.
    >Your suspicions seem to materialize as ice packed into your stomach
  8176. 8176.
    >You let yourself slide backwards off the couch
  8177. 8177.
    >"Anon!?"
  8178. 8178.
    >Her bare feet appear upside down before your eyes
  8179. 8179.
    >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  8180. 8180.
    >She gets down on one knee
  8181. 8181.
    >She doesn't seem aware, but her panties are in clear view
  8182. 8182.
    >You can't muster up any excitement over it
  8183. 8183.
    >"Are you sick?"
  8184. 8184.
    "Nah... don't worry, Sonata. I'm just exhausted after today."
  8185. 8185.
    >"Turning into a snake isn't going to help, silly."
  8186. 8186.
    "Yeah, but it gives me an excuse to have you pick me up."
  8187. 8187.
    >Sonata smiles
  8188. 8188.
    >At least you hope she does
  8189. 8189.
    >All you see is her legs straightening out
  8190. 8190.
    >"You're a boy, so."
  8191. 8191.
    "You calling me heavy?"
  8192. 8192.
    >She takes both of your hands and pulls as hard as she can
  8193. 8193.
    >Your back rubs against the cushion and your head meets the carpet
  8194. 8194.
    "Are you picking me up or pulling me into the floor?"
  8195. 8195.
    >"Uh! You're a BOY, so!"
  8196. 8196.
    "That's no excuse."
  8197. 8197.
    >You lift your legs
  8198. 8198.
    >Sonata grabs them and tugs
  8199. 8199.
    >It works much better this time, flipping you onto your stomach
  8200. 8200.
    "There we go."
  8201. 8201.
    >"You look like you're really, really tired. Just punish her tomo-another day, okay?"
  8202. 8202.
    "No, no... I went and said it would be an everyday thing."
  8203. 8203.
    >You pull yourself up by the arm of the couch
  8204. 8204.
    "Just prepare for relentless hugging once I'm done."
  8205. 8205.
    ___
  8206. 8206.
    >"Why are you going so slow?"
  8207. 8207.
    >Aria's voice is practically a growl already
  8208. 8208.
    >The microwave on the kitchen counter catches your eye
  8209. 8209.
    >You hum and poke at the buttons
  8210. 8210.
    "This thing's so old. I should buy a new one."
  8211. 8211.
    >"I don't even know what you're talking about."
  8212. 8212.
    "Oh."
  8213. 8213.
    >You spin around. Aria's ass joins you in staring at the doorway for a moment before you turn back
  8214. 8214.
    >"Well what is it?"
  8215. 8215.
    "A microwave. It warms up your beans."
  8216. 8216.
    >"Yeah, used to maybe."
  8217. 8217.
    "Still mad about that?"
  8218. 8218.
    >She wiggles around on your shoulder
  8219. 8219.
    >"Just keep going."
  8220. 8220.
    "I don't know... maybe I should google some good modern microwaves first?"
  8221. 8221.
    >"The hell does google mean? I- I don't even care. Why do you keep stopping?"
  8222. 8222.
    "Because you keep complaining."
  8223. 8223.
    >"Well GO! I need to talk to you about something very, VERY important!"
  8224. 8224.
    >Something important?
  8225. 8225.
    >Maybe something along the lines of, 'I want to be your slave'?
  8226. 8226.
    "Well, well, well."
  8227. 8227.
    >She settles as you head into the hallway
  8228. 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. 8229.
    >"OW?"
  8230. 8230.
    "Oh. Sorry."
  8231. 8231.
    >You drop Aria into the chair and cross your arms
  8232. 8232.
    >"What's up with you? You're being even weirder than usual."
  8233. 8233.
    "Don't worry about that. Just go ahead."
  8234. 8234.
    >"Uh..."
  8235. 8235.
    >She looks down at her lap
  8236. 8236.
    >Given that it's probably a humiliating thing for her to say, you give her some time
  8237. 8237.
    >About fifteen seconds
  8238. 8238.
    >Then you lose patience
  8239. 8239.
    "All that complaining and you didn't even want to tell me what's on your mind?"
  8240. 8240.
    >"I want to. It's just. Ugh..."
  8241. 8241.
    "Get it over with. You'll feel better."
  8242. 8242.
    >"Okay..."
  8243. 8243.
    >Twin-tails takes a deep breath, and exhales very slowly
  8244. 8244.
    >"Will you... fuckin'..."
  8245. 8245.
    >She extends her arms as well as she can, pushes her bound hands into the floor and crawls onto her knees
  8246. 8246.
    >"Talk to Adagio, and make things okay between her and I?"
  8247. 8247.
    >Wait
  8248. 8248.
    >This again? Seriously?
  8249. 8249.
    >Before you can get a word in, Aria gets down on her arms and lowers her face into the smelly carpet
  8250. 8250.
    >"PLEASE."
  8251. 8251.
    "...Are you really begging on your hands and knees?"
  8252. 8252.
    >She maintains the position in complete silence
  8253. 8253.
    "Wow, Aria. I don't know what to say."
  8254. 8254.
    >You sit down in front of her
  8255. 8255.
    "What happened to make you do this?"
  8256. 8256.
    >A cute little muffled groan can be heard
  8257. 8257.
    >She really doesn't want to say
  8258. 8258.
    >Even prodding the side of her head doesn't get it out of her
  8259. 8259.
    "Come on. Tell me. I'm not going to stop poking until you tell m-"
  8260. 8260.
    >Her head pushes your hand away as she shoots back up
  8261. 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. 8262.
    >Her face is already beet red
  8263. 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. 8264.
    "For once? Didn't that sandwich count?"
  8265. 8265.
    >"Wh-whatever. Two favors?"
  8266. 8266.
    "Don't forget about the chips and the soda."
  8267. 8267.
    >"...Four favors. Okay?"
  8268. 8268.
    "Man. Four favors for my prisoner. I'm awfully nice."
  8269. 8269.
    >"Just agree already."
  8270. 8270.
    "Aria..."
  8271. 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. 8272.
    "Let's say I go up there, and take all of it back. Adagio's happy with you again."
  8273. 8273.
    >"Yeah. Will you?"
  8274. 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. 8275.
    >"N-No."
  8276. 8276.
    "You escape, right? Slip right out of the rope or something. Now what? You get your necklaces?"
  8277. 8277.
    >"..."
  8278. 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. 8279.
    >She frowns
  8280. 8280.
    >Time to lay it on thick
  8281. 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. 8282.
    >She rolls her eyes
  8283. 8283.
    "How much, Aria?"
  8284. 8284.
    >"None. Obviously."
  8285. 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. 8286.
    >"You must think we're idiots. Maybe I'll find work?"
  8287. 8287.
    "No one's going to hire a girl who can't prove her identity."
  8288. 8288.
    >"Why would I need to prove my identity?"
  8289. 8289.
    >You shake your head
  8290. 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. 8291.
    >"So you're trying to say that my ONLY option is to stay with you."
  8292. 8292.
    "Well-"
  8293. 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. 8294.
    >Ouch
  8295. 8295.
    >Parried her reality check, and brought yours right back into focus
  8296. 8296.
    >Judging from her suspicious stare she probably expects the answer to be that you're just a pervert
  8297. 8297.
    "I'm... not sure anymore."
  8298. 8298.
    >She raises an eyebrow
  8299. 8299.
    >Punishing the sirens seemed like a necessary step
  8300. 8300.
    >They're criminals, after all. But more importantly...
  8301. 8301.
    >If you break them down, and turn them into slaves...
  8302. 8302.
    >They'll have to depend on you
  8303. 8303.
    >They CAN'T leave you
  8304. 8304.
    >And the guilt you feel in doing this to them can be pushed away by just remembering:
  8305. 8305.
    >They're monsters
  8306. 8306.
    >They're not even people
  8307. 8307.
    "I guess I was just trying to fill a hole in my life. But, it was a bad idea."
  8308. 8308.
    >"What?"
  8309. 8309.
    "All of this. I didn't think it through."
  8310. 8310.
    >You pull Aria into the chair
  8311. 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. 8312.
    >"Uh. That still doesn't tell me WHY you kidnapped me. What do you mean, hole in your life?"
  8313. 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. 8314.
    >"Yes."
  8315. 8315.
    >No hesitation...
  8316. 8316.
    "You mean it when you tell me to hang myself, right?"
  8317. 8317.
    >"Uhh."
  8318. 8318.
    "See? I don't know why I ever thought this would work out."
  8319. 8319.
    >"What are you saying?"
  8320. 8320.
    "This was all... a mistake. That's what I'm saying. I should never have kidnapped you."
  8321. 8321.
    >"M-Mistake? But you said-"
  8322. 8322.
    >She slowly pulls her legs up to her chest
  8323. 8323.
    "I said what?"
  8324. 8324.
    >"You said... you said I was-"
  8325. 8325.
    >Her face scrunches up
  8326. 8326.
    >She lets out a quiet, exhausted whine and rocks around in the chair
  8327. 8327.
    >"Wo-would you just hit me already?"
  8328. 8328.
    "What?"
  8329. 8329.
    >"Hit me! Like you did Sonata! No, worse than Sonata! Punch me in the stomach until I can't breath!"
  8330. 8330.
    >On instinct alone, you take a step away from her
  8331. 8331.
    >"Do it! You're fuckin' AWFUL at this. Maybe you can REDEEM yourself. Kick me until my teeth fall out!"
  8332. 8332.
    "Twin-tails? You uh, you feeling alright?"
  8333. 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. 8334.
    "Aria, are you... about to cry?"
  8335. 8335.
    >"NO!"
  8336. 8336.
    >She throws herself off of the chair
  8337. 8337.
    >Her twin-tails spiral around her as she rolls to the wall and back, ranting all the while
  8338. 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. 8339.
    "You're creeping me out."
  8340. 8340.
    >"I'M CREEPY, RIGHT?"
  8341. 8341.
    "Right now... yes..."
  8342. 8342.
    >"I smell bad, I'm not pretty, I'm stupid, I'm NOTHING, and I was all a MISTAKE!"
  8343. 8343.
    >Is she having some kind of meltdown?
  8344. 8344.
    >The discomfort building in your gut makes it clear that you're not equipped to deal with this
  8345. 8345.
    >Her rolling picks up in speed
  8346. 8346.
    >The chair has officially tipped over
  8347. 8347.
    >Aria's shirt rides up her stomach, and her hair is a wild mess
  8348. 8348.
    >"HIT! ME! IDIOT! GIVE ME A REASON! HIT! ME! HIT! MEE!"
  8349. 8349.
    >She comes to a sudden stop against your raised foot
  8350. 8350.
    >Her face is so scrunched up that you can't even tell if her eyes are closed
  8351. 8351.
    "I'm not going to hit you."
  8352. 8352.
    >"Right. Fuckin' coward..."
  8353. 8353.
    "Aria."
  8354. 8354.
    >"H-Huh?"
  8355. 8355.
    "I think punishment is over."
  8356. 8356.
    >"Whatever. Gonna be thirty seconds long every night or what?"
  8357. 8357.
    "No, I mean, I think punishment is over... forever."
  8358. 8358.
    ___
  8359. 8359.
    >She's been standing against the kitchen table for a few minutes now
  8360. 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. 8361.
    >You lean over and try and gauge her mood, but her face is...
  8362. 8362.
    >Blank
  8363. 8363.
    "What do you think of sleeping in here?"
  8364. 8364.
    >"The kitchen...?"
  8365. 8365.
    "Yeah. For now, anyway."
  8366. 8366.
    >"...for now?"
  8367. 8367.
    >You nod and tap on the table
  8368. 8368.
    "Yeah. For now."
  8369. 8369.
    >She shrugs her shoulders as slowly as a person possibly could
  8370. 8370.
    "Hmm. Alright. I'm going to get a pillow and a blanket or something, I guess."
  8371. 8371.
    >"Uh-huh..."
  8372. 8372.
    >You take a step past her, and her bound hands come flying into your chest
  8373. 8373.
    >"Wait."
  8374. 8374.
    "What?"
  8375. 8375.
    >"Uh... I... uhhh... I, I need to go to the bathroom."
  8376. 8376.
    >A loud, dramatic stinger plays on the TV in the living room
  8377. 8377.
    >She doesn't find it nearly as amusing as you do
  8378. 8378.
    "Ha... what, were you lying before?"
  8379. 8379.
    >"No. Just wanted to talk to you."
  8380. 8380.
    "Oh?"
  8381. 8381.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and make your way into your bedroom
  8382. 8382.
    "Are you feeling better now?"
  8383. 8383.
    >"Uh-huh..."
  8384. 8384.
    "Are you lying?"
  8385. 8385.
    >"Uh-h-nno..."
  8386. 8386.
    "Hmmm."
  8387. 8387.
    >After getting the ropes off of her, you gesture toward the bathroom
  8388. 8388.
    >She drags her feet on the way in
  8389. 8389.
    >As if watching that freakout wasn't a big enough guilt trip...
  8390. 8390.
    >"What are you doing? Are you not going to come in?"
  8391. 8391.
    "I told you. We're not doing punishment anymore."
  8392. 8392.
    >She shrugs her shoulders again, leans against the door frame and rubs her wrists
  8393. 8393.
    >"Are you really going to give up? Kinda makes you a quitter, huh?"
  8394. 8394.
    "Aria. Go to the bathroom."
  8395. 8395.
    >"Anyway, there's no paper on the roll. I don't know how to put more on there, so."
  8396. 8396.
    "What? There should be some."
  8397. 8397.
    >"I just saw it, dude."
  8398. 8398.
    >She steps in and points
  8399. 8399.
    >Did Sonata play with the-
  8400. 8400.
    >No, come on
  8401. 8401.
    >She's not a puppy
  8402. 8402.
    "Okay. I'll show you how to put more on. Pay attention, okay?"
  8403. 8403.
    >Once inside, you reach down for the cabinet, but stop yourself
  8404. 8404.
    "Aria. There's definitely still paper on-"
  8405. 8405.
    >In an instant, you're staring at the clean, white ceiling
  8406. 8406.
    >One rim of the bathtub slams into the top of your head, and the other jabs into your back
  8407. 8407.
    >You hear a gasp, a few stomps and a slam
  8408. 8408.
    "What. The fuck..."
  8409. 8409.
    >As you sit up, you notice a jingling of the door knob that is impossibly far away
  8410. 8410.
    >And when stand you nearly fall
  8411. 8411.
    "Holy shit."
  8412. 8412.
    >You take a moment
  8413. 8413.
    >Breathing slowly and waiting...
  8414. 8414.
    >The dizziness starts to fade
  8415. 8415.
    >The throbbing pain, however, intensifies
  8416. 8416.
    "Aria..."
  8417. 8417.
    >Sliding your hand on the wall helps keep your balance to the door
  8418. 8418.
    >The knob won't budge
  8419. 8419.
    >Not one bit
  8420. 8420.
    "Aria. Aria!"
  8421. 8421.
    >She's not there, is she?
  8422. 8422.
    >Yeah
  8423. 8423.
    >She's gone
  8424. 8424.
    >You flip the lock both ways a few times, and obviously it makes no difference
  8425. 8425.
    >Looks like you taught her a new trick
  8426. 8426.
    "S-"
  8427. 8427.
    >You ball your fist, and hit the door a few times
  8428. 8428.
    "SONATA!"
  8429. 8429.
    >And then you wait
  8430. 8430.
    >You repeat this, two more times
  8431. 8431.
    >Nothing
  8432. 8432.
    "SONATA!"
  8433. 8433.
    >Probably asleep
  8434. 8434.
    >Or distracted by the TV?
  8435. 8435.
    "SO... NAATA...aaaa."
  8436. 8436.
    >The knob turns, and the door opens up slowly
  8437. 8437.
    >On the other side is a terrified Sonata holding a chair up to her chest
  8438. 8438.
    >"Anon! What happened!?"
  8439. 8439.
    >The chair tumbles to the floor
  8440. 8440.
    >She puts a hand on your shoulder and gets as far up on her tiptoes as she can
  8441. 8441.
    >"Are you hurt?"
  8442. 8442.
    "Did you see Aria?"
  8443. 8443.
    >"Uhh. I."
  8444. 8444.
    >Feeling your balance fully return, you let go of the wall and walk through your bedroom
  8445. 8445.
    >The living room's empty
  8446. 8446.
    >"I heard the front door slam, and I woke up. I thought it was you."
  8447. 8447.
    >So, she really did it
  8448. 8448.
    "I didn't think she had it in her."
  8449. 8449.
    >"Anon! Why are you rubbing your head? What happened?"
  8450. 8450.
    "I fell. It's nothing. Come on."
  8451. 8451.
    >You open a nearby drawer and take a flashlight
  8452. 8452.
    "There's another behind the TV. Go get it, okay?"
  8453. 8453.
    >"Wait. Is Aria outside?!"
  8454. 8454.
    >You dash through the living room
  8455. 8455.
    >The doormat slides under your feet
  8456. 8456.
    >If you hadn't grabbed the knob you'd be on the floor
  8457. 8457.
    "Yeesh."
  8458. 8458.
    >The chilly night air hits you
  8459. 8459.
    >No time to get a jacket
  8460. 8460.
    >You flip the flashlight's switch
  8461. 8461.
    >Nothing
  8462. 8462.
    "Seriously?"
  8463. 8463.
    >You raise it up and slap its back end into the palm of your hand, over and over
  8464. 8464.
    >"Are y-you mad, Anon?"
  8465. 8465.
    "No, this is how you get it to work."
  8466. 8466.
    >"I didn't have to do that. Look!"
  8467. 8467.
    >Bright light invades your eyes
  8468. 8468.
    "SONATA."
  8469. 8469.
    >Should have grabbed that one to begin with
  8470. 8470.
    >You spin around and groan
  8471. 8471.
    >This piece of shit never works when you need it to
  8472. 8472.
    >"See? Just flip the switch Anon."
  8473. 8473.
    "I have to do this!"
  8474. 8474.
    >"You don't! Watch!"
  8475. 8475.
    >She circles around you and points hers into your eyes as she flips it on and off
  8476. 8476.
    "SONATA!"
  8477. 8477.
    >"What!?"
  8478. 8478.
    >Fuck it
  8479. 8479.
    >You get to just beyond the hedges, wind up, and pitch the dollar store flashlight into the trees
  8480. 8480.
    >Leaves shake and branches shift before you hear a quiet thud in the distance
  8481. 8481.
    >"Why did you do that? I told you how to turn it on."
  8482. 8482.
    >You reach for her flashlight and she raises it up above her head
  8483. 8483.
    >"You threw yours away! I'm not giving you mine!"
  8484. 8484.
    "They're both mi- oh man. Just follow me and point it around!"
  8485. 8485.
    >She gasps, seeing you take off into the dark
  8486. 8486.
    >You stop just before the first row of trees and point down the dirt road
  8487. 8487.
    "Shine it this way! Quick!"
  8488. 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. 8489.
    >The light reaches far down the road and shows you nothing but dirt with trees on either side
  8490. 8490.
    "This way too."
  8491. 8491.
    >You turn Sonata around and once again stare down an empty road
  8492. 8492.
    >She couldn't have gotten very far in either direction
  8493. 8493.
    >So unless she's just hid herself in the back yard...
  8494. 8494.
    "Fuuuck."
  8495. 8495.
    >You take Sonata's hand and guide her around the side of the house
  8496. 8496.
    "Aria! You out here?!"
  8497. 8497.
    >Empty
  8498. 8498.
    >In the back yard, Sonata tries to search thoroughly, but is distracted by the empty pool she had yet to see
  8499. 8499.
    >"Arrriiaaaa! Aria out here!?"
  8500. 8500.
    "Shit."
  8501. 8501.
    >The two of you go by the other side of the house as well
  8502. 8502.
    "Okay, we're heading into the woods."
  8503. 8503.
    >"WHAT?! At night time?"
  8504. 8504.
    "She ran through there. We have to go after her."
  8505. 8505.
    >"But!"
  8506. 8506.
    "If you're scared you can stay here."
  8507. 8507.
    >You reach for the flashlight and she pulls it away
  8508. 8508.
    >"No. No, I'll help..."
  8509. 8509.
    "Then hurry up!"
  8510. 8510.
    >You head on
  8511. 8511.
    >She yelps and points the flashlight at your back
  8512. 8512.
    >"Don't leave me behind, Anon!"
  8513. 8513.
    ___
  8514. 8514.
    "Twin-taaaaails!"
  8515. 8515.
    >The echoes are loud and clear
  8516. 8516.
    >After they fade you can hear your own heavy breathing, as well as pants and snapping twigs behind you
  8517. 8517.
    >"Anon!"
  8518. 8518.
    "Hurry!"
  8519. 8519.
    >Sonata groans
  8520. 8520.
    >The hand slapped onto your back tells you she's finally caught up
  8521. 8521.
    >She shines the light all around
  8522. 8522.
    >This far into the woods, it's much easier to see since the trees are spaced apart
  8523. 8523.
    >In fact you're almost to the other side
  8524. 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. 8525.
    >Once she's ended up searching the direction you two came from, you decide to move on
  8526. 8526.
    "Let's go."
  8527. 8527.
    >"Waaait!"
  8528. 8528.
    "Huh?!"
  8529. 8529.
    >You freeze in the middle of a take-off, balancing on one foot
  8530. 8530.
    "If she's not out here hiding, it means crossed the other side and is- Well, she could be anywhere."
  8531. 8531.
    >"I'm... I'm tired."
  8532. 8532.
    >The light zooms across the ground and stops right beside her feet
  8533. 8533.
    >She's resting her hands on her knees and panting a bit too much to be believed
  8534. 8534.
    "I know you're not THAT tired."
  8535. 8535.
    >"What do you mean!?"
  8536. 8536.
    "You're gasping for air harder than when you'd just finished running."
  8537. 8537.
    >"Well I'm still tired!"
  8538. 8538.
    >Now she's straight up whining
  8539. 8539.
    "Do I have to carry you?"
  8540. 8540.
    >You flinch seeing her shadowy figure rush past you
  8541. 8541.
    >Her arms wrap around your neck
  8542. 8542.
    "Whoa."
  8543. 8543.
    >Her thigh presses against your hip
  8544. 8544.
    >"I thought you'd never ask!"
  8545. 8545.
    >Once your hand is supporting her leg, she lifts the other
  8546. 8546.
    >Sonata is heavier than she looks
  8547. 8547.
    >But at least you get two constant handfuls and a hug from behind
  8548. 8548.
    >Plus the light is now guiding you much more consistently
  8549. 8549.
    >The only true annoyance here is that you have to be extra careful about walking straight into branches
  8550. 8550.
    >It takes you a while to reach the other side of the woods
  8551. 8551.
    >Once the trees are behind you and a line of houses stands in front of you, Sonata sighs in relief
  8552. 8552.
    >"I'm never touching another stupid tree again."
  8553. 8553.
    "We're going through there to get home, of course."
  8554. 8554.
    >You smile at her gasp, and point around for her to direct the flash light
  8555. 8555.
    >"She's not here either. This is so annoying. Hey! Look, Anon!"
  8556. 8556.
    >She's pointing it straight into someone's bedroom window
  8557. 8557.
    "Sonata! Don't! That's rude!"
  8558. 8558.
    >She points it into outer space
  8559. 8559.
    >"Oops. Shining it at houses is bad?"
  8560. 8560.
    "Especially into windows. Anyway, yell for Aria. I think she'll panic and give herself away if she hears us."
  8561. 8561.
    >"She's not heeeere!"
  8562. 8562.
    >You roll your eyes
  8563. 8563.
    "Twiiin-taaaaaails!"
  8564. 8564.
    >She's got to be here
  8565. 8565.
    "TWIN-TAAAAAAAILS!"
  8566. 8566.
    >Or at least, you want her to be here
  8567. 8567.
    >You're very familiar with this area and the people who live here
  8568. 8568.
    >But the city is a different story
  8569. 8569.
    >You breathe deep, ready to yell again and are interrupted by someone shouting from a window across the street
  8570. 8570.
    >"Shut the fuck up will you Anonymous?"
  8571. 8571.
    "TWww-fuck off Kent!"
  8572. 8572.
    >"ME fuck off?"
  8573. 8573.
    "What are you doing, recording let's plays?"
  8574. 8574.
    >"You know my mic is broken!"
  8575. 8575.
    "It should stay broken!"
  8576. 8576.
    >"You don't even live on this side! ...Wait, is someone on your back?"
  8577. 8577.
    >He sticks his head out of the window
  8578. 8578.
    >"Whoa! There's a guy on your back, dude!"
  8579. 8579.
    >Sonata's arms tighten up a little and she whispers into your ear
  8580. 8580.
    >"I'm not a guy..."
  8581. 8581.
    >You make your way across the asphalt road, taking note of the houses to your left and right
  8582. 8582.
    >Everybody's probably asleep at this time of night
  8583. 8583.
    >Embarrassment sets in
  8584. 8584.
    "She's not a guy. You hurt her feelings."
  8585. 8585.
    >"Whoooa! Where did you find a chick?! Did you kidnap her or something?"
  8586. 8586.
    "Er."
  8587. 8587.
    >"Wh-why are you yelling at each other Anon? Are you enemies?"
  8588. 8588.
    >"...What's she saying? Anonymous, what's she saying man? Don't keep me in the dark."
  8589. 8589.
    >Kent backs away and you peer into his window
  8590. 8590.
    >It's as though a garbage bag blew up in his living room. That, and a clothes hamper
  8591. 8591.
    >Cup of noodles are stacked on about every flat surface in sight as well
  8592. 8592.
    >His computer desk is positioned right beside this window
  8593. 8593.
    >With how well sound travels out here, you've got to ask
  8594. 8594.
    "Hey, we're looking for a friend. If you can help we'd really appreciate it."
  8595. 8595.
    >"Oooh! Of course I'll help!"
  8596. 8596.
    >His voice goes a bit higher and adopts touch of try-hard
  8597. 8597.
    "Yeah, because it's for a girl, right?"
  8598. 8598.
    >"I'd help anyone in need. But especially pretty women. Like yourself, miss."
  8599. 8599.
    >"Hee hee. Hee."
  8600. 8600.
    "...We followed the path through, and she probably did too. Did you see or hear anything before we showed up?"
  8601. 8601.
    >He taps his chin for far too long before making an exaggerated "ah-ha" gesture
  8602. 8602.
    >"That I did!"
  8603. 8603.
    "Well tell us."
  8604. 8604.
    >"I delightfully agree to that earnest request."
  8605. 8605.
    >He bows
  8606. 8606.
    >"But first, one request of my own?"
  8607. 8607.
    "Huh?"
  8608. 8608.
    >"The name of the maiden on your back."
  8609. 8609.
    >Is he fucking serious?
  8610. 8610.
    >You open your mouth to give him a straight answer, but is it a bad idea?
  8611. 8611.
    >Even if he has no connection to the school since his graduation, will it bite you on the ass?
  8612. 8612.
    >In fact maybe him seeing her at all was a mistake
  8613. 8613.
    "For fuck's sake. Kent. No time for this..."
  8614. 8614.
    >"Hmmmmmmmmmmm?"
  8615. 8615.
    >Every 'mmm' brings his beady eyes, ear-to-ear smile and raised eyebrows closer to the girl clinging to you from behind
  8616. 8616.
    >"Surely it can wait long enough to say a name?"
  8617. 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. 8618.
    >"Distress?"
  8619. 8619.
    "She's. Uh... she's..."
  8620. 8620.
    >Your legs feel a bit weak
  8621. 8621.
    "...really upset. She got put through a lot recently. A... a lot. I've never seen someone so upset."
  8622. 8622.
    >"Hold it, hold it, excuse me! Please, pardon."
  8623. 8623.
    >This fucking guy
  8624. 8624.
    >"You're going to have to back that up with a short explanation, because I'm lost."
  8625. 8625.
    "Are you... fucking with me?"
  8626. 8626.
    >You bounce Sonata up to get a better grip on her legs, then kick the dirt
  8627. 8627.
    "She's VERY UPSET, because someone put her through a bunch of shit. For weeks. That's ALL you need to know!"
  8628. 8628.
    >Sonata's arms tighten a bit more, and Kent raises his
  8629. 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. 8630.
    >You hold your breath for a little while, staring him down
  8631. 8631.
    "It'd take too long to explain. Just tell us."
  8632. 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. 8633.
    "It's BELLA! Holy SHIT! What's wrong with you?!"
  8634. 8634.
    >You're so shaken up that you have to bounce Sonata again
  8635. 8635.
    >Drop her and she'll probably complain about it for days
  8636. 8636.
    >Kent rubs his fuzzy chin and hums
  8637. 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. 8638.
    >That doesn't really tell you anything you didn't assume, but for some reason it makes you feel better
  8639. 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. 8640.
    "Wait. Are you making this up? You said you thought it was a dog."
  8641. 8641.
    >"I did."
  8642. 8642.
    "If you heard foot steps, surely you could tell it was a person. The weight difference, running on two legs-"
  8643. 8643.
    >"Look, when I play video games, I aim to fully immerse myself. Minute worldly details are distractions I do my best to-"
  8644. 8644.
    "Okay, tell me if you're ABSOLUTELY sure she ran..."
  8645. 8645.
    >You cock your head to his left; your right
  8646. 8646.
    "...this way. It's really important."
  8647. 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. 8648.
    >Eyeing Kent down doesn't reveal any suspicious nervous ticks, and your Magatama doesn't go off
  8649. 8649.
    >He's just acting weird because of Sonata
  8650. 8650.
    >You carry her over to the road
  8651. 8651.
    "So she's in the city."
  8652. 8652.
    >"Well yes, that would be a reasonable deduction, to be certain. I bet you can see street lights from where you stand!"
  8653. 8653.
    "Yeah. Barely, but yeah."
  8654. 8654.
    >Aria, running around in the city after that breakdown
  8655. 8655.
    >There are no good ways for that to end
  8656. 8656.
    "Alright. Thanks Kent."
  8657. 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. 8658.
    >She tightens her arms even more
  8659. 8659.
    "That's... okay, Kent. She wants to help search, so."
  8660. 8660.
    >"Well then I could come wi-"
  8661. 8661.
    "We're really in a rush, so!"
  8662. 8662.
    >Sonata bounces on your back as you walk energetically across the road
  8663. 8663.
    >"I'm ready right now! No time loss!"
  8664. 8664.
    >Unconsciously, you speed up
  8665. 8665.
    >"Anonymous! Bella! I'm serious! I can climb through the window!"
  8666. 8666.
    >And now your speeding up is extremely conscious
  8667. 8667.
    >Soon you're hidden by several rows of trees
  8668. 8668.
    "Sonata, press your face into my neck or something. I'm gonna run straight through."
  8669. 8669.
    ___
  8670. 8670.
    >She's fallen onto the couch before you even walk through the wide open front door
  8671. 8671.
    >"Ahhhh. This is where I belong. I've been through so, so much."
  8672. 8672.
    "Oh yeah, carrying a flashlight and walking through the woods I played in as a kid... I feel for you."
  8673. 8673.
    >"Well, I wasn't prepared."
  8674. 8674.
    "Plus I carried you on the return trip."
  8675. 8675.
    >While laying on her back, she tries to stick her nose up at you
  8676. 8676.
    >The top of her head rubs into the couch arm
  8677. 8677.
    >"Hmph!"
  8678. 8678.
    >After taking the flashlight from the floor beside her, you head around
  8679. 8679.
    "I'm going to talk to Cousin Itt and then head out."
  8680. 8680.
    >"Wait!"
  8681. 8681.
    >She pops up
  8682. 8682.
    >"Do you mean Dagi?"
  8683. 8683.
    "Yeah. I need to ask her where Aria might be."
  8684. 8684.
    >"Uh, don't you think that's a bad idea? She might think that you're a bad leader, you know?"
  8685. 8685.
    >Immediately, you think, 'I don't care anymore'
  8686. 8686.
    >Yet you can't deny that the thought of losing any ounce of Adagio's respect you may have is frustrating
  8687. 8687.
    >"You definitely shouldn't talk to her. Besides, I know where she might be."
  8688. 8688.
    "What!? Why didn't you tell me?"
  8689. 8689.
    >She grips the back of the couch
  8690. 8690.
    >"Because! I was taken into a nightmare of darkness, stupid trees and Kent!"
  8691. 8691.
    >A light bulb shines above her head
  8692. 8692.
    >"Oh! I wanted to know. Who was that guy?"
  8693. 8693.
    >You groan
  8694. 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. 8695.
    >"Oh. Well..."
  8696. 8696.
    >She smiles
  8697. 8697.
    >Almost mischievously
  8698. 8698.
    >"I'm not used to being the one who gets to say the obvious thing and embarrass the other person."
  8699. 8699.
    "Sonataaaa."
  8700. 8700.
    >"Okay, okay. She's probably at the school. We stayed there like, all the time."
  8701. 8701.
    "Oh?!"
  8702. 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. 8703.
    ___
  8704. 8704.
    >Canterlot High's parking lot was empty when you pulled in
  8705. 8705.
    >Still, you close your car's door very slowly
  8706. 8706.
    >It's difficult to escape the feeling that you're about to get lectured for trespassing, even on break
  8707. 8707.
    >The entire walk down the path you can only think of Aria
  8708. 8708.
    >Rolling around the floor like a lunatic...
  8709. 8709.
    "Oh."
  8710. 8710.
    >The door has been left cracked
  8711. 8711.
    >Sonata's going to get Taco Bell for being so right
  8712. 8712.
    "Twin-tails?"
  8713. 8713.
    >You push it open and start down the hallway
  8714. 8714.
    >The rows of green lockers at your sides go from barely visible to glowing in moonlight as you pass each window
  8715. 8715.
    "Twin-tails?"
  8716. 8716.
    >Bringing the flashlight only to leave it in the car?
  8717. 8717.
    >Not your smartest move
  8718. 8718.
    "Twiiin-taaaails!"
  8719. 8719.
    >You turn the corner, pass a trophy case, and start down a familiar hallway
  8720. 8720.
    >Even in this darkness you can spot your locker
  8721. 8721.
    "See you soon, you son of a bitch."
  8722. 8722.
    >A few good pats after that mumble, and you continue on
  8723. 8723.
    "Twin-tails! You're here, right?"
  8724. 8724.
    >Math room is clear
  8725. 8725.
    >As is science
  8726. 8726.
    "If you can hear me, please, talk to me!"
  8727. 8727.
    >Literature is empty
  8728. 8728.
    >Business is dead
  8729. 8729.
    >It seemed like a good bet that she'd be in the music room
  8730. 8730.
    "Twin-taa-nope."
  8731. 8731.
    >Sonata's definitely right. There's a couple of beds in the nurse's office after all
  8732. 8732.
    >You've only ever had to see the nurse once
  8733. 8733.
    >Tripped over your own backpack and hit your head on a garbage can
  8734. 8734.
    >No one even saw it, but you cringe as you walk anyway
  8735. 8735.
    "Alright. I know you're in there."
  8736. 8736.
    >You fling the door open and step inside
  8737. 8737.
    >It's a lot easier to see in here thanks to the rather large window
  8738. 8738.
    >An eye chart, medicine cabinet, empty pill bottles, drawers, and two large privacy curtains - only one of them covering a bed
  8739. 8739.
    >This is it
  8740. 8740.
    "Okay. I'm going to approach the bed."
  8741. 8741.
    >Your voice is practically a whisper and your footsteps are cautious
  8742. 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. 8743.
    >You grip the edge of the curtain and hold out a hand, ready to catch a potential punch or kick
  8744. 8744.
    "...I don't know why I'm so nervous."
  8745. 8745.
    >Silence
  8746. 8746.
    "Probably because I've been hit in the balls and on the head in one day."
  8747. 8747.
    >If she's there, she's not going to respond
  8748. 8748.
    >Might as well just do it
  8749. 8749.
    >You pull the thing open and enter a defensive Karate stance you invented on the spot
  8750. 8750.
    "Ah-HAAAaaa..."
  8751. 8751.
    >Well
  8752. 8752.
    >There's still other class rooms to check
  8753. 8753.
    >All you've found here is a mattress and a rather stiff looking pillow
  8754. 8754.
    >Probably the most uncomfortable one you've seen in your life
  8755. 8755.
    >Doesn't even have a case
  8756. 8756.
    >And yet
  8757. 8757.
    >It's attractive after running through the woods, then running straight back with a girl hanging off of you
  8758. 8758.
    "Ahhh."
  8759. 8759.
    >Your face mashes into the pillow and the rest of your body slides onto the mattress
  8760. 8760.
    >Not too bad
  8761. 8761.
    >...
  8762. 8762.
    >Nah, it's terrible
  8763. 8763.
    >Sort of smells like bile
  8764. 8764.
    "Oh god."
  8765. 8765.
    >"Anonymous."
  8766. 8766.
    "OH GOD!"
  8767. 8767.
    >You push yourself up off the bed, wide-eyed
  8768. 8768.
    >After a bit straining you make out the figure of a girl with crossed arms and a low-hanging head
  8769. 8769.
    >"What are you doing."
  8770. 8770.
    "I'm-"
  8771. 8771.
    >Sitting up and crossing your arms like a cool guy will surely remove your little scare from her memory, right?
  8772. 8772.
    "I came here to..."
  8773. 8773.
    >You sit in silence for a while, and then she walks straight out of the room
  8774. 8774.
    "Twilight?"
  8775. 8775.
    >Down the hall and to the right, you follow her into another office
  8776. 8776.
    >The principle's
  8777. 8777.
    "Have you been here since this afternoon?"
  8778. 8778.
    >She walks very slowly, dragging her fingers along the wall until her hand reaches the edge of Celestia's book case
  8779. 8779.
    >It's mostly empty
  8780. 8780.
    >You look around the room, and sure enough...
  8781. 8781.
    "What are you doing? Why did you throw all of her stuff into the floor?"
  8782. 8782.
    >"Because..."
  8783. 8783.
    >Twilight sinks down onto her knees and pulls one of the few books remaining on the bottom shelf up to her face
  8784. 8784.
    >There's a window on the other side of the room she could take advantage of
  8785. 8785.
    >But she just sits there in the dark little corner, squinting
  8786. 8786.
    "Twilight, what the hell is going on? And why are you reading in the dark?"
  8787. 8787.
    >"Light won't turn on."
  8788. 8788.
    >She opens up to the first page, and skips a few into what you guess would be the table of contents
  8789. 8789.
    "I asked you: have you been here since this afternoon?"
  8790. 8790.
    >She lingers, pinches around for the corner a while and as she turns the page, nods her head
  8791. 8791.
    "Do you know what time it is?"
  8792. 8792.
    >"...Night."
  8793. 8793.
    "Yeah. It's so late that it's actually morning."
  8794. 8794.
    >"Hm."
  8795. 8795.
    "You've just been searching here, this entire time?"
  8796. 8796.
    >She doesn't respond
  8797. 8797.
    >Feeling impatient and anxious, you repeat her name a couple times
  8798. 8798.
    >She lowers the book and sighs
  8799. 8799.
    >"Yes, I have."
  8800. 8800.
    "That's..."
  8801. 8801.
    >"What? What is it, Anonymous? Crazy?"
  8802. 8802.
    "Yeah, kind of."
  8803. 8803.
    >She shakes her head, very slowly and consistently
  8804. 8804.
    >"No, no no. It's really not."
  8805. 8805.
    "Twilight..."
  8806. 8806.
    >"It's not crazy. It's my duty."
  8807. 8807.
    >The pile of Celestia's property extends around the edge of the desk and almost surrounds Twilight, so you walk around
  8808. 8808.
    >Sitting behind her and the pile, you notice a large bag stuffed into a swivel chair
  8809. 8809.
    >There aren't just books inside
  8810. 8810.
    >Rulers, a globe, binders, shoes, papers, some magnets and much more are packed in
  8811. 8811.
    "Okay. Seriously. Why did you throw everything in the floor, and why did you stuff a bunch of crap in a bag?"
  8812. 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. 8813.
    >The hostility in her voice is more than you thought she was capable of
  8814. 8814.
    "I..."
  8815. 8815.
    >So she's looking for books written by Equestrians?
  8816. 8816.
    >Maybe one written by the girls?
  8817. 8817.
    >Twilight's not wrong. Your first instinct is to reassure her that she doesn't need to worry
  8818. 8818.
    "I won't say that. You're right. I don't really understand."
  8819. 8819.
    >The book snaps shut and drops into the pile
  8820. 8820.
    >"Well. How about that."
  8821. 8821.
    "...What's up with the bag?"
  8822. 8822.
    >"The gym bag?"
  8823. 8823.
    "Yeah."
  8824. 8824.
    >Another book leaves the shelf
  8825. 8825.
    >Soon it too is discarded
  8826. 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. 8827.
    "Twilight. That's called stealing."
  8828. 8828.
    >"Stealing? What!?"
  8829. 8829.
    >She turns to face you and stands up
  8830. 8830.
    >It'd be intimidating if she hadn't nearly lost her balance
  8831. 8831.
    >"I am NOT a THIEF, Anonymous!"
  8832. 8832.
    "I know!"
  8833. 8833.
    >"How dare you call me a thief!?"
  8834. 8834.
    "I didn't. I mean, what you're doing is stealing, but-"
  8835. 8835.
    >"It's NOT!"
  8836. 8836.
    >She steps forward, accidentally knocking some books over
  8837. 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. 8838.
    >Her cracking voice echoes through this section of the empty school
  8839. 8839.
    >She falls backwards
  8840. 8840.
    >The book case slams into the wall, and she slides down to the floor
  8841. 8841.
    >Watching a second breakdown tonight is something you'd really like to avoid
  8842. 8842.
    "I get it. It's not stealing. You're investigating. Like a detective."
  8843. 8843.
    >No response
  8844. 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. 8845.
    >Run through the motions of why she believes this world is in grave danger?
  8846. 8846.
    >Brilliant suggestion
  8847. 8847.
    >You go to take it back, but she cuts you off
  8848. 8848.
    >"I'm supposed to be careful with what information I share with humans."
  8849. 8849.
    "Oh."
  8850. 8850.
    >"But I don't think it really matters anymore. Ha... if you'll actually listen to me, I'll tell you."
  8851. 8851.
    >While Twilight explains, she slowly stacks the scattered books into nice, even piles by the wall
  8852. 8852.
    >"First, remember what you said you overheard outside the art room. Those girls arguing, discussing some kind of plot."
  8853. 8853.
    "Yeah. They were pretty vague."
  8854. 8854.
    >"You said that you heard one say, 'The humans won't know what hit them'."
  8855. 8855.
    >That was Adagio
  8856. 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. 8857.
    >It really weirds you out, so you do your best to avoid thinking of Twilight being anything other than a young woman
  8858. 8858.
    >"To say 'won't know what hit them' is decidedly hostile. It suggests a sneak attack, meaning they are likely preparing."
  8859. 8859.
    >You just nod your head and watch the books stack higher
  8860. 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. 8861.
    >Fighting the urge to clarify these points to Twilight is a challenge
  8862. 8862.
    >Especially since you realize that you don't know the answers to all of them
  8863. 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. 8864.
    "What is the scary part?"
  8865. 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. 8866.
    "That's... that seems so-"
  8867. 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. 8868.
    "I-"
  8869. 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. 8870.
    >She sets the final book down on the final stack
  8871. 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. 8872.
    >On that note, she stops
  8873. 8873.
    >You sit in the darkness with racing thoughts
  8874. 8874.
    >About the sirens
  8875. 8875.
    >About resting your head on Sonata's chest
  8876. 8876.
    >And Aria scrunching up her face to hide her emotions
  8877. 8877.
    >Adagio's still a bit of a mystery, but regardless: are those girls capable of what Twilight just described?
  8878. 8878.
    >Given the chance, would they commit murder?
  8879. 8879.
    >You rub the spot on the top of your head that's still glowing with dull pain
  8880. 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. 8881.
    >Twilight takes her time placing the books back on the shelf
  8882. 8882.
    >Maybe she's bothering to return them to their original order
  8883. 8883.
    >Or maybe she's just exhausted
  8884. 8884.
    >In any case you're staring at her back when you remember your failed plan from earlier
  8885. 8885.
    "...Would it be possible to put magic into an object, and use it later?"
  8886. 8886.
    >"Huh?"
  8887. 8887.
    >You rub your hand over the lump in your left pocket
  8888. 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. 8889.
    >"Absolutely. Why do you ask?"
  8890. 8890.
    "The girls. Do you remember their necklaces? They all wore necklaces that looked alike."
  8891. 8891.
    >"Oh. Yes, I do remember. That's a possibility."
  8892. 8892.
    "Have you found anything like that?"
  8893. 8893.
    >She pauses, holding a book in the air
  8894. 8894.
    >"I wish I had. But no."
  8895. 8895.
    "Ah."
  8896. 8896.
    >She goes back to it
  8897. 8897.
    >You're not sure if this will ease Twilight's suffering or not
  8898. 8898.
    >But you have to try something
  8899. 8899.
    >Quickly, you slip a hand into your pocket and take its contents
  8900. 8900.
    >As quietly as you can, you stuff your fist into the bag and leave the necklace at the bottom
  8901. 8901.
    "Well, I'm not sure what to say, Twilight. Other than..."
  8902. 8902.
    >Your knees go weak once again
  8903. 8903.
    >"Hm?"
  8904. 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. 8905.
    >"That's not- ...I mean. Uh."
  8906. 8906.
    >She turns around
  8907. 8907.
    >You can't quite make out her face, but your gut tells you she's smiling
  8908. 8908.
    >"Well, I'm sorry too."
  8909. 8909.
    >Without any hesitation she kneels down in front of you and pulls open Celestia's desk drawer
  8910. 8910.
    >Folders and stacks of paper pile up on the desk top
  8911. 8911.
    >This feels shady
  8912. 8912.
    >"Anonymous? Why were you calling me twin-tails?"
  8913. 8913.
    >Oh fuck
  8914. 8914.
    "It's. Um. Slang for a lost person. Or someone who you just happen to be looking for."
  8915. 8915.
    >"Ah, I see."
  8916. 8916.
    "I guess I'm going to head out. I don't think I can really help with your investigation."
  8917. 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. 8918.
    "No. I came here on my own, out of curiosity."
  8919. 8919.
    >"Oh. Okay."
  8920. 8920.
    "Are you going to need a ride or anything?"
  8921. 8921.
    >"I can manage. I'll contact Rarity when she's awake."
  8922. 8922.
    >You stop by the door and frown
  8923. 8923.
    >She's still pulling things up to her face and squinting
  8924. 8924.
    >Mere feet from the moonlight
  8925. 8925.
    "Uh. Hold on, I'll lend you my flashlight. I'll be right back."
  8926. 8926.
    ___
  8927. 8927.
    >"Ahhh, lahhh, la, la, la, la laaaah, laaah, laaaah, laaah!"
  8928. 8928.
    >She stands confidently behind the coffee table
  8929. 8929.
    >From where you sit, her voice is mostly drowned out by an orchestra blasting beside your head
  8930. 8930.
    >You're snuggled up to your laptop
  8931. 8931.
    >Normally you wouldn't be so selfish in a session
  8932. 8932.
    >She'll probably understand, since you've been out until sunrise
  8933. 8933.
    >Her arms move with her as the music builds itself up
  8934. 8934.
    >On the high notes, she gets on her tiptoes
  8935. 8935.
    >You smile and shut your eyes
  8936. 8936.
    >She may frequently drift off-key and time some notes wrong but damn it, she's really trying
  8937. 8937.
    >Compared to the first session you'd say she's improved at least a bit
  8938. 8938.
    >But you're no music teacher...
  8939. 8939.
    >And probably aren't capable of giving her the voice she wants
  8940. 8940.
    >Especially since her goals are unclear. You never heard her sing with her neckla-
  8941. 8941.
    "Ugh."
  8942. 8942.
    >Like a foot jammed right up your mood's ass
  8943. 8943.
    >Thoughts come flooding into your head, about the sirens, Twilight, and Equestria
  8944. 8944.
    >If only you could... sleep
  8945. 8945.
    >Yeah... sleep...
  8946. 8946.
    >With a deep breath held in your lungs you settle into your arm
  8947. 8947.
    >A few seconds later, you sigh
  8948. 8948.
    >This is the answer
  8949. 8949.
    >You can't be anxious if you're asleep
  8950. 8950.
    >Unless you have a nightmare
  8951. 8951.
    >About horrendous murder using a force you can't begin to comprehend, for example
  8952. 8952.
    >...
  8953. 8953.
    >You raise your head as the triumphant song comes to a close
  8954. 8954.
    >Sonata's enthusiasm has been curbed
  8955. 8955.
    >Her arms cross, her feet stay still
  8956. 8956.
    >With frustration on her face she stares into your eyes and sings the final notes
  8957. 8957.
    "Uhhh. I'm sorry."
  8958. 8958.
    >"Yeah."
  8959. 8959.
    "I just shut my eyes for a second."
  8960. 8960.
    >"Mmmmm-hm."
  8961. 8961.
    "...Come on. You're not mad, are you?"
  8962. 8962.
    >"Oh, no, no."
  8963. 8963.
    >She taps her foot and stares off toward the kitchen
  8964. 8964.
    >"My boyfriend just doesn't even want to hear me sing is all, why would I be mad?"
  8965. 8965.
    "I do. I want to help you get better."
  8966. 8966.
    >"Yeah."
  8967. 8967.
    >Uh oh
  8968. 8968.
    >Her foot tapping speed has almost doubled
  8969. 8969.
    "Honey. I'm just exhausted from looking for Aria all night."
  8970. 8970.
    >Her shoulders sink and her jaw drops
  8971. 8971.
    >"Do-don-that's cheating!"
  8972. 8972.
    >There's almost no sound from her feeble little foot stamp
  8973. 8973.
    >"You can't just make me un-mad by calling me that!"
  8974. 8974.
    "It's not my fault you're so sensitive to a word, honey."
  8975. 8975.
    >"Stop!"
  8976. 8976.
    "Or what... honey?"
  8977. 8977.
    >"Stop stop stop! This is serious!"
  8978. 8978.
    >For unclear reasons, Sonata climbs onto the coffee table
  8979. 8979.
    >You reach over and hold the laptop after it's grazed by her foot
  8980. 8980.
    >Then she sits up on her knees
  8981. 8981.
    >"I think we need to have a talk about last night."
  8982. 8982.
    "What about it?"
  8983. 8983.
    >"You're just a bit too worried about seeing Aria again."
  8984. 8984.
    >Is she... serious?
  8985. 8985.
    "Are you... serious?"
  8986. 8986.
    >"What do you mean?"
  8987. 8987.
    "I want to see Aria because she disappeared, not because I like her more or something."
  8988. 8988.
    >"Oh, so you like her?"
  8989. 8989.
    "What?!"
  8990. 8990.
    >"You like her, at least a little?"
  8991. 8991.
    "...Yes?"
  8992. 8992.
    >She raises one eyebrow at a time to give emphasis to the world's slowest eye roll
  8993. 8993.
    >"Okay then."
  8994. 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. 8995.
    >"Don't change the subject to scary stuff! This is about how much you like Aria!"
  8996. 8996.
    "I just... want t-"
  8997. 8997.
    >"To see her naked again?"
  8998. 8998.
    "Oh geez."
  8999. 8999.
    >You rest your back against a couch cushion
  9000. 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. 9001.
    "You of all people should understand a person's need to sleep, you know? Waking you up is nearly impossible."
  9002. 9002.
    >"Fine. Let's sleep."
  9003. 9003.
    "Didn't you, last night?"
  9004. 9004.
    >"Well you can sleep on top of me."
  9005. 9005.
    >She nods her head
  9006. 9006.
    >"You can't think of Aria with my boobs in your face."
  9007. 9007.
    >A devious smile appears
  9008. 9008.
    >"Aria's are really small."
  9009. 9009.
    "I noticed."
  9010. 9010.
    >Your eyes snap to Sonata's chest as she rests her hands on the sides
  9011. 9011.
    >"Just thought I'd mention~"
  9012. 9012.
    >As usual, she felt above wearing a bra today
  9013. 9013.
    "Oh no. They're stealing my thoughts."
  9014. 9014.
    >"Ha!"
  9015. 9015.
    "Do Adagio's give memories back?"
  9016. 9016.
    >"Ha- ...ha... ha..."
  9017. 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. 9018.
    >Sonata slides her hands off of herself and hangs them in the air
  9019. 9019.
    >"...Heh."
  9020. 9020.
    >After glancing away for a moment, she brings them down awkwardly into the table
  9021. 9021.
    >There's that behavior again
  9022. 9022.
    >Because you mentioned living together, forever?
  9023. 9023.
    "Something wrong?"
  9024. 9024.
    >"Huh?"
  9025. 9025.
    "You seem uncomfortable."
  9026. 9026.
    >"Well, I'm on a table..."
  9027. 9027.
    "I mean that you look socially uncomfortable."
  9028. 9028.
    >Her raised eyebrows and complete silence cue your explanation
  9029. 9029.
    "How should I say this... remember when Kent was hitting on you?"
  9030. 9030.
    >"Ohhhh! I don't feel like that at all, Anon."
  9031. 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. 9032.
    "Sonata-"
  9033. 9033.
    >"When I was looking for songs I figured out how to open the beeping website. Can I check it?"
  9034. 9034.
    >Click
  9035. 9035.
    "I don't think that's a good... idea... hey-"
  9036. 9036.
    >"Okay, it looks like you got a message fro-"
  9037. 9037.
    >She goes wide-eyed and covers her mouth
  9038. 9038.
    >You pull yourself up onto the couch, rest the side of your head on your fist and sigh
  9039. 9039.
    >Why not? Might as well get this explanation over with
  9040. 9040.
    >After all, there's no ACTUAL reason for her to be jealous over Twilight
  9041. 9041.
    >"Pu-purpl-purple girl called you d-DARLING."
  9042. 9042.
    "What?!"
  9043. 9043.
    >She spins the laptop around and glares at you, her eyes barely reaching over the screen
  9044. 9044.
    >"D-A-R-L-I-N-G!"
  9045. 9045.
    >Sure enough, Twilight's sent you a message
  9046. 9046.
    >It reads...
  9047. 9047.
    >9:46 AM: We have to talk. Soon. This is very important, darling. Video chat me as soon as you see this.
  9048. 9048.
    "I uh, uhhh."
  9049. 9049.
    >"UhhhHHH?"
  9050. 9050.
    >Sonata presses further into the laptop screen during her sarcastic echo, tilting it
  9051. 9051.
    "Sh-she's just excited."
  9052. 9052.
    >"Oh I bet she's excited, mister."
  9053. 9053.
    "I can explain."
  9054. 9054.
    >Deep breath
  9055. 9055.
    >This is fine
  9056. 9056.
    >Besides, what kind of leader gets intimidated by someone who used to be his slave?
  9057. 9057.
    "Okay. Look, Twilight messages me sometimes. It's always business-type stuff."
  9058. 9058.
    >"D, A, R..."
  9059. 9059.
    "She's investigating you guys, and I'm pretending to help her..."
  9060. 9060.
    >"L, I, N..."
  9061. 9061.
    "...but instead I misdirect her. I gave her a false lead recently, and she's excited over it is all."
  9062. 9062.
    >"G!"
  9063. 9063.
    "Are you even listening!?"
  9064. 9064.
    >She huffs
  9065. 9065.
    >"So when did you give her this lead, huh?"
  9066. 9066.
    "Uh."
  9067. 9067.
    >She turns the laptop back around
  9068. 9068.
    "Whoa whoa!"
  9069. 9069.
    >"I'm just going to say something!"
  9070. 9070.
    >You slide around the table
  9071. 9071.
    >She's hunted down and pecked a single key: "s"
  9072. 9072.
    >With the help of backspace, it's erased
  9073. 9073.
    >"Stop! Just let me say it!"
  9074. 9074.
    "Say what?"
  9075. 9075.
    >Each time she jabs the s key you quickly clear it
  9076. 9076.
    >"Stop it, Anon!"
  9077. 9077.
    "Just tell me what you're trying to type!"
  9078. 9078.
    >"Ugh. Forget it!"
  9079. 9079.
    >She throws up her arms and falls backwards into the carpet
  9080. 9080.
    >"Why don't you ask her to marry you?"
  9081. 9081.
    >Too tired for this
  9082. 9082.
    >Hopefully Twilight didn't see a sporadic "Anonymous is typing" message
  9083. 9083.
    "She doesn't really like me..."
  9084. 9084.
    >Sonata silently rolls onto her face
  9085. 9085.
    >Even after that talk, she's still worried about this?
  9086. 9086.
    "Oh boy."
  9087. 9087.
    >Even if she knows she won't be abandoned, seeing other girls as competition is probably just in her nature
  9088. 9088.
    "You're jealous to the core, huh?"
  9089. 9089.
    >"I'm not jealous!"
  9090. 9090.
    "Haha... How about this? I'll prove it to you."
  9091. 9091.
    >She takes her sweet time rolling back over
  9092. 9092.
    >Clearly upset, but intrigued
  9093. 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. 9094.
    >"Call her right now!"
  9095. 9095.
    >She's already up, bouncing and pressing her fists together
  9096. 9096.
    >"I'm gonna settle this!"
  9097. 9097.
    "You dork. I just said you have to be quiet."
  9098. 9098.
    >"Huh?"
  9099. 9099.
    "We can't let her see or hear you, because she can't know you're here."
  9100. 9100.
    >"Oh. Well... okay."
  9101. 9101.
    "I'm gonna repeat that: you can't make any noise. At all. You can only listen."
  9102. 9102.
    >"Okay."
  9103. 9103.
    "If she hears you, it's game over."
  9104. 9104.
    >"Okay."
  9105. 9105.
    "It's seriously a big deal."
  9106. 9106.
    >The more you talk, the more you realize this was a bad idea
  9107. 9107.
    >"Mmm!"
  9108. 9108.
    >Sonata's already on board
  9109. 9109.
    >With her index finger and thumb she's got her lips squeezed shut
  9110. 9110.
    >Out of the corner of your eye you see something shift on the screen
  9111. 9111.
    >A new message:
  9112. 9112.
    >9:48 AM: I know you're there. I can see you typing.
  9113. 9113.
    >Fuck
  9114. 9114.
    "Sonata, I think I know the answer to this, but I want to make sure."
  9115. 9115.
    >"Mmmm?"
  9116. 9116.
    "Do you remem- you can talk for now. Do you remember the lyrics to the first song we practiced?"
  9117. 9117.
    >"Yes! They were about love and looking at people in bars!"
  9118. 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. 9119.
    >She flinches
  9120. 9120.
    >"Why?"
  9121. 9121.
    "Please hurry and do it, okay? Remember to shut the door."
  9122. 9122.
    >She goes on ahead
  9123. 9123.
    >It'll probably be embarrassing to sing in front of Adagio
  9124. 9124.
    >Fuck it though, she's sitting tied up in the floor, not to mention her singing voice probably isn't any better
  9125. 9125.
    >She's got no room to mock anyone
  9126. 9126.
    >You go into your laptop's sound settings and make sure there won't be any complications during the call
  9127. 9127.
    >The desktop PC in your room has a proper mic and camera, but the laptop will do
  9128. 9128.
    "Test?"
  9129. 9129.
    >"Test?"
  9130. 9130.
    >Sounds fine
  9131. 9131.
    >The camera shows up, adjusts its brightness and gets up to a reasonable speed
  9132. 9132.
    "Good, good."
  9133. 9133.
    >When you hear Sonata's singing voice from upstairs you're relieved to find that you barely can
  9134. 9134.
    >Concentrating and knowing the lyrics in advance, you're still unable to understand any of her words
  9135. 9135.
    >Thankfully she cuts it short and is soon rushing down the stairs
  9136. 9136.
    >Beep
  9137. 9137.
    >9:49 AM: I have to leave the house very soon. Please hurry.
  9138. 9138.
    "Sonata, quick!"
  9139. 9139.
    >"I am!"
  9140. 9140.
    >She comes to a sliding stop beside the couch and holds out her arms
  9141. 9141.
    >There's a bit of a blush on her face
  9142. 9142.
    >"Are you gonna tell me why I did that?"
  9143. 9143.
    "No time! Get behind the coffee table!"
  9144. 9144.
    >"Wait, I want to sit on the couch."
  9145. 9145.
    "Don't you think it'd be weird if I was facing away from my TV?"
  9146. 9146.
    >"Why?"
  9147. 9147.
    >She makes a move for the couch, so you hold her hand and guide her to the entertainment center
  9148. 9148.
    "Besides, she could see your reflection or something."
  9149. 9149.
    >"Aww."
  9150. 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. 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. 9152.
    >"Mmmhhmmm."
  9153. 9153.
    "Uh, I didn't mean to insult you. I know you won't make any noise."
  9154. 9154.
    >"Mmmmmmhhhmmmmm."
  9155. 9155.
    "I'm just being careful. It's, you know. Important."
  9156. 9156.
    >She cocks her head and beckons you in impatience
  9157. 9157.
    "Okay. Here we go."
  9158. 9158.
    >Click
  9159. 9159.
    >A notification pops up while it's connecting:
  9160. 9160.
    >** A Friendly Reminder **
  9161. 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. 9162.
    >It fades out to reveal a large box of messy pixels, as well as your camera preview in the top right corner
  9163. 9163.
    "Twilight? Can you hear me yet?"
  9164. 9164.
    >No response
  9165. 9165.
    "I think it always does this, give it a second."
  9166. 9166.
    >In an instant the pixelation is gone
  9167. 9167.
    >A girl with big, looping hair, wearing pajamas with fancy swirling patterns appears
  9168. 9168.
    >The large swivel chair she sits in blocks most of your view of the dim room
  9169. 9169.
    >"Good morning, Mister Anonymous."
  9170. 9170.
    >A TV can be heard faintly over the rumble of a swamp cooler
  9171. 9171.
    >The fluttering curtain in the corner of the screen catches your eye
  9172. 9172.
    "Uh."
  9173. 9173.
    >You move your mouth, but no words come
  9174. 9174.
    >She rolls her chair a bit closer to the desk, obscuring the curtain and the light it's holding back
  9175. 9175.
    >"A simple hello would be fine."
  9176. 9176.
    "...Hello."
  9177. 9177.
    >"My name is Rarity. I do hope you remember me."
  9178. 9178.
    "Yeah. I saw you once before."
  9179. 9179.
    >She hums
  9180. 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. 9181.
    "Yeah?"
  9182. 9182.
    >"I am aware of who you are, and who your parents are."
  9183. 9183.
    "O-Okay?"
  9184. 9184.
    >"You seem like a nice man. I know this is risky, for multiple reasons, but I have to know."
  9185. 9185.
    >Rarity pauses
  9186. 9186.
    "What are you talking about?"
  9187. 9187.
    >She looks over her shoulder for just a moment
  9188. 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. 9189.
    "Oh yeah?"
  9190. 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. 9191.
    >How would she know how you behave at school?
  9192. 9192.
    "Are you an old family friend or something?"
  9193. 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. 9194.
    "Okay..."
  9195. 9195.
    >She displays a friendly smile
  9196. 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. 9197.
    "Ha, it's nothing."
  9198. 9198.
    >You don't even take care of your yard
  9199. 9199.
    >"Oh but it is something! I thought it was an impossible rumor until the news story."
  9200. 9200.
    >It was just the local news, they'd do hour-long coverage of a balloon's ascent into the atmosphere...
  9201. 9201.
    >Besides, you thought only Kent watched that
  9202. 9202.
    "Saw the interview, huh? How embarrassing."
  9203. 9203.
    >"I didn't think so."
  9204. 9204.
    >She looks up and down, examining the little bit of you she can with her limited view
  9205. 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. 9206.
    >Hopefully you're not blushing
  9207. 9207.
    >Confusion aside, a pretty girl is ruthlessly complimenting you
  9208. 9208.
    >"I wonder... are you seeing anyone?"
  9209. 9209.
    >Is this just a way to ask you out?
  9210. 9210.
    >Couldn't be, right?
  9211. 9211.
    >You recall your moment with that cashier woman at Taco Bell
  9212. 9212.
    >Much of your focus is spent in an effort to avoid that same embarrassment
  9213. 9213.
    "No. I am not."
  9214. 9214.
    >Perfect
  9215. 9215.
    >Talk like a robot, that's the trick
  9216. 9216.
    "I'm. I'm not. I mean."
  9217. 9217.
    >She sighs in relief and smiles
  9218. 9218.
    >"I'm glad!"
  9219. 9219.
    >Uh oh
  9220. 9220.
    >"I'm so, so happy to hear that!"
  9221. 9221.
    >Let her down gently, stud
  9222. 9222.
    "Why are you glad?"
  9223. 9223.
    >Rarity rolls even closer to the desk and clasps her hands together
  9224. 9224.
    >"Never mind that."
  9225. 9225.
    >You blink
  9226. 9226.
    >"Now, about Twilight."
  9227. 9227.
    "...What about her?"
  9228. 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. 9229.
    "Wait, what!? Come clean about what?"
  9230. 9230.
    >"What you've done."
  9231. 9231.
    >You look over to your front door, and then up to Sonata
  9232. 9232.
    >She's lost
  9233. 9233.
    >That makes two of you
  9234. 9234.
    "What specifically have I done?"
  9235. 9235.
    >Rarity's hand hangs limp as she covers her mouth with her arm
  9236. 9236.
    >"Ohhh, you wouldn't make a lady repeat such things, would you?"
  9237. 9237.
    "I have no idea what you're talking about, so you'll have to."
  9238. 9238.
    >"Please. Your words are safe with me. We can keep this all between us."
  9239. 9239.
    "I don't have any secrets..."
  9240. 9240.
    >"Anonymous, Anonymous, I understand. Men have certain needs. N-Not that it makes what you did okay-"
  9241. 9241.
    >She waves her hands back and forth
  9242. 9242.
    >"-but it was just a mistake, right? We can move past it."
  9243. 9243.
    "I'm... going to end the call."
  9244. 9244.
    >"What? Wait!"
  9245. 9245.
    "Bye."
  9246. 9246.
    >"Stop! Please! I'll say it if I must!"
  9247. 9247.
    >Her hand shoots up to her webcam
  9248. 9248.
    >The intensity of her stare makes it feel as though she could snatch your arm through the screen
  9249. 9249.
    >Your cursor rests on the end call button
  9250. 9250.
    >In that moment of internal debate on whether or not to click, Rarity's quiet, anxious groan can be heard
  9251. 9251.
    >So, she's suffering too, huh?
  9252. 9252.
    "...If you stop being vague, I'll listen."
  9253. 9253.
    >"Yes, yes, of course!"
  9254. 9254.
    >Once again she peeks over her shoulder, and rolls closer to the desk
  9255. 9255.
    >Her stomach's probably making contact with it
  9256. 9256.
    >"I believe you and Twilight have entered into some kind of a relationship."
  9257. 9257.
    >Oh damn it
  9258. 9258.
    >"How much you've done, I'm scared to ask. But you are seeing her, for sure."
  9259. 9259.
    "I-I barely know Twilight. What makes you think this?"
  9260. 9260.
    >"You were with her all night, weren't you?"
  9261. 9261.
    "No."
  9262. 9262.
    >Not all night
  9263. 9263.
    >"Anonymous, I understand that you have desires. You can be honest."
  9264. 9264.
    "I AM being honest!"
  9265. 9265.
    >She raises her hands, lays them flat, and pats down the air
  9266. 9266.
    >"There's no need to shout."
  9267. 9267.
    "N-No need to... no need... to-"
  9268. 9268.
    >"Just admit it. I can talk to Twilight and make sure you two break it off gently."
  9269. 9269.
    "There's nothing to break off! Where did you get this?"
  9270. 9270.
    >"I-"
  9271. 9271.
    "Don't just say you know! If you accuse me of something, at least give me evidence."
  9272. 9272.
    >Her eyebrows sink a little
  9273. 9273.
    >She reaches to the left, off camera, and brings out something gray
  9274. 9274.
    >On second thought, presenting evidence is unnecessary
  9275. 9275.
    >Totally and completely unnecessary
  9276. 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. 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. 9278.
    >And there they are
  9279. 9279.
    >Your father's initials
  9280. 9280.
    >"See?"
  9281. 9281.
    "What about it?"
  9282. 9282.
    >"Anonymous, this is proof!"
  9283. 9283.
    >She sets it down and adjusts her webcam
  9284. 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. 9285.
    "I-"
  9286. 9286.
    >"When I first saw the flashlight I was confused. Then I remembered the time you approached her."
  9287. 9287.
    "I don't-"
  9288. 9288.
    >"You told her that story for a reason, didn't you?"
  9289. 9289.
    "Stop..."
  9290. 9290.
    >The urge to swear and slam the laptop shut rises, so you close your eyes and rub your forehead
  9291. 9291.
    "I didn't tell her a story. I told her the truth."
  9292. 9292.
    >"Well, I'm not so sure."
  9293. 9293.
    "Excuse me?"
  9294. 9294.
    >Rarity clears her throat
  9295. 9295.
    >"Now, again Anonymous, I understand that you're a man and-"
  9296. 9296.
    "Get to the point."
  9297. 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. 9298.
    >You shrug
  9299. 9299.
    >"So you got an idea, to make Twilight all riled up, and then..."
  9300. 9300.
    >She hugs herself
  9301. 9301.
    >"You-"
  9302. 9302.
    >A sharp breath
  9303. 9303.
    >"Y-You-"
  9304. 9304.
    >Another
  9305. 9305.
    >"Offered her the kind of comfort that only a man can provide a lady!"
  9306. 9306.
    >And an exhale
  9307. 9307.
    >"Oh my goodness. I actually said it."
  9308. 9308.
    >Your mind goes blank
  9309. 9309.
    >For fifteen seconds, all you can think about is the dog food commercial playing on Rarity's TV
  9310. 9310.
    >With her eyes shut she gently spins her chair a bit to the left and a bit to the right
  9311. 9311.
    >What all has she just accused you of?
  9312. 9312.
    "Hold on. Let's summarize here."
  9313. 9313.
    >Something moves in your peripheral vision
  9314. 9314.
    >You look up to see Sonata spin around and sit with her back against the coffee table
  9315. 9315.
    >When she's settled, she slumps
  9316. 9316.
    "...Damn it."
  9317. 9317.
    >Rarity's eyes open and her spinning stops
  9318. 9318.
    >"No need for swearing, Anonymous."
  9319. 9319.
    "Shut up."
  9320. 9320.
    >"Wh-huh?!"
  9321. 9321.
    "Do you realize what you've just accused me of?"
  9322. 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. 9323.
    >Now you have an even clearer view of Rarity's dumbfounded face
  9324. 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. 9325.
    >"...Excuse me for being cautious."
  9326. 9326.
    "That's not being cautious. That's jumping to conclusions."
  9327. 9327.
    >"Anonymous!"
  9328. 9328.
    >She raises up the flashlight and you swat at the air in frustration
  9329. 9329.
    "Yeah. It means I met Twilight at some point in the past and let her borrow my flashlight. So what?"
  9330. 9330.
    >"Sh-she didn't HAVE it before last night, and she was GONE all night!"
  9331. 9331.
    "How do you know she didn't have it?"
  9332. 9332.
    >She maintains her scowl in silence
  9333. 9333.
    "Do you think that little of Twilight's privacy? Snooping around in her belongings, messaging me on her account-"
  9334. 9334.
    >A thought hits you and you tense up
  9335. 9335.
    >Then you relax
  9336. 9336.
    >Rarity can't have read Twilight's past private messages. This site doesn't archive them
  9337. 9337.
    "...Besides. What sense does me telling her a false story about those girls make? Didn't she sort that situation out?"
  9338. 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. 9339.
    "Then go ahead and lay it on me!"
  9340. 9340.
    >"F-Fine! I, I will lay it on you!"
  9341. 9341.
    >She sits up a bit more and straightens out her pajamas collar
  9342. 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. 9343.
    >You scoff
  9344. 9344.
    "Who the hell do you think those girls are, to be doing that for me?"
  9345. 9345.
    >"Hired, probably!"
  9346. 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. 9347.
    >Rarity cringes
  9348. 9348.
    >"Anonymous, that's... repulsive."
  9349. 9349.
    "But taking advantage of Twilight isn't? Is that why you're so quick to do it?"
  9350. 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. 9351.
    >She's full on yelling at this point
  9352. 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. 9353.
    "I don't love Twilight. We're barely even friends."
  9354. 9354.
    >"Stop lying!"
  9355. 9355.
    >As she becomes more angry, you become more calm
  9356. 9356.
    >Sensing that you now have the upper hand, you cross your arms and smirk
  9357. 9357.
    "All you're doing is exposing yourself."
  9358. 9358.
    >She gasps and crosses her arms, grabbing her shoulders
  9359. 9359.
    >"I wear something underneath..."
  9360. 9360.
    "Not that. I meant exposing the inconsiderate things you've done to Twilight."
  9361. 9361.
    >"I've been nothing but a good friend."
  9362. 9362.
    "So you'd be perfectly fine if Twilight went through your phone's text messages?"
  9363. 9363.
    >Again, she scowls in silence
  9364. 9364.
    "Well?"
  9365. 9365.
    >"You're just trying to change the subject. I already told you-"
  9366. 9366.
    >There's that flashlight again
  9367. 9367.
    >"-I have proof."
  9368. 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. 9369.
    >"Where did you meet her? Your house?" >It's been an everyday thing
  9370. 9370.
    >And so far it seems to have worked
  9371. 9371.
    >For this first Siren, you've chosen to prey on her fear of pain
  9372. 9372.
    >"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
  9373. 9373.
    >Sonata is bent over your lap
  9374. 9374.
    >You can see teardrops falling to the floor
  9375. 9375.
    >Half of her rear end is exposed
  9376. 9376.
    >"Please please PLEASE don't do it again!"
  9377. 9377.
    "You're squirming again."
  9378. 9378.
    >"Huh?"
  9379. 9379.
    >She stiffens up
  9380. 9380.
    >"I wasn't..."
  9381. 9381.
    "Sonata. Don't lie to me."
  9382. 9382.
    >"...I'm sorry."
  9383. 9383.
    >You press your hand against her
  9384. 9384.
    >"D-Don't! I'm sorry!"
  9385. 9385.
    >"Are you incapable of learning?"
  9386. 9386.
    >"I'm sorry! I'll be still!"
  9387. 9387.
    >THWACK
  9388. 9388.
    >"AHH! Anon!"
  9389. 9389.
    >THWACK
  9390. 9390.
    >"Ahhh-ahhh!"
  9391. 9391.
    >THWACK
  9392. 9392.
    >"...Pl... please, it hurts!"
  9393. 9393.
    >THWACK
  9394. 9394.
    >"Anooooooooon!"
  9395. 9395.
    >You grab the back of her pants and pull them down to her thighs
  9396. 9396.
    "Do I have to take off the panties, too?"
  9397. 9397.
    >She gasps
  9398. 9398.
    >Looks at you with a pout
  9399. 9399.
    "Well?"
  9400. 9400.
    >"...Fine. You w-win, Anon. I'm..."
  9401. 9401.
    >She runs her sleeve over her teary eyes
  9402. 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. 9403.
    >She gives you puppy dog eyes
  9404. 9404.
    "That's a good Sonata."
  9405. 9405.
    >You grab her by the sides and position her in front of your chair
  9406. 9406.
    "You promise with all of your heart?"
  9407. 9407.
    >Sniff
  9408. 9408.
    >"I p-promise. But..."
  9409. 9409.
    "But what?"
  9410. 9410.
    >"Can't I have my necklace back? I feel... u-useless without my singing voice."
  9411. 9411.
    >You pat her head
  9412. 9412.
    "What's wrong with your singing voice?"
  9413. 9413.
    >Sniff
  9414. 9414.
    >"It's all off-key and t-totally shaky now. It's ugly... I'm, I'm ugly now."
  9415. 9415.
    "Sonata."
  9416. 9416.
    >You stand, pull her up to her feet and hug her tight
  9417. 9417.
    "You're just at square one. This is where everyone starts. You could have a pretty singing voice again."
  9418. 9418.
    >"Really?"
  9419. 9419.
    "Of course. If you work hard, every day."
  9420. 9420.
    >"I'm not so good at learning stuff."
  9421. 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. 9422.
    >She stares at your face, trying not to cry
  9423. 9423.
    >"Thank you Anon. I'll be the b-best slave ever... I promise!"
  9424. 9424.
    ___
  9425. 9425.
    >"And guess what else? Anon's teaching me to make my voice pretty again! It's going really, really well!"
  9426. 9426.
    >One week since Sonata gave in
  9427. 9427.
    >She's in the guest bedroom, singing Anon's praises to Adagio and Aria
  9428. 9428.
    >They scowl all through out
  9429. 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. 9430.
    >Aria rolls her eyes, reminded of how unbearable sleeping on this hard wood floor has been
  9431. 9431.
    >"I haven't been this happy since... I haven't been this happy since we lived in E-"
  9432. 9432.
    >"Shut. Up."
  9433. 9433.
    >"...s-sorry Adagio."
  9434. 9434.
    >Sonata frowns
  9435. 9435.
    >"I just wanted to warn Aria."
  9436. 9436.
    >The angst filled siren gives her full attention
  9437. 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. 9438.
    >"You IDIOT! He hit you! Four days in a row! He doesn't give a shit about you!"
  9439. 9439.
    >Aria stands and the rope around her foot almost trips her
  9440. 9440.
    >"He, he does..."
  9441. 9441.
    >"Are you really that stupid? I knew you were dumb, but come on!"
  9442. 9442.
    >Sonata is lost in thought before responding
  9443. 9443.
    >"I've been thinking about it. And I deserved it. I was being bad. Really bad. To control people with magic is..."
  9444. 9444.
    >Aria spits in Sonata's face
  9445. 9445.
    >She presses into her shoulder and whines
  9446. 9446.
    >"Sonata. You're no ally of mine. When we get our necklaces back, you're gonna pay."
  9447. 9447.
    >"But... but! Adagio!"
  9448. 9448.
    >Adagio raises one eyebrow
  9449. 9449.
    >"Yes, traitor?"
  9450. 9450.
    >Sonata's heart sinks
  9451. 9451.
    >She backs away
  9452. 9452.
    >The tied up sirens both look down to the floor
  9453. 9453.
    >"Whatever... Anon doesn't want to punish you. Anon is really nice. You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
  9454. 9454.
    >Sonata runs out of the room
  9455. 9455.
    >And Aria stuffs her face into her hands
  9456. 9456.
    ___
  9457. 9457.
    >You're downstairs, watching TV
  9458. 9458.
    >Some dull documentary
  9459. 9459.
    >"...Anonnnnn..."
  9460. 9460.
    >Sonata comes in dragging her feet and extends her arms
  9461. 9461.
    "How'd it go?"
  9462. 9462.
    >"Annnoooon!"
  9463. 9463.
    >She falls toward you and you wrap your arms around her
  9464. 9464.
    "Bad?"
  9465. 9465.
    >"Mhm. They're madder at me than ever. Adagio called me a... traitor. And Aria..."
  9466. 9466.
    >Her voice softens as you stroke her hair
  9467. 9467.
    "What about Aria?"
  9468. 9468.
    >"She spit in my eye."
  9469. 9469.
    "What?"
  9470. 9470.
    >You pull Sonata down onto the couch and turn her face toward you
  9471. 9471.
    >Some specks of spit are still there
  9472. 9472.
    >How dare Aria?
  9473. 9473.
    >You reach for a tissue and gently wipe around the left side of her nose
  9474. 9474.
    "There."
  9475. 9475.
    >"You got it?"
  9476. 9476.
    "Yeah. You look as cute as usual."
  9477. 9477.
    >She makes a cute hum and lays her head on your shoulder
  9478. 9478.
    >"Anon?"
  9479. 9479.
    "Yeah?"
  9480. 9480.
    >"Do you think you could not punish them?"
  9481. 9481.
    "What makes you ask that?"
  9482. 9482.
    >"Maybe they'll just get tired of having no bed, and having to be taken to pee and shower and stuff..."
  9483. 9483.
    >You wonder
  9484. 9484.
    >It's been very comfortable since Sonata gave in
  9485. 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. 9486.
    >And yet, you don't want to wait it out
  9487. 9487.
    >As long as they refuse to cooperate, you want...
  9488. 9488.
    "Sorry Sonata. I don't think that would work."
  9489. 9489.
    >"Oh....."
  9490. 9490.
    "Don't go telling them this, but you know something?"
  9491. 9491.
    >"What?"
  9492. 9492.
    "They're a whole lot more evil than you."
  9493. 9493.
    >You poke her nose
  9494. 9494.
    "So it's going to take some more effort to teach them."
  9495. 9495.
    >She nods
  9496. 9496.
    >"Okay. Then, I trust you Anon."
  9497. 9497.
    ___
  9498. 9498.
    >Late afternoon the next day, you decide to head up to the guest room
  9499. 9499.
    >Adagio and Aria look as crushed as usual
  9500. 9500.
    >The former doesn't look at you
  9501. 9501.
    >The latter looks as pissed as you'd expect
  9502. 9502.
    "Hello, Aria."
  9503. 9503.
    >She sticks her tongue out at you
  9504. 9504.
    >If her hands weren't bound, she'd probably flip you off
  9505. 9505.
    >This one's just asking for it
  9506. 9506.
    "Here's how this will work. You'll be taken to the punishment room every day."
  9507. 9507.
    >"Gee, I wonder what happens in the punishment room?"
  9508. 9508.
    >You smirk
  9509. 9509.
    "Every day for as long as it takes. Understand?"
  9510. 9510.
    >You take a step forward and she kicks at you with her free leg
  9511. 9511.
    "Whoa!"
  9512. 9512.
    >You grab hold of it, and she grunts in frustration
  9513. 9513.
    >You take a moment to admire her body
  9514. 9514.
    >While Sonata's a little bit on the chubby side, Aria's legs are toned
  9515. 9515.
    >"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
  9516. 9516.
    >You run your fingers from her inner-thigh to her ankle
  9517. 9517.
    "I'm really impressed."
  9518. 9518.
    >"Fuck you! Don't touch me!"
  9519. 9519.
    "Calm down."
  9520. 9520.
    >You force her leg down and tie both feet together
  9521. 9521.
    >Then, you undo the lower rope connected to the wall
  9522. 9522.
    >She starts to wiggle, but you hold her down
  9523. 9523.
    "This is the kind of thing you have to deal with, as long as you're a prisoner."
  9524. 9524.
    >"...Fuck you."
  9525. 9525.
    >Her spirit excites you
  9526. 9526.
    "Do you hate it that much when you're touched?"
  9527. 9527.
    >"Of course I do, asshole. Especially when it's a filthy human."
  9528. 9528.
    >She's shaking and gritting her teeth
  9529. 9529.
    >Punishment hasn't even begun and you've found her weakness
  9530. 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. 9531.
    >"Fuck. You. I'm not a chump like Sonata. Hit me all you wan-hey!"
  9532. 9532.
    >You lift her up over your shoulder and go to work untying her leg
  9533. 9533.
    >"Let! Me! Down! I'll kick your ass! I'll kick your ass, man!"
  9534. 9534.
    >You turn to Adagio
  9535. 9535.
    >She's just staring at the wall
  9536. 9536.
    >Not the most sympathetic leader
  9537. 9537.
    "Let's go."
  9538. 9538.
    ___
  9539. 9539.
    >A cheery little song is playing on the TV
  9540. 9540.
    >It's the intro to a sitcom Sonata has fallen in love with
  9541. 9541.
    "Sonata! Your show is on!"
  9542. 9542.
    >"I know~"
  9543. 9543.
    >She runs in with a bowl of chips and a tall glass of soda
  9544. 9544.
    >"It's a new ep-"
  9545. 9545.
    >She freezes in place and stares at Aria's rear end
  9546. 9546.
    >"Aria...."
  9547. 9547.
    >"..Yeah?!"
  9548. 9548.
    >They're quiet
  9549. 9549.
    >Wouldn't want Sonata to miss too much of her show, so you step in
  9550. 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. 9551.
    >"I don't give a shit what that idiot does."
  9552. 9552.
    "....She'll be making her side of my bed nice and comfy. Any way she likes it to be."
  9553. 9553.
    >Sonata's eyes widen and her jaw drops
  9554. 9554.
    >"A-Anon! I, I get to move in now?!"
  9555. 9555.
    >You smile and nod your head
  9556. 9556.
    >"Thank you! Thank you, thank you! The couch is super comfy, but I- th-thank you!"
  9557. 9557.
    >She bounces on the balls of her feet
  9558. 9558.
    "Careful, don't want to spill those."
  9559. 9559.
    >"Oh. Yeah!"
  9560. 9560.
    >Sonata sits on the couch and makes gleeful little squeals
  9561. 9561.
    >You pat Aria's ass a few times, and continue on
  9562. 9562.
    ___
  9563. 9563.
    "She sure has it tough, huh? If I feel extra cruel tomorrow I might take her to get ice cream."
  9564. 9564.
    >"....this isn't about living comfortably."
  9565. 9565.
    "Then what's it about?"
  9566. 9566.
    >You make your way through the kitchen
  9567. 9567.
    >"...we don't get controlled - we control. Maybe Sonata's happy submitting to you, but I never will."
  9568. 9568.
    >At the end of a dark hallway is a pitch-black door
  9569. 9569.
    >The entrance to the punishment room
  9570. 9570.
    "Ready?"
  9571. 9571.
    >"Fuck off."
  9572. 9572.
    >The banter going on in Sonata's sitcom fades as the door is closed
  9573. 9573.
    >It's dark in here aside from the light bulb above the chair in the middle of the room
  9574. 9574.
    >You approach it and stand Aria up
  9575. 9575.
    >"PFFT! This is the punishment room? Seriously? Weak."
  9576. 9576.
    >Fair
  9577. 9577.
    >It's just an unused room with no windows and a single chair
  9578. 9578.
    >You hoped the ominous name would spook the sirens, but that only worked for Sonata
  9579. 9579.
    >"What, is the chair for me?"
  9580. 9580.
    "No."
  9581. 9581.
    >You sit down
  9582. 9582.
    >"...Sooo, what? Gonna punch me in the legs?"
  9583. 9583.
    >Not quite
  9584. 9584.
    >You pull her down onto your lap
  9585. 9585.
    >"HEY! Hey! Not cool!"
  9586. 9586.
    "Shut up."
  9587. 9587.
    >"Sh-shu-how about you hang yourself?"
  9588. 9588.
    >She flinches as your fingers wrap around her sides
  9589. 9589.
    >You move your hands up to just below her chest, and then bring them back down
  9590. 9590.
    >"....What are you doing?"
  9591. 9591.
    >She's pretty fit
  9592. 9592.
    >Adagio must have had her do all of the physical work in the past
  9593. 9593.
    >Not that they really had to lift a finger to get what they wanted
  9594. 9594.
    >You slide in under her shirt and explore her stomach
  9595. 9595.
    >"C-Come on! I thought you were gonna hit me? Did you do this shit to Sonata?"
  9596. 9596.
    >Her hips jerk hard to the left as you slide the tip of your finger into her belly button
  9597. 9597.
    >"Are you... a pervert?"
  9598. 9598.
    >You lean in a bit closer to the back of her head and sniff
  9599. 9599.
    "You need to wash your hair better."
  9600. 9600.
    >"What?!"
  9601. 9601.
    "Learn a thing or two from Adagio. This is fucking repulsive."
  9602. 9602.
    >In reality, it smells alright
  9603. 9603.
    >But from the way Aria's shoulders tense up you can tell that this hits a nerve
  9604. 9604.
    "I know it's been a couple of days, but Jesus. Am I going to have to start cleaning you?"
  9605. 9605.
    >"..."
  9606. 9606.
    >You press your face into the back of her neck and she squirms
  9607. 9607.
    "Disgusting. You smell fucking disgusting."
  9608. 9608.
    >"Do you get off on smelling people or something? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?"
  9609. 9609.
    >After leaning her back into your chest, you take your hands out of her shirt
  9610. 9610.
    >"Seriously, this is lame. Fucking creep."
  9611. 9611.
    >You squeeze her kneecaps and swing her legs open and closed, much like Sonata does when she's over-excited
  9612. 9612.
    "You could learn from Sonata, too."
  9613. 9613.
    >"Sonata couldn't teach a pony to eat ha-"
  9614. 9614.
    "You carry yourself like a man. Being a tomboy is one thing. You're an embarrassment."
  9615. 9615.
    >"..."
  9616. 9616.
    >Her breath gets a bit quicker
  9617. 9617.
    >"Knock it off. This is stupid..."
  9618. 9618.
    "I bet all of the boys ignore you."
  9619. 9619.
    >"Wh-"
  9620. 9620.
    "Why even bother with Aria when she's so outclassed by her companions?"
  9621. 9621.
    >You slap her legs together
  9622. 9622.
    "Am I the first guy to ever touch you?"
  9623. 9623.
    >She's quiet
  9624. 9624.
    "Well?"
  9625. 9625.
    >You feel around her thighs for some time
  9626. 9626.
    >No response
  9627. 9627.
    "I'm not surprised."
  9628. 9628.
    >Even spinning her around and placing her legs over your shoulders elicits no reaction
  9629. 9629.
    >She just stares off to the left of you with a red face, and anger in her eyes
  9630. 9630.
    "You're the perfect weight though."
  9631. 9631.
    >"...What?"
  9632. 9632.
    "Sonata is a bit heavy. But you, you feel perfect on my lap."
  9633. 9633.
    >Her eyebrows scrunch up
  9634. 9634.
    >"...Whatever."
  9635. 9635.
    >For more than ten minutes, you hold her with one hand while you massage her shoulders, arms and legs with the other
  9636. 9636.
    >Her erratic breathing and angry face smooth out so much that by now, she look as though she could fall asleep
  9637. 9637.
    "Hey."
  9638. 9638.
    >"...Hm?"
  9639. 9639.
    "Getting comfortable, are we?"
  9640. 9640.
    >"Whatever. I've been sleeping on the floor for over a week."
  9641. 9641.
    >Her eyes meet yours, for just a second
  9642. 9642.
    >"Anything's better than that."
  9643. 9643.
    "Why settle for anything?"
  9644. 9644.
    >"Hm?"
  9645. 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. 9646.
    >With both hands on her back, you pull her closer
  9647. 9647.
    "Some nights I dream about coming home, and laying down in my bed. It's that good."
  9648. 9648.
    >Her eyes go straight to yours
  9649. 9649.
    >And she just stares
  9650. 9650.
    >Slowly blinks her droopy eyes
  9651. 9651.
    >And says
  9652. 9652.
    >"Hang yourself."
  9653. 9653.
    >You have to force yourself not to smile ear to ear
  9654. 9654.
    "Interesting."
  9655. 9655.
    >"...What?"
  9656. 9656.
    "I didn't expect you to break down so fast."
  9657. 9657.
    >"The hell are you talking about?"
  9658. 9658.
    "You were thinking about it."
  9659. 9659.
    >Her 'offended' face looks pathetic when mixed with her exhaustion
  9660. 9660.
    >"I was NOT. Thinking about it."
  9661. 9661.
    "You imagined how happy you'd be, falling asleep in my arms like this. Every night."
  9662. 9662.
    >"F-Fuck off! Idiot! You're not such a hot shot, okay?"
  9663. 9663.
    >Your shit-eating grin only enrages her further
  9664. 9664.
    >"Why don't you fuckin' hit me already? Go for the eyes so I don't have to see your stupid face."
  9665. 9665.
    "Come on, Aria."
  9666. 9666.
    >Holding her tighter, you lean forward
  9667. 9667.
    >Her eyes shoot open as your faces get closer together... until they're an inch apart
  9668. 9668.
    >"Dude. Back off."
  9669. 9669.
    "There's one last thing I have to do before we finish your first day of punishment."
  9670. 9670.
    >"...And it is?"
  9671. 9671.
    "Close your eyes."
  9672. 9672.
    >"N-No."
  9673. 9673.
    >She does it anyway
  9674. 9674.
    >"Don't."
  9675. 9675.
    >She quietly groans
  9676. 9676.
    >"I don't want- I d- stop..."
  9677. 9677.
    >But before long, she's stopped resisting
  9678. 9678.
    >You lower her just a bit further
  9679. 9679.
    >Tighten your grip
  9680. 9680.
    >And spit in her face
  9681. 9681.
    ___
  9682. 9682.
    >"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
  9683. 9683.
    >Aria shouts from inside your personal bathroom. Barely audible over the shower, and through the door
  9684. 9684.
    >"So. Fucking. GROSS!"
  9685. 9685.
    "Had to get you to clean yourself up somehow!"
  9686. 9686.
    >She responds by kicking the wall
  9687. 9687.
    >You feel a surge of anger, but allow it to pass when Sonata walks into the bedroom
  9688. 9688.
    >"Anon?"
  9689. 9689.
    "Hey. What's up?"
  9690. 9690.
    >She hesitantly approaches the bathroom door
  9691. 9691.
    >"She didn't agree to be good, did she?"
  9692. 9692.
    "I'm afraid not."
  9693. 9693.
    >"Hm. What's this chair doing here?"
  9694. 9694.
    "It keeps the door locked."
  9695. 9695.
    >"Huh? No way! How can a chair lock a door?"
  9696. 9696.
    "Go ahead, try to open it."
  9697. 9697.
    >"Okay."
  9698. 9698.
    >She tries her best to twist the doorknob and pull, to no avail
  9699. 9699.
    >"Wow, you know everything, Anon!"
  9700. 9700.
    "Well, this is common knowledge in this world."
  9701. 9701.
    >The water stops, and you hear the slicked bottoms of Aria's feet smack into the tile
  9702. 9702.
    "Sonata, why don't you get your side of the bed ready now?"
  9703. 9703.
    >"Okay! Which side is mine?"
  9704. 9704.
    "You can choose. I have no preference."
  9705. 9705.
    >She giggles and hugs you before crawling onto the mattress
  9706. 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. 9707.
    >Now there's a pile of them
  9708. 9708.
    >It's fine, though
  9709. 9709.
    >Money's not a concern, and Adagio looks like the kind of girl who'd want to be pampered in that way
  9710. 9710.
    >Sonata starts sliding blue, fuzzy pillows to the left
  9711. 9711.
    >She stuffs her face into one and you hear a muffled and excited shout
  9712. 9712.
    >Adorable
  9713. 9713.
    >"Hey! Idiot! You didn't give me a towel!"
  9714. 9714.
    >Oh, right. She was pretty shocked over the surprise end to her punishment
  9715. 9715.
    >As soon as the rope came off she went berserk
  9716. 9716.
    >It was like caging a wild animal
  9717. 9717.
    >You reach into your closet and pull out a fresh towel
  9718. 9718.
    "Don't do anything crazy, now."
  9719. 9719.
    >"Just hurry up and give it to me!"
  9720. 9720.
    >You slide the chair out and turn the doorknob
  9721. 9721.
    >It would be considerate to crack the door and throw the towel to her
  9722. 9722.
    >But instead you swing it wide open
  9723. 9723.
    >"W-What the HELL!"
  9724. 9724.
    >Her tiny breasts are easy to hide with one arm
  9725. 9725.
    >Her other and goes straight to her crotch
  9726. 9726.
    "Don't flatter yourself."
  9727. 9727.
    >You hold the towel out toward her
  9728. 9728.
    >"...just put it on the counter!"
  9729. 9729.
    "I don't know. You put all your dirty clothes on there."
  9730. 9730.
    >"Th-then in the floor! What's wrong with you?"
  9731. 9731.
    >With a smirk you shake your head, and Aria blushes
  9732. 9732.
    >"Fucking. Creep."
  9733. 9733.
    >You get one more glimpse of her perky tits before she snatches the towel and shoves the door closed
  9734. 9734.
    >"...Anon?"
  9735. 9735.
    "Huh?"
  9736. 9736.
    >"I finished the bed."
  9737. 9737.
    "Oh. Good. You can do whatever you want now."
  9738. 9738.
    >You pat Sonata's head
  9739. 9739.
    >"Anon?"
  9740. 9740.
    "Yeah?"
  9741. 9741.
    >She gets close to your ear and whispers
  9742. 9742.
    >"Did you see Aria naked?"
  9743. 9743.
    "Oh. I did..."
  9744. 9744.
    >She looks deeply bothered
  9745. 9745.
    "What's wrong?"
  9746. 9746.
    >You sit down on the edge of the bed and she sits beside you
  9747. 9747.
    >"Did you want to see Aria naked?"
  9748. 9748.
    "Uh."
  9749. 9749.
    >Anxiety builds in your stomach
  9750. 9750.
    >So innocent
  9751. 9751.
    >So cute
  9752. 9752.
    >You lay back, placing her on your chest, and whisper
  9753. 9753.
    "Is someone getting jealous?"
  9754. 9754.
    >"...n-no. I mean, I don't know..."
  9755. 9755.
    >She slides the material of your shirt up and down with her finger
  9756. 9756.
    >"You haven't seen me naked. So... d-do you not wanna?"
  9757. 9757.
    >Something makes you want to go slow with Sonata
  9758. 9758.
    >Probably just her demeanor
  9759. 9759.
    "I don't want to rush that kind of thing with you."
  9760. 9760.
    >"Why not?"
  9761. 9761.
    "Because. You're special to me."
  9762. 9762.
    >"...special to you..."
  9763. 9763.
    >Feeling and hearing her breath on top of you is soothing
  9764. 9764.
    >You're getting eager to go to bed
  9765. 9765.
    >It's about that time now
  9766. 9766.
    >Just have to wait for Aria to...
  9767. 9767.
    >The door opens up
  9768. 9768.
    >Oh fuck
  9769. 9769.
    >You expect Aria to just make a run for it, but she stares at you and Sonata
  9770. 9770.
    >"Wow."
  9771. 9771.
    >The two of you sit up, and you wrap an arm around Sonata
  9772. 9772.
    >"Hi Aria."
  9773. 9773.
    >"Hi, slut."
  9774. 9774.
    "...Aria."
  9775. 9775.
    >You stand and she takes a step toward the door
  9776. 9776.
    >"I'm out of here."
  9777. 9777.
    "Haha, what?"
  9778. 9778.
    >"I'm leaving. You're a freak, she's a whore... Adagio and I are getting out."
  9779. 9779.
    "Don't be so stupid."
  9780. 9780.
    >"Who are you calling stupid!?"
  9781. 9781.
    >You thrust your finger into her forehead and she squints
  9782. 9782.
    "The twin-tailed siren who wasted her chance to run, and then announced her intentions on top of that."
  9783. 9783.
    >"Well-"
  9784. 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. 9785.
    >"...where are our necklaces?"
  9786. 9786.
    "So you admit it."
  9787. 9787.
    >"What? No."
  9788. 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. 9789.
    >"Fuck! You!"
  9790. 9790.
    >She surprises you with a punch to the stomach and takes off
  9791. 9791.
    >You snatch her arm and halt her, almost bringing her down to the floor
  9792. 9792.
    >"LET GO!"
  9793. 9793.
    "Don't even try. You might be tough for a girl, but I'm a guy."
  9794. 9794.
    >You say that with confidence, but she could honestly break out of your grip at any second
  9795. 9795.
    "Are you ready to change your ways?"
  9796. 9796.
    >"NO!"
  9797. 9797.
    >Well
  9798. 9798.
    >Alright then
  9799. 9799.
    "Time to go back up."
  9800. 9800.
    >She yelps as you scoop her up onto your shoulder again
  9801. 9801.
    >Her kicks jolt your entire body
  9802. 9802.
    >While the awkward punches she delivers to your back kind of hurt, pinching would be more effective
  9803. 9803.
    "Oh calm down..."
  9804. 9804.
    >"Aria!"
  9805. 9805.
    >You stop in the doorway
  9806. 9806.
    >"Aria, I, I don't want you to be mad at me."
  9807. 9807.
    >You hear Sonata sniffling
  9808. 9808.
    >"Anon will be so nice to you if you just be good. Please, please behave."
  9809. 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. 9810.
    >You pinch her in the ass as hard as the fabric will allow
  9811. 9811.
    >"OW! Stop!"
  9812. 9812.
    "Sonata. None of that is true. I'll be right back. For cuddles."
  9813. 9813.
    >She looks a bit happier at that, so you head up to the guest room
  9814. 9814.
    ___
  9815. 9815.
    >The next morning, you're in a fantastic mood
  9816. 9816.
    >Aria's reaction was even better than you'd hoped
  9817. 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. 9818.
    >But your mind draws a blank
  9819. 9819.
    >She's barely said a word since her capture
  9820. 9820.
    >If she's angry, scared or worried, you have no way of knowing
  9821. 9821.
    "Hey, breakfast is ready!"
  9822. 9822.
    >Sonata enters the kitchen, yawning and carrying a blue pillow
  9823. 9823.
    >She throws it onto the table and buries her face
  9824. 9824.
    "Haha. Sonata, come on."
  9825. 9825.
    >"Hmm?"
  9826. 9826.
    >Her muffled moans can be heard as you rub her back
  9827. 9827.
    "You need to wake up now."
  9828. 9828.
    >"Mmm... but I'm sleepy."
  9829. 9829.
    "Didn't sleep well?"
  9830. 9830.
    >"I slept great. You were really..."
  9831. 9831.
    >She raises her head and looks at you through the corners of her eyes
  9832. 9832.
    >"...REALLY comfy Anon~"
  9833. 9833.
    >It's hard not to get excited. Having a girl like Sonata in your life is a dream come true
  9834. 9834.
    >You've just got to find a way to make this all work long-term...
  9835. 9835.
    >Gently holding Sonata's head so it doesn't fall down again, you put her plate of food on the pillow
  9836. 9836.
    "I might have you start cooking soon. Would you like that?"
  9837. 9837.
    >"O-Oh, uh, I... I don't know."
  9838. 9838.
    >You can tell she's already filled with anxiety
  9839. 9839.
    >It's hard not to baby her
  9840. 9840.
    "If you don't like it, I'll make Adagio do it."
  9841. 9841.
    >"...Okay. I'll try my best though."
  9842. 9842.
    >You were right to start with Sonata
  9843. 9843.
    >At first this plan seemed crazy and doomed to fail
  9844. 9844.
    >You even considered releasing them
  9845. 9845.
    >But the instant Sonata gave in, your life improved dramatically
  9846. 9846.
    >It'd be impossible to bring yourself to stop now
  9847. 9847.
    >"This is really, really delicio-"
  9848. 9848.
    >She's cut off by three knocks on the front door
  9849. 9849.
    "...who the..."
  9850. 9850.
    >"Is that a visitor? I'll let them i-"
  9851. 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. 9852.
    >She notes your lowered voice and quiets her own
  9853. 9853.
    >"Uhh, but-"
  9854. 9854.
    "Please, go."
  9855. 9855.
    >"Y-Yes Anon!'
  9856. 9856.
    ___
  9857. 9857.
    >You check the peephole and your stomach goes cold at the distorted image of your classmate...
  9858. 9858.
    >Twilight Sparkle
  9859. 9859.
    >She squeezes the blue notebook in her hands
  9860. 9860.
    >Thankfully, she's alone
  9861. 9861.
    >Maybe if you just wait, she'll leave
  9862. 9862.
    >"Anonymous? Are you home?"
  9863. 9863.
    >Please
  9864. 9864.
    >Just go
  9865. 9865.
    >"There's something very important I need to tell you!"
  9866. 9866.
    >You run your hand through your hair, sigh, and open the door
  9867. 9867.
    "Good morning, Twilight."
  9868. 9868.
    >"Anonymous! I need to talk to you. Please!"
  9869. 9869.
    >She tries to walk past you, but you block her with an arm
  9870. 9870.
    "Can we talk outside? My house is such a mess right now..."
  9871. 9871.
    >"Ughh, you and Rarity are very alike, you know. Okay come on, please hurry."
  9872. 9872.
    >She steps off of your porch and you close the door behind you
  9873. 9873.
    "What's this about?"
  9874. 9874.
    >"Ummm... first of all, I owe you an apology."
  9875. 9875.
    "What for?"
  9876. 9876.
    >"Remember a few weeks ago when you confided in me that you overheard those girls discussing some kind of plot..."
  9877. 9877.
    "Yes..."
  9878. 9878.
    >"And I thought there was a misunderstanding, or that it was a prank?"
  9879. 9879.
    "Yes."
  9880. 9880.
    >"And I told you to stop eavesdropping."
  9881. 9881.
    >Her face displays her considerable guilt
  9882. 9882.
    >"They're, they're gone! All three of them!"
  9883. 9883.
    "Gone?!"
  9884. 9884.
    >"Gone! They disappeared, nobody has seen them."
  9885. 9885.
    "Huh... well, it is summer vacation right now. Maybe they're on a trip?"
  9886. 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. 9887.
    "Really?"
  9888. 9888.
    >"It's almost as if they're not from this world, like you said."
  9889. 9889.
    >Maybe it's childish, but you enjoy seeing her so panicked
  9890. 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. 9891.
    >They had their chance to deal with the sirens
  9892. 9892.
    >Now you'll do it your way
  9893. 9893.
    "So what do you think it means?"
  9894. 9894.
    >"I believe they are preparing for something. Maybe the festival at the beginning of the next school year."
  9895. 9895.
    >She flips open her notebook and runs her finger along its text
  9896. 9896.
    >"According to Vice Principal Luna, the girls showed interest in performing on stage."
  9897. 9897.
    "Hm."
  9898. 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. 9899.
    "Maybe if you hadn't assumed I was lying, you wouldn't have to find them."
  9900. 9900.
    >"...I thought it was a prank... I mean... there was nothing strange about-"
  9901. 9901.
    >She closes her notebook and looks away
  9902. 9902.
    >"Are you mad? ...of course you're mad..."
  9903. 9903.
    >You exhale slowly
  9904. 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. 9905.
    >"...I-"
  9906. 9906.
    >You feel relieved having voiced your frustration, but Twilight looks more upset than you predicted
  9907. 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. 9908.
    >"What is it?!"
  9909. 9909.
    >She opens up a fresh page and prepares her pencil
  9910. 9910.
    "....Uh."
  9911. 9911.
    >Your brain makes up a bullshit story so quickly that it almost frightens you
  9912. 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. 9913.
    >"Like they go there often?! They live there!? Like their base of operations is there!?"
  9914. 9914.
    >You nod
  9915. 9915.
    "It could be anything, really..."
  9916. 9916.
    >"Oh thank you! THANK you!"
  9917. 9917.
    >She finishes scribbling down your information and pulls on her hair
  9918. 9918.
    >"Finally, a- a lead... I..."
  9919. 9919.
    >Is she about to cry?
  9920. 9920.
    >"I should have come to you sooner, Anonymous."
  9921. 9921.
    >You become nervous that she might start bawling or something
  9922. 9922.
    >But she composes herself, and offers a handshake
  9923. 9923.
    "You're welcome. I hope it helps."
  9924. 9924.
    >You shake her hand and she starts off down the dirt road
  9925. 9925.
    >It's quite a little walk to get into town
  9926. 9926.
    >You consider offering her a ride
  9927. 9927.
    >...but leaving Sonata home alone might end in disaster
  9928. 9928.
    ___
  9929. 9929.
    >In the upstairs hallway, you find Sonata twiddling her thumbs
  9930. 9930.
    >"Anon, who was it?"
  9931. 9931.
    "Uhh... I'll tell you later."
  9932. 9932.
    >After walking past her and entering the guest bedroom, you approach Aria
  9933. 9933.
    >She stands up with defensive posture
  9934. 9934.
    >Expecting a kick, you hold out your hand
  9935. 9935.
    >But she just stares
  9936. 9936.
    >You can't quite imagine what she's thinking
  9937. 9937.
    "You guys didn't by chance hang out at the mall a lot, did you?"
  9938. 9938.
    >"What?"
  9939. 9939.
    >Aria looks to Adagio, but she's looking away as usual
  9940. 9940.
    >"...that's the big building, where shopkeepers all gather together right? We've been there a couple times."
  9941. 9941.
    "Hmm."
  9942. 9942.
    >"Why?"
  9943. 9943.
    >Aria scowls as you run your hands through her hair and try and tidy it up a bit
  9944. 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. 9945.
    >To your surprise, Adagio turns her head, stares blankly, and smiles
  9946. 9946.
    >"And why would you want someone to recognize us?"
  9947. 9947.
    "Because. I just sent someone on a wild goose chase. I feel like an ass."
  9948. 9948.
    >You stare into space and imagine Twilight walking out of the mall, soul crushed and in tears
  9949. 9949.
    >At the very least she can hang onto her hope for a while, right?
  9950. 9950.
    >Talking to everyone working at the mall would be quite the task
  9951. 9951.
    >Once the sirens are all reformed, you can have them show their faces again, but it will surely be a long time
  9952. 9952.
    >"Hey."
  9953. 9953.
    "...what, Aria?"
  9954. 9954.
    >"You're too close."
  9955. 9955.
    >You move in a bit and rest your arm on her shoulder
  9956. 9956.
    >"H-Hey!"
  9957. 9957.
    "Be quiet. I'm thinking."
  9958. 9958.
    >"Think somewhere else! Idiot!"
  9959. 9959.
    >You wait for her to shove you off or something, but she just takes it
  9960. 9960.
    "Hmmm. So, your plans for the school festival are kind of getting out there."
  9961. 9961.
    >Sonata pokes her head into the room, and the prisoners both look at you
  9962. 9962.
    >"...you told someone?"
  9963. 9963.
    "Nope."
  9964. 9964.
    >"Then how could-"
  9965. 9965.
    >Sonata groans when they look straight at her
  9966. 9966.
    >She was the one who told you to begin with
  9967. 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. 9968.
    >"How much do they know?"
  9969. 9969.
    >Aria looks on edge
  9970. 9970.
    >You just smile
  9971. 9971.
    "It doesn't matter. Sorry to say it, but you're all missing the festival."
  9972. 9972.
    >Sonata gasps
  9973. 9973.
    >"But it sounded so fun!"
  9974. 9974.
    "Uh, we'll talk later..."
  9975. 9975.
    >Maybe a disguise or something
  9976. 9976.
    >"Whatever man. We'll get out. And we'll pull it off. We'll do anything it takes."
  9977. 9977.
    "Anything it takes! Haha."
  9978. 9978.
    >"W-what?"
  9979. 9979.
    "Hey, Adagio, want to know what happened last night?"
  9980. 9980.
    >She frowns
  9981. 9981.
    "Aria had an opening to leave the house. I admit it, I was careless; she could have escaped pretty easily."
  9982. 9982.
    >Aria glares
  9983. 9983.
    >"Shut up, man. Shut the hell up."
  9984. 9984.
    "Instead of running, then trying to retrieve the necklaces, guess what she did?"
  9985. 9985.
    >Adagio raises her eyebrows
  9986. 9986.
    "She just stood there and gawked."
  9987. 9987.
    >"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna fucking kill you. Shut. Up."
  9988. 9988.
    "She ignored what was probably her only chance to escape, over some petty grudge against Sonata."
  9989. 9989.
    >Finally, she stomps on your foot
  9990. 9990.
    >Gotta admit, it hurts
  9991. 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. 9992.
    >"Aria."
  9993. 9993.
    >".....huh?"
  9994. 9994.
    >Adagio looks back toward the window and shakes her head
  9995. 9995.
    >Aria's mouth hangs open
  9996. 9996.
    >"But I... he's lyi..."
  9997. 9997.
    "Hey."
  9998. 9998.
    >You whisper into her ear
  9999. 9999.
    "You tried harder this time, huh?"
  10000. 10000.
    >"...what?"
  10001. 10001.
    "Your hair."
  10002. 10002.
    >She recoils, but stays perfectly still as you rub the top of her head
  10003. 10003.
    "Anyway, I hope you two enjoy dwelling on just how hopeless your plans are."
  10004. 10004.
    >While leading Sonata out of the room, you wave
  10005. 10005.
    "And Aria, I'll see you tonight."
  10006. 10006.
    ___
  10007. 10007.
    >You spend most of your time today trying not to think about Twilight
  10008. 10008.
    >There has to be a way to dispel her worries, but you can't decide on anything
  10009. 10009.
    >She'll be fine though, right?
  10010. 10010.
    >It's not like Twilight over-stresses about even the most trivial things
  10011. 10011.
    "Ughh..."
  10012. 10012.
    >Time for another distraction
  10013. 10013.
    "Sonata, where are you?"
  10014. 10014.
    >"TV~!"
  10015. 10015.
    >You head into the living room
  10016. 10016.
    >Some cartoon is on
  10017. 10017.
    "I'm going to check the mail, alright?"
  10018. 10018.
    >"Okay~"
  10019. 10019.
    "Can you do me a favor?"
  10020. 10020.
    >"Of course!"
  10021. 10021.
    >She hops off of the couch and beams
  10022. 10022.
    >This girl's going to blow up your heart
  10023. 10023.
    "Go to my bedroom and get my laptop. Remember what it looks like?"
  10024. 10024.
    >"Uh-huh."
  10025. 10025.
    "Put it on the coffee table for me please."
  10026. 10026.
    >You head outside
  10027. 10027.
    >Your lawn looks... pathetic
  10028. 10028.
    >Needs mowed, weeds are appearing and the hedges look awful
  10029. 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. 10030.
    >It's asking for trouble
  10031. 10031.
    "Huh. Speak of the devil."
  10032. 10032.
    >Inside your mailbox you find the usual junk mail, but on top is an envelope from your mom and dad
  10033. 10033.
    >A phone call would be better, but...
  10034. 10034.
    >You sigh, take it all into your hands and shut the mailbox
  10035. 10035.
    "Wait..."
  10036. 10036.
    >There's something in your peripheral vision
  10037. 10037.
    >Across the dirt road, in-between some trees
  10038. 10038.
    >Something that probably shouldn't be there
  10039. 10039.
    "Oh for fuck's sake."
  10040. 10040.
    >A shovel
  10041. 10041.
    >THE shovel
  10042. 10042.
    >You take it out of the ground and throw it into your shed
  10043. 10043.
    "Talk about a give-away."
  10044. 10044.
    >You never told yourself you were good at this kind of thing
  10045. 10045.
    >But you've sure as hell told the sirens as much
  10046. 10046.
    ___
  10047. 10047.
    "We have more magazines!"
  10048. 10048.
    >"OOH!"
  10049. 10049.
    >Sonata snatches them up
  10050. 10050.
    >You used to throw them away, but she has her fun
  10051. 10051.
    >"It's a fashion one!"
  10052. 10052.
    >Her eyes narrow
  10053. 10053.
    >"...Anon. You probably buy these because of the girls on them."
  10054. 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. 10055.
    >Sonata flips the magazine around, hiding the voluptuous woman on the cover
  10056. 10056.
    >"Good."
  10057. 10057.
    >She gets comfortable on the couch and gawks at the pictures, while you power on your laptop
  10058. 10058.
    >Best to stay online from now on since Twilight doesn't have your number
  10059. 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. 10060.
    "Oh, Sonata."
  10061. 10061.
    >You hold up the envelope
  10062. 10062.
    "We're going to have some money again."
  10063. 10063.
    >"Someone sent you money?"
  10064. 10064.
    "Yeah, my parents."
  10065. 10065.
    >"You can mail things from a different country?"
  10066. 10066.
    >While nodding your head, you rip it open
  10067. 10067.
    >"Hello son."
  10068. 10068.
    >"We hope you're enjoying your time off. And, we wish that we could get some of our own."
  10069. 10069.
    >Yeah...
  10070. 10070.
    >You know...
  10071. 10071.
    >"...government grants... possible promotion... held an award ceremony, where we were thanked..."
  10072. 10072.
    >As usual, it's just a list of things that happened
  10073. 10073.
    >You don't share their interests, so most of it goes over your head
  10074. 10074.
    >The worst part is that even the drama that goes on out there is boring as can be
  10075. 10075.
    "Ughh..."
  10076. 10076.
    >You know you shouldn't, but you scan ahead for a subject change
  10077. 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. 10078.
    >That's it...?
  10079. 10079.
    >Not even a 'we love you' at the bottom
  10080. 10080.
    "..."
  10081. 10081.
    >It's fine
  10082. 10082.
    >They're busy, right?
  10083. 10083.
    >Probably have a lot on their mind
  10084. 10084.
    "Anyway, I was thinking. You've been really good. So I want to treat you."
  10085. 10085.
    >"Treat me?! Like, a doctor?"
  10086. 10086.
    "We- what? No, I mean like get you a special dessert or something."
  10087. 10087.
    >"OOH!"
  10088. 10088.
    "Got something in mind already?"
  10089. 10089.
    >"I DO!"
  10090. 10090.
    >You chuckle
  10091. 10091.
    "What is it?"
  10092. 10092.
    >"Oh my god, oh my god! I'm scared you'll say no!"
  10093. 10093.
    "Just tell me. I'm sure it's fine."
  10094. 10094.
    >"T-T-T-"
  10095. 10095.
    >She grabs hold of your arms
  10096. 10096.
    >"Taco Bell! Please? PLEASE?"
  10097. 10097.
    >Taco...
  10098. 10098.
    >Bell?
  10099. 10099.
    >Fast food is hardly what you had in mind
  10100. 10100.
    "Have you ever been to Taco Bell?"
  10101. 10101.
    >"One time! ONE time, but we didn't go back!"
  10102. 10102.
    "Why not?"
  10103. 10103.
    >She scoffs
  10104. 10104.
    >"Aria got 'sick'. So dramatic..."
  10105. 10105.
    "Are you sure? We can do better than-"
  10106. 10106.
    >"Anon. Please!"
  10107. 10107.
    >She hugs your arm
  10108. 10108.
    >You feel disappointed that your special treat will be no better than buying somebody lunch, but...
  10109. 10109.
    >Maybe it's better this way
  10110. 10110.
    "Okay, okay! Then I'll go get it tomorrow."
  10111. 10111.
    >"Go get it?"
  10112. 10112.
    "Uh-huh. You get to stay home alone for a while. Think you can handle it?"
  10113. 10113.
    >She backs away
  10114. 10114.
    >Maybe it's too much for her right now?
  10115. 10115.
    >She looks upset...
  10116. 10116.
    >"I want to GO to Taco Bell!"
  10117. 10117.
    >...oh
  10118. 10118.
    "Sonata. I can't let people see you."
  10119. 10119.
    >"But, but why? I don't get it."
  10120. 10120.
    "It's-"
  10121. 10121.
    >She pulls away
  10122. 10122.
    >"Are you embarrassed by me?"
  10123. 10123.
    "Sonata, this isn't. Um. How do I say this..."
  10124. 10124.
    >"This isn't what?"
  10125. 10125.
    "...people wouldn't like what I'm doing to you three."
  10126. 10126.
    >"Why? You're just making us good."
  10127. 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. 10128.
    >"So?"
  10129. 10129.
    >Sonata
  10130. 10130.
    >Please...
  10131. 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. 10132.
    >Your heart starts to race
  10133. 10133.
    >It's usually easier to ignore how risky this all is
  10134. 10134.
    >But when you have to admit the realities of the situation...
  10135. 10135.
    "I-"
  10136. 10136.
    >You feel light-headed
  10137. 10137.
    "I'm g-"
  10138. 10138.
    >"Anon? Are you okay?"
  10139. 10139.
    >Standing up, you run a hand over your face and take a deep breath
  10140. 10140.
    >It's too risky
  10141. 10141.
    "I'm sorry. I can't-"
  10142. 10142.
    >"It's okay. Never mind."
  10143. 10143.
    >She's there, beside you
  10144. 10144.
    >"I don't want..."
  10145. 10145.
    >She wraps her arms around your waist
  10146. 10146.
    >"I don't want to be taken away from you."
  10147. 10147.
    "Sonata..."
  10148. 10148.
    >You stand there quietly with her
  10149. 10149.
    >Soon, you feel at ease...
  10150. 10150.
    >And reminded of why you wanted all of this in the first place
  10151. 10151.
    "Sonata."
  10152. 10152.
    >A fast food trip
  10153. 10153.
    >What could happen on a fast food trip
  10154. 10154.
    "Let's..."
  10155. 10155.
    >If you can't even do that much, you don't deserve her
  10156. 10156.
    "Let's go. Tomorrow. Okay?"
  10157. 10157.
    >"...Really?"
  10158. 10158.
    "Yeah. I was overreacting."
  10159. 10159.
    >"Anon, are you sure?"
  10160. 10160.
    "Definitely."
  10161. 10161.
    >This will be fine
  10162. 10162.
    >Just have to be careful
  10163. 10163.
    >In fact, you're getting a little excited
  10164. 10164.
    "Hey, you can order anything you want."
  10165. 10165.
    >"ANYTHING?!"
  10166. 10166.
    "Even if it's too much to eat at once. We can take it home and eat it tomorrow!"
  10167. 10167.
    >"Or-or later that day, if I get hungry?"
  10168. 10168.
    "Haha, of course!"
  10169. 10169.
    >She giggles and pulls you down to the couch
  10170. 10170.
    >Normally she'd lay on top of you
  10171. 10171.
    >But instead she rests your head on her chest and runs her fingers through your hair
  10172. 10172.
    >"Anon. Do you feel all better?"
  10173. 10173.
    "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
  10174. 10174.
    >"Hmmm. Are you sure?"
  10175. 10175.
    "Well I'm a little on edge."
  10176. 10176.
    >"Can't have that~"
  10177. 10177.
    >She wraps her legs around you
  10178. 10178.
    >It feels awkward... but secure
  10179. 10179.
    >Very secure
  10180. 10180.
    >"Just stay with me until you feel good again. Okay?"
  10181. 10181.
    "Okay."
  10182. 10182.
    >She grabs the remote and changes the channel
  10183. 10183.
    >"I'll always be here for you, okay Anon?"
  10184. 10184.
    >Always...
  10185. 10185.
    >You lay there with her as she watches several episodes of some drama series
  10186. 10186.
    >While listening to the sappy exchanges, and listening to Sonata's heartbeat...
  10187. 10187.
    >Every bit of stress inside of you drains away
  10188. 10188.
    ___
  10189. 10189.
    >"Why the hell are you so upbeat?"
  10190. 10190.
    >You carry Aria through the kitchen, humming 'Walking on Sunshine'
  10191. 10191.
    >She makes sure to voice her disgust with you rhythmically patting her butt
  10192. 10192.
    "Because this is all gonna work out."
  10193. 10193.
    >You kick open the door to the punishment room, and then kick it shut
  10194. 10194.
    >"...hey. Wait. Hold up."
  10195. 10195.
    "Yeah?"
  10196. 10196.
    >You drop her in the chair
  10197. 10197.
    >"Listen to me for a second okay?"
  10198. 10198.
    >You kneel before her, press your elbows into her lap and hold up your chin with both hands
  10199. 10199.
    "Alright. You've got thirty seconds."
  10200. 10200.
    >"...ughh. Will you, like, go and. Like. Urghh..."
  10201. 10201.
    >She rolls her eyes
  10202. 10202.
    "Time's ticking. If you want me to touch you somewhere specific, you'd better hurry up."
  10203. 10203.
    >"It's n-SHUT up! It's Adagio. Will you make it right?"
  10204. 10204.
    "What do you mean?"
  10205. 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. 10206.
    >Aria looks pretty worried
  10207. 10207.
    >You wish you could say yes, and go upstairs right now, but you can't
  10208. 10208.
    "Not gonna happen."
  10209. 10209.
    >"What?! Come ON! I asked you nicely and everything! She won't even talk to me. And it's your fuckin' fault."
  10210. 10210.
    "Sounds to me like Adagio's the problem."
  10211. 10211.
    >She waits for you to elaborate
  10212. 10212.
    "Someone messes up, and she just ignores them? What a terrible leader."
  10213. 10213.
    >"You don't know anything..."
  10214. 10214.
    "On the other hand, look at you and me."
  10215. 10215.
    >"What about us?"
  10216. 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. 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. 10218.
    "Is this what you meant by perving out?"
  10219. 10219.
    >You drag the tips of your fingers up her legs
  10220. 10220.
    >Up her sides
  10221. 10221.
    >And press into her arm pits
  10222. 10222.
    >"What the hell... is wrong with you."
  10223. 10223.
    >The harder you poke, the more she squirms around
  10224. 10224.
    >"Knock it off."
  10225. 10225.
    "Does that make you uncomfortable?"
  10226. 10226.
    >"Obviously. Idiot."
  10227. 10227.
    "Well."
  10228. 10228.
    >You back off and stand
  10229. 10229.
    "Not half as uncomfortable as I am, being so close."
  10230. 10230.
    >"Huh?"
  10231. 10231.
    "Did you even wash your body last night?"
  10232. 10232.
    >"....shut up..."
  10233. 10233.
    "When I told you to work on your hair, I didn't mean JUST your hair."
  10234. 10234.
    >"I KNOW that. I don't care. You're not my boss."
  10235. 10235.
    "Have you always been so filthy?"
  10236. 10236.
    >"I'm not. Filthy."
  10237. 10237.
    "I've had pets that smelled better than you."
  10238. 10238.
    >She narrows her eyes and huffs
  10239. 10239.
    >"This is retarded. You think I care about any of this? Well, I don't."
  10240. 10240.
    "It's for your own good. You're not much of a woman if-"
  10241. 10241.
    >"I could attract any boy I wanted, if I had my necklace. So shut up."
  10242. 10242.
    >You can't help but laugh in her face
  10243. 10243.
    "Once again, you prove my point."
  10244. 10244.
    >"What?!"
  10245. 10245.
    "You're saying: since you don't have your necklace, you can't attract any boy you want."
  10246. 10246.
    >"....just."
  10247. 10247.
    >She shuts her eyes tight and hangs her head
  10248. 10248.
    >"...I know you're trying to make me mad. I know this stuff isn't true."
  10249. 10249.
    >She's become quiet
  10250. 10250.
    >You feel a rush, but at the same time, you have an urge to take it all back
  10251. 10251.
    "Well..."
  10252. 10252.
    >You go the desk in the corner and take the pillow you'd prepared
  10253. 10253.
    "You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better."
  10254. 10254.
    >"What? Gonna suffocate me?"
  10255. 10255.
    "Maybe!"
  10256. 10256.
    >You hold it up toward her and she backs away so hard the chair nearly flips
  10257. 10257.
    >Her shock becomes anger when you crack up
  10258. 10258.
    "So-sorry, I couldn't resist."
  10259. 10259.
    >"I wasn't even scared!"
  10260. 10260.
    "Calm down, twin-tails..."
  10261. 10261.
    >You drop the pillow and pick her up, princess style
  10262. 10262.
    >Then sit down on the floor and stare at her
  10263. 10263.
    >"What?"
  10264. 10264.
    "You look terrible."
  10265. 10265.
    >"Kill yourself."
  10266. 10266.
    "Er, I mean,"
  10267. 10267.
    >Her reddened eyes have bags under them
  10268. 10268.
    >She's trembling a bit
  10269. 10269.
    "You've barely slept since you got here, huh?"
  10270. 10270.
    >"Uh-huh, whose fault is that?"
  10271. 10271.
    "Yours. Anyway, I don't want you to croak or something. You might be a prisoner, but eventually-"
  10272. 10272.
    >Er, maybe too soon
  10273. 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. 10274.
    >"She did not... give UP on me... she's just ma-aahhgh!"
  10275. 10275.
    >You lay back, and pull her down onto your chest
  10276. 10276.
    "Plus I dozed off thanks to Sonata and now I'm really sleepy."
  10277. 10277.
    >The punishment room's carpeted floor feels pretty good
  10278. 10278.
    >You yawn and hold her tight
  10279. 10279.
    >To your confusion, she doesn't say anything for a long time
  10280. 10280.
    >Eventually you just assume she's fallen asleep
  10281. 10281.
    >Poor girl
  10282. 10282.
    >But just before you doze off again, she pipes up
  10283. 10283.
    >"Why are you so mean to me?"
  10284. 10284.
    "Huh? I was about to head into dream land..."
  10285. 10285.
    >She sighs
  10286. 10286.
    >"Fine. Go to dream land, idiot."
  10287. 10287.
    "Nah, it's fine. I just think it's kind of a dumb question."
  10288. 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. 10289.
    >You wouldn't say that
  10290. 10290.
    >...
  10291. 10291.
    >Yes you would
  10292. 10292.
    "I give Sonata a lot of leg room because she's proven to me that she wants to be good."
  10293. 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. 10294.
    >Alright, that struck a nerve
  10295. 10295.
    "Sonata didn't ask me to do that."
  10296. 10296.
    >"Then why'd you do it?"
  10297. 10297.
    "To teach an idiot a lesson."
  10298. 10298.
    >"O-Oh yeah! I'm the idiot!"
  10299. 10299.
    >You do your best not to laugh
  10300. 10300.
    "You're always backing me up. Thanks, sweetheart."
  10301. 10301.
    >"Ugh!"
  10302. 10302.
    >She rolls away with an expert evasive maneuver
  10303. 10303.
    >That's what Aria probably wants to think, but she actually just falls off of you
  10304. 10304.
    "Come on, twin-tails."
  10305. 10305.
    >"Stop CALLING me that!"
  10306. 10306.
    >She flops around like a fish out of water
  10307. 10307.
    >"In fact, just stop talking to me! Forever!"
  10308. 10308.
    "Uh."
  10309. 10309.
    >"I don't understand you at ALL."
  10310. 10310.
    "Uh-huh?"
  10311. 10311.
    >"If I'm so fucking gross and disgusting why are you feeling me up?"
  10312. 10312.
    "...Go on..."
  10313. 10313.
    >She looks ready to explode
  10314. 10314.
    >"There IS no more, retard, that's all I had to say!"
  10315. 10315.
    "Oh."
  10316. 10316.
    >You let her anger fester a bit
  10317. 10317.
    >If she wasn't all tied up, maybe she'd be strangling you right now
  10318. 10318.
    >Part of you really wants to know
  10319. 10319.
    >"Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK you, fuck Sonata, go to hell!"
  10320. 10320.
    >Yeah, probably strangling
  10321. 10321.
    "Okay YOU. Need to shut the fuck up."
  10322. 10322.
    >"Fu-wha?"
  10323. 10323.
    >Your tone was harsher than you've ever used with her by far
  10324. 10324.
    >It seems to have been effective
  10325. 10325.
    >While she's just staring, you reach over and roll her beside you
  10326. 10326.
    "You know, after you spat in Sonata's face, she came running to me."
  10327. 10327.
    >"...yeah...?"
  10328. 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. 10329.
    >Aria doesn't swear or make any smart-ass comments
  10330. 10330.
    >She just listens, so you keep going
  10331. 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. 10332.
    >"...but..."
  10333. 10333.
    >You cover her mouth
  10334. 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. 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. 10336.
    "Now go to sleep, Aria. You need it."
  10337. 10337.
    >You shut your eyes
  10338. 10338.
    >The good mood you had has evaporated
  10339. 10339.
    >You focus all of your energy on drifting off to sleep...
  10340. 10340.
    >And pray that she doesn't say anything else
  10341. 10341.
    ___
  10342. 10342.
    >Your back kind of hurts
  10343. 10343.
    >Too used to your fancy bed
  10344. 10344.
    >What time is it?
  10345. 10345.
    >You just stare at nothingness through your pillow and try to guess
  10346. 10346.
    >Has it been a couple of hours?
  10347. 10347.
    >Feels like longer
  10348. 10348.
    "Hey, Aria-"
  10349. 10349.
    >You look over at her and can't help but quiet yourself
  10350. 10350.
    >She's fast asleep, looking far cuter than you've ever seen her
  10351. 10351.
    >Gently breathing, in and out, her mouth hanging open just a bit...
  10352. 10352.
    "Oh boy."
  10353. 10353.
    >Waking her up now would just be too cruel
  10354. 10354.
    >So you lay there and admire how peaceful she is
  10355. 10355.
    "Could have this every night, twin-tails."
  10356. 10356.
    >Hold on, there should be a clock hanging above the door
  10357. 10357.
    "Fuck."
  10358. 10358.
    >9:14 A.M.
  10359. 10359.
    "Alright. Wake up sleepy-head."
  10360. 10360.
    >"..nnnghh.."
  10361. 10361.
    >You shake her a bit
  10362. 10362.
    "You're going back upstairs now."
  10363. 10363.
    >"..ghhnn-no!"
  10364. 10364.
    >Her eyes shoot open
  10365. 10365.
    >"Huh?"
  10366. 10366.
    "How are you feeling?"
  10367. 10367.
    >She looks around and confirms her location
  10368. 10368.
    >"I don't know. Good I guess?"
  10369. 10369.
    >You rub her head as you sit up
  10370. 10370.
    "I'm glad."
  10371. 10371.
    >"Psh..."
  10372. 10372.
    >She watches you carefully as you stretch out your arms and yawn
  10373. 10373.
    "Looks like you enjoyed yourself."
  10374. 10374.
    >....
  10375. 10375.
    >No comeback?
  10376. 10376.
    >Nothing?
  10377. 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. 10378.
    >"What's your point? If you're asking me if I'm going to be your slave now, then no."
  10379. 10379.
    "Okay."
  10380. 10380.
    >You go to scoop her up and she pushes away
  10381. 10381.
    >"Wait!"
  10382. 10382.
    "What?"
  10383. 10383.
    >"Can you just wait?"
  10384. 10384.
    "Uh."
  10385. 10385.
    >"I mean. Weren't you supposed to punish me? All we did was nap."
  10386. 10386.
    >Much more than a nap, actually
  10387. 10387.
    "You're adorable."
  10388. 10388.
    >"...wha?"
  10389. 10389.
    "You want me to touch you that badly? All this time, you were the real pervert."
  10390. 10390.
    >Her face turns red and she frowns
  10391. 10391.
    >"That's not. I mean, I didn't mean that. Okay?"
  10392. 10392.
    "Yeah, I know twin-tails."
  10393. 10393.
    >Her eye twitches
  10394. 10394.
    "Your body's just going 'no more wooden floors, never again'!"
  10395. 10395.
    >"...so..."
  10396. 10396.
    "So?"
  10397. 10397.
    >"Ugh. So are we going to stay here longer or not?"
  10398. 10398.
    >Too cute
  10399. 10399.
    "Do you agree to do everything I say and never use magic to control humans again?"
  10400. 10400.
    >"No."
  10401. 10401.
    "ALL ABOARD THE FLOOR BOARD EXPRESS"
  10402. 10402.
    >You throw her over your shoulder and carry her back up
  10403. 10403.
    >She doesn't say a single word the entire ride
  10404. 10404.
    ___
  10405. 10405.
    >You look for Sonata in the bedroom, but it's empty
  10406. 10406.
    >Did she...
  10407. 10407.
    "Sonata?"
  10408. 10408.
    >Yup
  10409. 10409.
    >Fell asleep watching TV again
  10410. 10410.
    >You turn it off and sit down next to her head
  10411. 10411.
    >"Hey. The day has started."
  10412. 10412.
    >You mash your fingers randomly over your laptop's keys and the screen turns on
  10413. 10413.
    "We've got a trip to m-"
  10414. 10414.
    >A message
  10415. 10415.
    >From...
  10416. 10416.
    >"I interviewed every employee that was at the mall"
  10417. 10417.
    >How could she possibly-
  10418. 10418.
    "That's crazy, Twilight"
  10419. 10419.
    >In no time, she responds
  10420. 10420.
    >"Not crazy, just efficient. I have bad news"
  10421. 10421.
    "Didn't find anything?"
  10422. 10422.
    >"Nothing..."
  10423. 10423.
    >"Anonymous"
  10424. 10424.
    >"I don't know what to do"
  10425. 10425.
    >You feel nauseated
  10426. 10426.
    >Maybe you can work something out?
  10427. 10427.
    >Some other, more elaborate lead that you 'suddenly remember'?
  10428. 10428.
    >But that wouldn't be very believable
  10429. 10429.
    >And the last thing you want is Twilight to get suspicious and snoop around the house
  10430. 10430.
    "I'm not sure what to tell you. I wish there was some way I could help."
  10431. 10431.
    >"Yeah..."
  10432. 10432.
    >"Thank you Anonymous"
  10433. 10433.
    >"I'm going to look around the mall again"
  10434. 10434.
    >"I must have made a mistake"
  10435. 10435.
    >No
  10436. 10436.
    >You didn't...
  10437. 10437.
    "Good luck."
  10438. 10438.
    >You sigh and close your laptop
  10439. 10439.
    "Sonata. Wake up."
  10440. 10440.
    >"Ghnnn..."
  10441. 10441.
    >You gently scratch her forehead
  10442. 10442.
    "Come onnnn."
  10443. 10443.
    >"Ehhh, what, Anon~?"
  10444. 10444.
    "It's morning."
  10445. 10445.
    >"Let me sleep longer~ I was dreaming about you~"
  10446. 10446.
    >Really?
  10447. 10447.
    >She's got to be making that up, right?
  10448. 10448.
    >You smile and ruffle her hair
  10449. 10449.
    "The real me is right here! Now get up, or else I'm going to Taco Bell alone!"
  10450. 10450.
    >She jumps up to her feet and rubs her eyes
  10451. 10451.
    >"Oh! Oh! I forgot! Let's go!"
  10452. 10452.
    "Whoa, we need to get ready first."
  10453. 10453.
    >"What do we gotta do?!"
  10454. 10454.
    "Feed the prisoners, find you something to wear, and- it's been a while since you took a shower, huh?"
  10455. 10455.
    >She pouts
  10456. 10456.
    >"Taco Bell won't care if I smell like a man."
  10457. 10457.
    >You rest your hands on your hips, imitating her
  10458. 10458.
    >It's not long before she gives in
  10459. 10459.
    >"Will you feed them, then?"
  10460. 10460.
    "Sure. Just enjoy your shower."
  10461. 10461.
    >"Okay~"
  10462. 10462.
    >She gets halfway across the room and stops dead in her tracks
  10463. 10463.
    >"Anon..."
  10464. 10464.
    "Yeah?"
  10465. 10465.
    >"I'm kind of sleepy still. I might forget to bring a towel~"
  10466. 10466.
    >Uh...?
  10467. 10467.
    "Just grab one right now?"
  10468. 10468.
    >"....wh... um. Okay."
  10469. 10469.
    >She looks at you with a blank face
  10470. 10470.
    >And then continues on
  10471. 10471.
    >Anyway
  10472. 10472.
    >You're distracted thinking about food for the prisoners
  10473. 10473.
    >Mostly they've been given plain old refried beans
  10474. 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. 10475.
    >You scratch your chin and hum
  10476. 10476.
    >Their breakfast will just have to wait until you get back
  10477. 10477.
    "So then, clothes."
  10478. 10478.
    ___
  10479. 10479.
    >This room is... uncomfortable
  10480. 10480.
    >You were never allowed inside
  10481. 10481.
    >Even with no one stopping you it just feels wrong
  10482. 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. 10483.
    >She has a thing for dressing up as celebrities
  10484. 10484.
    >But absolutely refuses to dye her hair
  10485. 10485.
    >As a result, she has a few-
  10486. 10486.
    "Bingo."
  10487. 10487.
    >A super curly blond wig
  10488. 10488.
    >It looks - and feels - like the real deal
  10489. 10489.
    >That's good enough, you think
  10490. 10490.
    >After all there's very few people who are looking for Sonata to begin with
  10491. 10491.
    >"Anon! Where are you!"
  10492. 10492.
    "In here."
  10493. 10493.
    >She walks in, post-shower, with slightly wet hair and the same clothes as before
  10494. 10494.
    >They need washed again. But more importantly, you need to buy her more clothes
  10495. 10495.
    >"Who lives in here?"
  10496. 10496.
    "My parents used to."
  10497. 10497.
    >"Ohh. Are these your mom's?"
  10498. 10498.
    >She points around at the mess you've made
  10499. 10499.
    "Yeah."
  10500. 10500.
    >"It's one of these!"
  10501. 10501.
    >Oh god
  10502. 10502.
    >Sonata
  10503. 10503.
    >Don't
  10504. 10504.
    "What about it?"
  10505. 10505.
    >"A, uh, b-something."
  10506. 10506.
    "Bra."
  10507. 10507.
    >"Yeah. Some of the girls in the magazine were wearing just bras."
  10508. 10508.
    >You poke at Sonata's nipple through her shirt
  10509. 10509.
    "Why aren't you wearing yours?"
  10510. 10510.
    >"Hee hee, Anon~! That feels weird..."
  10511. 10511.
    "You know you have to wear it today."
  10512. 10512.
    >"...but I don't like it."
  10513. 10513.
    >You shrug
  10514. 10514.
    "Sorry. It's not really an option. Especially with how much you move around."
  10515. 10515.
    >"But Anon."
  10516. 10516.
    >She stomps her foot, demonstrating your point
  10517. 10517.
    >Of course your eyes go straight to them without a single thought
  10518. 10518.
    >"Aria doesn't have to wear one!"
  10519. 10519.
    >You focus all of your heart and soul into not laughing at the poor twin-tails
  10520. 10520.
    >But you fail
  10521. 10521.
    >After nearly falling onto the bed, you manage to calm yourself
  10522. 10522.
    "It's, it's not something to be proud of. I bet she wishes she had to wear one."
  10523. 10523.
    >"As if!"
  10524. 10524.
    "Well in any case, I don't want you to embarrass yourse-"
  10525. 10525.
    >You notice something hanging on the back of the door
  10526. 10526.
    >An old gray hoodie, pretty large
  10527. 10527.
    >Mom used to wear it when it was cold
  10528. 10528.
    "Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to after all."
  10529. 10529.
    >"Really?!"
  10530. 10530.
    "But first, here!"
  10531. 10531.
    >She looks at the wig with skepticism
  10532. 10532.
    >You go straight to stuffing her squeaky hair inside, bit by bit
  10533. 10533.
    >"Heeeeeey..."
  10534. 10534.
    "There."
  10535. 10535.
    >You step back and admire your creation
  10536. 10536.
    >Darling Sonata with huge, super-curly, blond...
  10537. 10537.
    >lumpy hair
  10538. 10538.
    >You pull the hoodie down and help her put it on
  10539. 10539.
    >With the hood covering the back side of the wig it looks more natural
  10540. 10540.
    "I think maybe that's- here, look in the mirror. It's good, right?"
  10541. 10541.
    >She plays with the curls and turns her head to examine herself from different angles
  10542. 10542.
    >The over-sized clothing and wild eye-covering hair make her look like some kind of basement dwelling nerd
  10543. 10543.
    >There's no nerdy activities you can imagine Sonata taking part in, though
  10544. 10544.
    >"Anon. Do you like girls who look like this?"
  10545. 10545.
    "I don't really know anyone who'd dress like this. But it's cute in its own way."
  10546. 10546.
    >She looks like a terrible cosplayer
  10547. 10547.
    >You grab her by the sides and gently shake her
  10548. 10548.
    >Jiggling is now at a more acceptable amount
  10549. 10549.
    "That should work I guess. Let's get out of here."
  10550. 10550.
    >"We can go already?!"
  10551. 10551.
    "To be honest, I want to get this over with."
  10552. 10552.
    >Probably shouldn't have said that out loud
  10553. 10553.
    >Even if Sonata doesn't seem phased by it
  10554. 10554.
    >She's holding your hands and bouncing up and down, all over a lousy fast food trip
  10555. 10555.
    >It's not as impressive as the daydreams you used to have, but if she enjoys it, that's all that matters
  10556. 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. 10557.
    >"Sure!"
  10558. 10558.
    ___
  10559. 10559.
    Twenty-five minutes in, Sonata has lost patience
  10560. 10560.
    >She's stuffing her face into the window and whining
  10561. 10561.
    >"Whyyyy are we going so far? You passed it like twenty minutes agooo."
  10562. 10562.
    "I told you. That Taco Bell is in the. Er, danger zone."
  10563. 10563.
    >It's right around the mall, not to mention the school
  10564. 10564.
    >You'd either bump into Twilight, or one of her friends as they return from a summer club activity or something
  10565. 10565.
    "Try to have a little patience."
  10566. 10566.
    >"Uuuughhhhhh. "
  10567. 10567.
    >You take your eyes off the road for a second and watch as Sonata's face slides down the glass
  10568. 10568.
    >If not for her seat belt, she would have slammed into the glovebox
  10569. 10569.
    >She huffs and crosses her arms
  10570. 10570.
    >"It's going to take ten years to get there. Why are you so scared of that girl?"
  10571. 10571.
    "I'm not scared of her. She's-"
  10572. 10572.
    >"Then whyyyy?"
  10573. 10573.
    "She's very smart. If we run into her, she'll put two and two together and-"
  10574. 10574.
    >"Ohh, so she's smart? Is she pretty too? Do you just have a crush on her?"
  10575. 10575.
    >This is really starting to piss you off
  10576. 10576.
    "I'm worried about you."
  10577. 10577.
    >"Then why are you doing the opposite of what I want?"
  10578. 10578.
    "...Sona-"
  10579. 10579.
    >You go to comfort her, but something stops you:
  10580. 10580.
    >Aria's words from last night
  10581. 10581.
    >Though it seems natural to treat Sonata with kindness now that she's loyal to you... perhaps Aria had a good point
  10582. 10582.
    "Sonata. This needs to-"
  10583. 10583.
    >You realize you've waited too long to start slowing down
  10584. 10584.
    >The limit line is right in front of you before you know it
  10585. 10585.
    "Fuck!"
  10586. 10586.
    >Squeezing the steering wheel, you hit the breaks
  10587. 10587.
    >The car comes to a violent stop; the seat belts dig into your bodies
  10588. 10588.
    >and a truck passes by you from the right
  10589. 10589.
    >Holy shit
  10590. 10590.
    "...Sonata."
  10591. 10591.
    >"Huh?"
  10592. 10592.
    "You need to stop."
  10593. 10593.
    >"What?"
  10594. 10594.
    >She points at the stop sign and you grunt
  10595. 10595.
    "I mean you need to stop talking. I told you. I'm a shitty driver as it is. I need to concentrate."
  10596. 10596.
    >"Oh..."
  10597. 10597.
    >No one is behind you, so you take a moment to calm your nerves
  10598. 10598.
    >Sonata watches you rub your temples
  10599. 10599.
    "Okay. Okay. We're good, we're good."
  10600. 10600.
    >Your shaky hands take the wheel and you turn right
  10601. 10601.
    >Taco Bell's pretty close by now anyway
  10602. 10602.
    >All you want is to get there and lay your head down
  10603. 10603.
    >...you didn't almost crash
  10604. 10604.
    >Right?
  10605. 10605.
    >You would have stopped no matter what
  10606. 10606.
    >...
  10607. 10607.
    >No
  10608. 10608.
    >Don't kid yourself
  10609. 10609.
    >This is important
  10610. 10610.
    "Oh thank God."
  10611. 10611.
    >You're filled with relief as a certain warmly colored bell pops into your view
  10612. 10612.
    >You pull in and sigh happily as you park
  10613. 10613.
    >It seems like Sonata's excitement would have peaked here
  10614. 10614.
    >However she just sits there and stares, fidgeting with her jacket pockets
  10615. 10615.
    "Do you understand what just happened?"
  10616. 10616.
    >"Um..."
  10617. 10617.
    "You're not familiar with driving. Right?"
  10618. 10618.
    >"Not really."
  10619. 10619.
    "We could have died."
  10620. 10620.
    >"Wh-what?!"
  10621. 10621.
    >You tap your fingers on the dash and nod your head
  10622. 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. 10623.
    >"That's crazy. Are you sure?"
  10624. 10624.
    "Yes. That kind of thing happens every day."
  10625. 10625.
    >She suddenly looks very upset
  10626. 10626.
    >In hindsight, you should have lectured her about the road before taking off
  10627. 10627.
    >She unbuckles herself and slumps down into the bottom of her seat
  10628. 10628.
    >"I really messed up, didn't I?"
  10629. 10629.
    "Sonata..."
  10630. 10630.
    >You reach over to pet her head, but stop yourself again
  10631. 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. 10632.
    >"Uhhh... I-"
  10633. 10633.
    "Understood?"
  10634. 10634.
    >"Y-Yes, Anon."
  10635. 10635.
    >She's jumped back up into the seat proper
  10636. 10636.
    >Stiff as a board
  10637. 10637.
    >This... feels shitty
  10638. 10638.
    >You open the door, pull yourself out and close it
  10639. 10639.
    >After a little delay Sonata sheepishly does the same
  10640. 10640.
    >There are quite a few cars here despite how early it is
  10641. 10641.
    >Anxiety starts to build, but you remind yourself that nobody here knows who she is
  10642. 10642.
    >Nobody here cares
  10643. 10643.
    >You're just some high schooler hanging out with his weird girlfriend
  10644. 10644.
    "Are you ready?"
  10645. 10645.
    >"Um... uh-huh."
  10646. 10646.
    >She's practically hiding behind the car
  10647. 10647.
    >Is she afraid of you? Like... those first four days?
  10648. 10648.
    "Come here, Sonata."
  10649. 10649.
    >She slowly walks over to your side
  10650. 10650.
    >God damn it
  10651. 10651.
    >This isn't what you wanted today
  10652. 10652.
    "Stop... please."
  10653. 10653.
    >"What? What did I do, Anon?"
  10654. 10654.
    "I mean, please don't be nervous."
  10655. 10655.
    >"...s-sorry."
  10656. 10656.
    >She's keeping a bit of distance from you
  10657. 10657.
    >You reach over and pull her into a one-armed hug
  10658. 10658.
    "Hey. I'm sorry. I brought you here to have fun. I was just stressed out is all."
  10659. 10659.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  10660. 10660.
    "This is a treat. Let's relax, okay?"
  10661. 10661.
    >"Okay."
  10662. 10662.
    >Brushing the fake hair out of her eyes, you smile
  10663. 10663.
    >She smiles back
  10664. 10664.
    >That's more like it
  10665. 10665.
    >Unexpectedly, she takes off
  10666. 10666.
    "Whoa!"
  10667. 10667.
    >A guy almost hits her with the door
  10668. 10668.
    >The dirty look he gives her would upset you if Sonata didn't deserve it so much
  10669. 10669.
    >"C'mon!"
  10670. 10670.
    "Okay, okay!"
  10671. 10671.
    ___
  10672. 10672.
    >The air conditioning
  10673. 10673.
    >That pop music
  10674. 10674.
    >This smell that has defined most of your high school lunch breaks
  10675. 10675.
    >Now you're glad Sonata's so easily pleased
  10676. 10676.
    >Some expensive restaurant would have just made you more tense
  10677. 10677.
    >You rest against the wall and watch her gawk at the menu
  10678. 10678.
    >Every now and then she looks over to you, smiles, and looks up again
  10679. 10679.
    >Her being indecisive doesn't really surprise you at all
  10680. 10680.
    "So. Any ideas?"
  10681. 10681.
    >"There's. So. Much. Food."
  10682. 10682.
    "Yeah, look at all those number orders-"
  10683. 10683.
    >"And all those sections that are just WORDS!"
  10684. 10684.
    "Crazy, right?"
  10685. 10685.
    >There's no one in front of you, so you decide to give her some ideas
  10686. 10686.
    "You like tacos a lot. True or false?"
  10687. 10687.
    >"Uhhh! Tuh-RUUUE!"
  10688. 10688.
    "How about buying the five dollar box?"
  10689. 10689.
    >"The whuh?"
  10690. 10690.
    >You point her up to the left
  10691. 10691.
    "It comes with a hard taco, a burrito supreme, a "Bacon Club Chalupa"-"
  10692. 10692.
    >"b-bacon!?"
  10693. 10693.
    "And it comes with a drink of course."
  10694. 10694.
    >"Okay! That! Please! I want it! I gotta have it!"
  10695. 10695.
    "Are you sure?"
  10696. 10696.
    >"WAIT."
  10697. 10697.
    >She grabs the sides of her head and looks up to the middle of the menu
  10698. 10698.
    >"Am I reading that right?! A taco. Plus. A Dorito?"
  10699. 10699.
    "Ooh! That is a thing now, isn't it? Want to try it?"
  10700. 10700.
    >She pulls you over and hugs you tight
  10701. 10701.
    >"YES!"
  10702. 10702.
    >Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look up at the cashier
  10703. 10703.
    >She's giving you two a sweet but awkward smile
  10704. 10704.
    "We're ready. I think."
  10705. 10705.
    >"Wait, I changed my mind again. I need the bacon."
  10706. 10706.
    "Honey, you can just get both."
  10707. 10707.
    >"Ho...ney...?"
  10708. 10708.
    >You sort of drag Sonata a step forward and dig out your wallet
  10709. 10709.
    "We'll take the five dollar box, two dorito locos tacos, a medium drink and two soft tacos."
  10710. 10710.
    >You go through the motions of paying
  10711. 10711.
    >The cashier appears to be holding back laughter the entire time
  10712. 10712.
    >Probably because Sonata hugs you up until the cups are presented, and then snatches them right up
  10713. 10713.
    >"I love this part! You get to fill it up yourself~"
  10714. 10714.
    "I know~"
  10715. 10715.
    >She runs over to the soda machines
  10716. 10716.
    >"You two are adorable."
  10717. 10717.
    "...Uhhhh. We, we um."
  10718. 10718.
    >The cashier giggles
  10719. 10719.
    >"Oh, let me guess, you're just friends right? Teenage boys, I swear."
  10720. 10720.
    >You just smile like an idiot and hope you aren't blushing
  10721. 10721.
    >A man and woman walk through the front door and the cashier gestures toward Sonata
  10722. 10722.
    >"I hope you two enjoy your food!"
  10723. 10723.
    "...you too."
  10724. 10724.
    >Smashing your hands into your face at the soda machine, you sigh
  10725. 10725.
    >Blondie's doing her best to get the lid onto her cup
  10726. 10726.
    >In her defense, it's a pretty new concept for her
  10727. 10727.
    "Here."
  10728. 10728.
    >You snap it on
  10729. 10729.
    >"Thank yoooou~"
  10730. 10730.
    >There's a lot of flavors these days
  10731. 10731.
    >Maybe you should be adventurous and try something new?
  10732. 10732.
    >...Nah, Pepsi as usual
  10733. 10733.
    >She watches mere inches from your cup as you fill it up
  10734. 10734.
    >"Why are you doing it like that?"
  10735. 10735.
    "Tilting the cup makes it less foamy."
  10736. 10736.
    >"Ohhh. Neato."
  10737. 10737.
    >After you've both got your straws, Sonata hops over to the sauces
  10738. 10738.
    "Do you like it hot?"
  10739. 10739.
    >"I like it... I... like it..."
  10740. 10740.
    >She's just staring at the sauce packets
  10741. 10741.
    >The couple that walked in earlier has already seated themselves, and here you are doing this
  10742. 10742.
    "Do you want some? Or-"
  10743. 10743.
    >She stuffs her hands into two separate pools
  10744. 10744.
    >"A-Ahhhh~ It feels so nice..."
  10745. 10745.
    "Uhh."
  10746. 10746.
    >The packets mound around her wrists as she wiggles her hands
  10747. 10747.
    >"Anon."
  10748. 10748.
    "Yeah?"
  10749. 10749.
    >"I. Love. Taco. Bell."
  10750. 10750.
    ___
  10751. 10751.
    >She bounces in her chair as you return with the order
  10752. 10752.
    >As soon as the trays are on the table she attacks
  10753. 10753.
    "Don't choke!"
  10754. 10754.
    >"Ih woghn't!"
  10755. 10755.
    >After every bite she shuts her eyes and moans in pleasure
  10756. 10756.
    >It's quiet enough to where no one should be able to hear, but loud enough to embarrass you anyway
  10757. 10757.
    >And kind of turn you on
  10758. 10758.
    >Oh boy
  10759. 10759.
    >"Anaghn?"
  10760. 10760.
    >She swallows
  10761. 10761.
    >"You didn't order very much food. Are you okay?"
  10762. 10762.
    "Yeah, I'm just pacing myself is all."
  10763. 10763.
    >You also aren't as big an eater as she is
  10764. 10764.
    >"Did I order too much? I took up all the money, didn't I?"
  10765. 10765.
    "No no, don't worry. We have plenty of money."
  10766. 10766.
    >She smiles and goes back to stuffing her face
  10767. 10767.
    >You take the moment in
  10768. 10768.
    >She's so excited. You were able to make her happy
  10769. 10769.
    >It feels amazing
  10770. 10770.
    >"Oh. And Anon?"
  10771. 10771.
    "Yeah?"
  10772. 10772.
    >"My heart got all dizzy when you called me that..."
  10773. 10773.
    >Dizzy?
  10774. 10774.
    >Is that good or bad?
  10775. 10775.
    >"You should call me it more often~"
  10776. 10776.
    >Oh, it's good
  10777. 10777.
    >You smile and unwrap your soft taco
  10778. 10778.
    "Okay, honey."
  10779. 10779.
    >"Hmmhmmmm~"
  10780. 10780.
    >She gently kicks at your legs from under the table
  10781. 10781.
    >There exists no better way to start a morning than this, you decide
  10782. 10782.
    >Sitting here with her, not a worry in the world
  10783. 10783.
    >It's blissful
  10784. 10784.
    >Until you see something out of the corner of your eye
  10785. 10785.
    "...oh God."
  10786. 10786.
    >"Hm?"
  10787. 10787.
    >The side door to the right opens up
  10788. 10788.
    >A girl in tall brown boots, a denim skirt and a hat walks in
  10789. 10789.
    >You're almost certain she's Twilight's friend
  10790. 10790.
    "Oh man."
  10791. 10791.
    >"...so that's why you chose this wig."
  10792. 10792.
    "What?"
  10793. 10793.
    >Sonata's crossing her arms and looking over her shoulder
  10794. 10794.
    >Turning to follow the girl as she makes her way to the counter
  10795. 10795.
    "It's not like that. She knows the girl we're avoiding."
  10796. 10796.
    >"Uh-huh."
  10797. 10797.
    >After a tense pause, Sonata turns to you and smiles
  10798. 10798.
    >"It'll be fine. Stay calm and hand me some napkins~"
  10799. 10799.
    >She's right
  10800. 10800.
    >Twilight's friend has seen you all of once
  10801. 10801.
    >Probably wouldn't even recognize you
  10802. 10802.
    >You grab the small stack of napkins and place them into Sonata's hand
  10803. 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. 10804.
    >"This reminds me of the latest episode of All Around Familiar!"
  10805. 10805.
    >After taking a glance at Twilight's friend, she leans in a bit and lowers her voice
  10806. 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. 10807.
    >You nod your head, and sneak a peek at the cowgirl now and then as she orders her food
  10808. 10808.
    >"...and when he's putting ketchup on his hot dog he squeezes too hard and..."
  10809. 10809.
    >They gave her a cup
  10810. 10810.
    >She's about to circle around
  10811. 10811.
    >Why did you have to sit here?
  10812. 10812.
    >"...even the hot dog stand guy is staring at her boobs. Kind of like you, right now. With that floozy."
  10813. 10813.
    "Uhh."
  10814. 10814.
    >Your eyes snap back to Sonata
  10815. 10815.
    >She's got her cheeks puffed up
  10816. 10816.
    "Sorry. I was listening. Ketchup all over shirt, right?"
  10817. 10817.
    >"Mmmhmm. And then he said sorry over and over, got a bunch of napkins and..."
  10818. 10818.
    >Here she comes
  10819. 10819.
    >Don't look at her
  10820. 10820.
    >Look at Sonata
  10821. 10821.
    >There we go
  10822. 10822.
    >Just let her pass
  10823. 10823.
    >Better hold still, too
  10824. 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. 10825.
    >Your heart skips a beat as the cowgirl's ass enters your vision
  10826. 10826.
    >She's as close as she can get
  10827. 10827.
    >"...he says, 'whaddo y'all think ah ahm? Sum kinda inbred hick?' whatever THAT means! Haha!"
  10828. 10828.
    >Time seems to slow down
  10829. 10829.
    >The girl turns to face Sonata, with an eyebrow firmly raised
  10830. 10830.
    >Several seconds pass by as you try to decide on your next move
  10831. 10831.
    >Slide under the table?
  10832. 10832.
    >Run for it?
  10833. 10833.
    >Put on a southern accent and pretend to be offended?
  10834. 10834.
    >You cover your mouth and groan
  10835. 10835.
    >"Anonymous?"
  10836. 10836.
    >...
  10837. 10837.
    >"Is that you?"
  10838. 10838.
    >You look up
  10839. 10839.
    >Her offense seems to have faded
  10840. 10840.
    >"Ya go to Canterlot High, right?"
  10841. 10841.
    "That's me, yeah."
  10842. 10842.
    >She sighs and looks around awkwardly
  10843. 10843.
    >"Ah heard what's been goin' on while ah was away."
  10844. 10844.
    "Oh?"
  10845. 10845.
    >"Yeah. Uhhh. Reckon ah owe you an apology-"
  10846. 10846.
    "That's not necessary."
  10847. 10847.
    >She squeezes her soda cup and scratches the back of her neck
  10848. 10848.
    >"Ah was actually supposed to message you. Ah'm not too good with the computers though. Ya know..."
  10849. 10849.
    "Ehheh."
  10850. 10850.
    >"Mind if ah sit here a bit?"
  10851. 10851.
    >Sonata springs out of her chair, points at it, and then scurries over to your side
  10852. 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. 10853.
    "Not a word."
  10854. 10854.
    >Then you clear your throat and look to AJ
  10855. 10855.
    "...feel free."
  10856. 10856.
    >The cowgirl sits and, after waiting for Sonata to pull her food across the table, sets her drink down
  10857. 10857.
    "It's. Uh. Apple..."
  10858. 10858.
    >"Applejack."
  10859. 10859.
    "Yeah. Sorry, I-"
  10860. 10860.
    >"Don't worry none. Ah only remember yers 'cause Twilight's mentioned ya over an' over lately."
  10861. 10861.
    "Really?"
  10862. 10862.
    >AJ takes a sip of her soda
  10863. 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. 10864.
    "Oh."
  10865. 10865.
    >"...anyway. Er. What ah was sayin'..."
  10866. 10866.
    >She takes a deep breath and rubs her nose
  10867. 10867.
    >"Truth be told, Twilight asked me to do this."
  10868. 10868.
    "Did she?"
  10869. 10869.
    >"Yup. Ah mean, you might've been right, but- erm-"
  10870. 10870.
    "You don't owe me an apology. There was no reason for you guys to believe me."
  10871. 10871.
    >She nods
  10872. 10872.
    >"Twilight's got me all stressed out. She called what happened an 'injustice' toward you."
  10873. 10873.
    "Whoa! That's a bit much."
  10874. 10874.
    >AJ beams and throws her hands up into the air
  10875. 10875.
    >"Tell me about it! Every little thang is the end of the world for that poor girl."
  10876. 10876.
    >Maybe you can end this quickly
  10877. 10877.
    "Yeah. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
  10878. 10878.
    >She seems to get a bit more comfortable
  10879. 10879.
    >They call out a number and she heads to the front
  10880. 10880.
    >She returns with four hard-shelled tacos and some nachos
  10881. 10881.
    >You try your best to calm down and just wait for AJ to leave
  10882. 10882.
    >All goes well for a few minutes
  10883. 10883.
    >But the voice to your side - which is usually like music to your ears - irritates you like nails on a chalkboard
  10884. 10884.
    >"You're pretty."
  10885. 10885.
    >AJ's eyes open wide
  10886. 10886.
    >"Errrr. Thanks?"
  10887. 10887.
    >"Isn't she pretty, Anon?"
  10888. 10888.
    >Good lord
  10889. 10889.
    >This is the most obvious trick question you've ever heard
  10890. 10890.
    >Yet you have no idea how to answer
  10891. 10891.
    >So you just smile and shrug
  10892. 10892.
    >"Yes or no, silly~"
  10893. 10893.
    >Urk
  10894. 10894.
    "Sure, she's pretty."
  10895. 10895.
    >Sonata tugs on the bottom of your shirt
  10896. 10896.
    >What was she expecting?
  10897. 10897.
    >"Anyways. Who might this girl be, Anonymous?"
  10898. 10898.
    "She's. My... cousin."
  10899. 10899.
    >"Oh really?"
  10900. 10900.
    "Yeah. She's kind of a handful."
  10901. 10901.
    >She tugs even harder
  10902. 10902.
    >"Nice to meet you, miss..."
  10903. 10903.
    >AJ holds out her hand, but Sonata just stares down at the table
  10904. 10904.
    "Hey..."
  10905. 10905.
    >You nudge her. She doesn't respond
  10906. 10906.
    "...her name is Bella."
  10907. 10907.
    >Unsurprisingly, AJ looks confused
  10908. 10908.
    >She lowers her hand and goes back to her food
  10909. 10909.
    "She's visiting right now."
  10910. 10910.
    >"Ah..."
  10911. 10911.
    >The table falls silent
  10912. 10912.
    >After a while you hear wrappers crumpling
  10913. 10913.
    >You look up and find that AJ has somehow already finished her order
  10914. 10914.
    >Her eyes meet yours and she grins
  10915. 10915.
    >"Anyhow, I should probably git goin'-"
  10916. 10916.
    >"I'm not just visiting."
  10917. 10917.
    >"...excuse me?"
  10918. 10918.
    >"I live with Anon."
  10919. 10919.
    >Sonata
  10920. 10920.
    >What the fuck
  10921. 10921.
    >"Uhh. That's nice. Why'd ya say otherwise, Anonymous?"
  10922. 10922.
    >"We spend a LOT of time together."
  10923. 10923.
    >"...uh-huh?"
  10924. 10924.
    >"In fact. We share the same-"
  10925. 10925.
    "Bella."
  10926. 10926.
    >"...we-"
  10927. 10927.
    >She hugs your arm
  10928. 10928.
    >"...we're together. I'm his girlfriend."
  10929. 10929.
    "BELLA."
  10930. 10930.
    >Both girls jump
  10931. 10931.
    >Sonata backs away and puts her hands on her head
  10932. 10932.
    >"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
  10933. 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. 10934.
    >For half a minute the three of you sit quietly
  10935. 10935.
    >Finally, she speaks
  10936. 10936.
    >"Anonymous, can ah talk to you outside?"
  10937. 10937.
    ___
  10938. 10938.
    >She knows
  10939. 10939.
    >She's not stupid
  10940. 10940.
    >Just southern
  10941. 10941.
    >Wait, that's fucked up
  10942. 10942.
    >Can't control racing thoughts
  10943. 10943.
    >She's not even looking at you
  10944. 10944.
    >Her eyes are on the passing cars
  10945. 10945.
    >"So."
  10946. 10946.
    "So!?"
  10947. 10947.
    >Too loud, calm down
  10948. 10948.
    >"...So. You an' that girl are dating..."
  10949. 10949.
    "Uh."
  10950. 10950.
    >Can't really deny it now
  10951. 10951.
    "Yeah. I didn't want it to get out there."
  10952. 10952.
    >"Because yer livin' together."
  10953. 10953.
    "Y-Yeah?"
  10954. 10954.
    >"Alone."
  10955. 10955.
    "I guess you've heard that my parents are out of the country."
  10956. 10956.
    >She pulls down on the front of her hat
  10957. 10957.
    >"An' will be for a while."
  10958. 10958.
    "...yeah?"
  10959. 10959.
    >She shakes her head
  10960. 10960.
    >Wait
  10961. 10961.
    >That can't seriously be why she asked you to step outside, right?
  10962. 10962.
    "Is that a problem?"
  10963. 10963.
    >She spits into gutter
  10964. 10964.
    >With balled fists pressed into her hips, she frowns at you
  10965. 10965.
    >"Yer parents never teach ya anything? Or are ya playin' dumb?"
  10966. 10966.
    "Both of those sound like bad answers-"
  10967. 10967.
    >"She pregnant?"
  10968. 10968.
    >Your jaw drops
  10969. 10969.
    "Does she... look pregnant?"
  10970. 10970.
    >"Jus' tell me the truth, Anonymous."
  10971. 10971.
    >Her nose is scrunched up and her eyes could turn you to stone
  10972. 10972.
    >It's like being lectured by mom, but ten times as fucking weird
  10973. 10973.
    "What in the hell makes you think she's pregnant?!"
  10974. 10974.
    >"Ohh ah don't know. Maybe her eatin' three times as much food as you?"
  10975. 10975.
    "That's not quite-"
  10976. 10976.
    >"Ah saw her take yer taco!"
  10977. 10977.
    "Well."
  10978. 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. 10979.
    "Apple. Jack. Could you just..."
  10980. 10980.
    >You lean against the wall, and slowly fall to the filthy sidewalk
  10981. 10981.
    >She gets down on her knees in front of you
  10982. 10982.
    >"Ah'm right."
  10983. 10983.
    "...let's pretend you were. What is your point?"
  10984. 10984.
    >She smiles
  10985. 10985.
    >"That's the first step. Bein' honest about it. No reason to try an' avoid it."
  10986. 10986.
    "Get to the point."
  10987. 10987.
    >"Alright, alright."
  10988. 10988.
    >She gives you a few good pats on the shoulder and then pushes her hat higher up onto her head again
  10989. 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. 10990.
    "Go on."
  10991. 10991.
    >"The time commitment. The stigma. The never-endin', unforeseen costs. An' fer God's sake, ya ain't even graduated yet."
  10992. 10992.
    "True..."
  10993. 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. 10994.
    "Like?"
  10995. 10995.
    >"Like when her water breaks. Ya'll could be doin' anything and WHAM, yer entire day's plans are out the window."
  10996. 10996.
    >It's as if her voice moves further away
  10997. 10997.
    >With it drowned out by the sound of traffic, your eyes focus on the buildings behind her
  10998. 10998.
    >You just need a moment to sort your thoughts
  10999. 10999.
    >But she keeps going and going
  11000. 11000.
    >Like some kind of after school special
  11001. 11001.
    >Health insurance, baby food, clothes
  11002. 11002.
    >Pre-school, play dates, diapers
  11003. 11003.
    >Birthday parties, presents, second pregnancy
  11004. 11004.
    >Best stop her before she gets to the teenage years
  11005. 11005.
    >You wave your hand to silence her and stand up
  11006. 11006.
    >But just as you open your mouth to speak, the door opens
  11007. 11007.
    >Sonata peers around its edge, apparently unaware of its transparency
  11008. 11008.
    >"...Anyway. Ah said what ah needed to."
  11009. 11009.
    "Uh-huh."
  11010. 11010.
    >You extend your hand
  11011. 11011.
    >She takes it, and you pull her up
  11012. 11012.
    >"Jus' think about it, alright?"
  11013. 11013.
    "I will."
  11014. 11014.
    >Her warm smile doesn't make you feel better
  11015. 11015.
    >It makes your stomach turn
  11016. 11016.
    >"Ah'll be seein' ya. An' you too... Bella."
  11017. 11017.
    >She walks back inside, and Sonata lets the door close
  11018. 11018.
    >Then, she stares at you
  11019. 11019.
    >From behind that goofy, unruly blond hair
  11020. 11020.
    >"Anon."
  11021. 11021.
    "Yeah?"
  11022. 11022.
    >She takes one little step forward
  11023. 11023.
    >"I'm really. Really. REALLY. Really sorry."
  11024. 11024.
    "Just-"
  11025. 11025.
    >"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."
  11026. 11026.
    >As if that lecture weren't gut wrenching enough
  11027. 11027.
    >Now Sonata's back to this scared-shitless state
  11028. 11028.
    >Acting as if she doesn't even want to be around you
  11029. 11029.
    >You almost let Aria's words stop you again
  11030. 11030.
    >But fuck Aria
  11031. 11031.
    "Come here."
  11032. 11032.
    >You pull her into a hug, and rest your chin on top of the lumpy wig
  11033. 11033.
    >Her arms just dangle by her sides
  11034. 11034.
    "I'm not mad."
  11035. 11035.
    >"Y-You aren't?"
  11036. 11036.
    "Just tell me why you told her what you did."
  11037. 11037.
    >"Uhhhm. Uh... I don't know why..."
  11038. 11038.
    "I think you do, Sonata."
  11039. 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. 11040.
    >She goes quiet
  11041. 11041.
    >Getting her implication, you pull away, look at her eye to eye, and lower your voice
  11042. 11042.
    "I feel the same way. I never intended for you to be a slave forever."
  11043. 11043.
    >"Huh?!"
  11044. 11044.
    "I thought it was the only way... and... with how risky the situation is..."
  11045. 11045.
    >"Anon?"
  11046. 11046.
    "What I really want someday is for you to be my w-"
  11047. 11047.
    >Urgh
  11048. 11048.
    >"w-wig wearing girlfriend."
  11049. 11049.
    >She smiles ear to ear and shakes her head
  11050. 11050.
    >Air shoots out of her nose as she suppresses an excited giggle
  11051. 11051.
    >"Anon... Anon, Anon, Anon!"
  11052. 11052.
    >She wraps her arms tightly around you
  11053. 11053.
    >"Anon! I-"
  11054. 11054.
    >It gets tighter
  11055. 11055.
    >And tighter
  11056. 11056.
    >It's sort of hard to breathe
  11057. 11057.
    >"I'm. So. Happy!"
  11058. 11058.
    >As she rubs her face all over your chest like an affectionate cat, your emotions start to normalize
  11059. 11059.
    "Me too. But hey."
  11060. 11060.
    >"Yeah?"
  11061. 11061.
    "Don't repeat any of that to Aria or the hairball, alright?"
  11062. 11062.
    >"I can't tell them?"
  11063. 11063.
    "It could mess up their punishment."
  11064. 11064.
    >She sighs, but goes right back to her rubbing
  11065. 11065.
    >"I won't tell them!"
  11066. 11066.
    "Good. I mean... thank you."
  11067. 11067.
    >In the parking lot, you catch a glimpse of Applejack as she walks back to her truck
  11068. 11068.
    >As disastrous as this encounter felt, it could amount to nothing in the long run
  11069. 11069.
    >She's not one to gossip, and you probably won't so much as speak to her again
  11070. 11070.
    >...Yeah
  11071. 11071.
    >The only thing you need to worry about is the girl putting on the most disgustingly adorable PDA ever right now
  11072. 11072.
    "I know you ate my taco by the way."
  11073. 11073.
    >"...Sorry!"
  11074. 11074.
    "It's fine. We're going to stop somewhere else on our way home, anyway."
  11075. 11075.
    >"Where are we going?"
  11076. 11076.
    >You lead her back inside
  11077. 11077.
    "You won't want anything after you finish all the food you got here."
  11078. 11078.
    >"You don't know that!"
  11079. 11079.
    "Pfft. In any case, you'll see."
  11080. 11080.
    ___
  11081. 11081.
    >Your mood could not be any better
  11082. 11082.
    >On the ride back, Sonata was happier than you've ever seen her
  11083. 11083.
    >Going on about the things she likes about you
  11084. 11084.
    >Before today it was hard to think of many positive things about yourself
  11085. 11085.
    >But having a beautiful girl come up with over ten?
  11086. 11086.
    >Can't stop smiling
  11087. 11087.
    >You pop up from the top step humming and tapping the bowls and bag in your hands
  11088. 11088.
    "Walkin' on Sunshiiiine~"
  11089. 11089.
    >To your delight, the musical entrance earns a roll of Aria's eyes
  11090. 11090.
    >Adagio just stares
  11091. 11091.
    "Hey. Ready to eat?"
  11092. 11092.
    >Aria sighs
  11093. 11093.
    >"Took you long enough."
  11094. 11094.
    "Ooh. Don't get too entitled now, little miss prisoner."
  11095. 11095.
    >You sit between the two, and place the bag into your lap
  11096. 11096.
    >And on either side of you, a bowl of slightly cold refried beans
  11097. 11097.
    "Eat up."
  11098. 11098.
    >"...was that a joke?"
  11099. 11099.
    >Aria wags her bound hands around in circles
  11100. 11100.
    "Haha. Who's first today?"
  11101. 11101.
    >You have to lean around Adagio's massive hair just to see her indifferent face
  11102. 11102.
    >Calling her name at least gets her eyes to focus on you
  11103. 11103.
    >But in a calm tone dripping with finality, she responds
  11104. 11104.
    >"I'm not hungry."
  11105. 11105.
    "Uh. Are you sure?"
  11106. 11106.
    >No response
  11107. 11107.
    "I guess I won't force you."
  11108. 11108.
    >That was disappointing
  11109. 11109.
    >But there's a goofball to your left that's always sure to give you the reactions you want
  11110. 11110.
    "Well. I guess that's that."
  11111. 11111.
    >With the bag in hand you get up and strut to the door
  11112. 11112.
    >"HEY! ASSHOLE!"
  11113. 11113.
    "Hm?"
  11114. 11114.
    >"Forget something?!"
  11115. 11115.
    "No?"
  11116. 11116.
    >Not cracking up is difficult with that look of disbelief she's sporting
  11117. 11117.
    >You rub your chin and look around the room
  11118. 11118.
    "Oh. Maybe I should feed you."
  11119. 11119.
    >"Yo-You THINK?"
  11120. 11120.
    >You snatch up the bowl and sit beside her, much closer than usual
  11121. 11121.
    >The chill transfers through the ceramic and into your fingers
  11122. 11122.
    >That's... disgusting
  11123. 11123.
    >All the better
  11124. 11124.
    >You scoop some up and bring the spoon to her angry face
  11125. 11125.
    "Well don't just stare at it. Do I have to do the train thing? Are you a baby?"
  11126. 11126.
    >"Shut up."
  11127. 11127.
    >Aria takes the spoon in her mouth, and you pull it out
  11128. 11128.
    >Instantly she whines
  11129. 11129.
    >"Whght thgh fghk!"
  11130. 11130.
    >She forces herself to swallow
  11131. 11131.
    >"Why's it so cold? It tastes like shit."
  11132. 11132.
    "Don't exaggerate."
  11133. 11133.
    >"I'm NOT exaggerating."
  11134. 11134.
    "I think you are."
  11135. 11135.
    >She shakes your pinching fingers off of her cheek
  11136. 11136.
    >"Eat some of it and tell me it isn't disgusting."
  11137. 11137.
    "How lewd."
  11138. 11138.
    >Her expression softens up
  11139. 11139.
    >"What are you talking about..."
  11140. 11140.
    "You just want a second-hand kiss."
  11141. 11141.
    >"N-No! Because I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"
  11142. 11142.
    "Right. Well."
  11143. 11143.
    >With utmost confidence, you scoop up some gross refried beans and stuff it into your mouth
  11144. 11144.
    >You're quick to swallow
  11145. 11145.
    "Mmmmm. Using the mindset of being a slave - who deserves nothing better - I find this abso-lutely-delicious."
  11146. 11146.
    >"Pfft. I'm not eating it."
  11147. 11147.
    "Haha!"
  11148. 11148.
    >You place it in front of her and unravel the plastic bag
  11149. 11149.
    "Suit yourself."
  11150. 11150.
    >Inside is a smaller paper bag
  11151. 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. 11152.
    >As you pull the wrap down to the middle of the half, its juices drip out
  11153. 11153.
    >"...Seriously?"
  11154. 11154.
    "Mm?"
  11155. 11155.
    >You take a bite and moan in pleasure
  11156. 11156.
    >"All-hail Anon, cruelest human on the planet. Is that what you want me to say?"
  11157. 11157.
    >With a forced look of confusion, you take a second bite
  11158. 11158.
    >"Do you think I'm gonna break over a stupid sandwich?"
  11159. 11159.
    >The crunch of the lettuce
  11160. 11160.
    >The texture of the meat
  11161. 11161.
    >All topped off with whatever spicy sauce they smothered on there
  11162. 11162.
    >No need to pretend to be satisfied
  11163. 11163.
    >Aria looks increasingly angry, which is almost as delicious as this sandwich
  11164. 11164.
    "You know, the place I got this at is about a ten minute walk from the house."
  11165. 11165.
    >"So?"
  11166. 11166.
    "Driving there takes no time at all. These sandwiches are dirt cheap, to boot."
  11167. 11167.
    >You take a third bite, and enjoy an aggravated sigh from twin-tails
  11168. 11168.
    "The ingredients aren't exactly winning any awards, but damn, it's delicious."
  11169. 11169.
    >"SO?"
  11170. 11170.
    "So, you seem like the kind of girl who'd enjoy a good sandwich."
  11171. 11171.
    >Instead of denying it, she shrugs
  11172. 11172.
    >Bingo
  11173. 11173.
    "The kindness of my soul urges me to share it with you... but prisoners can only enjoy things vicariously."
  11174. 11174.
    >You rest your arm on her shoulder and scoot in just a little closer
  11175. 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. 11176.
    >She hangs her head, up until she hears you crumple up the wrapping
  11177. 11177.
    >"Done yet? Good. Get out."
  11178. 11178.
    "That was half of the sandwich, actually. Besides, I feel kind of bad for you, so-"
  11179. 11179.
    >"Bullshit. You're doing this specifically to be a dick."
  11180. 11180.
    "You know that's not true."
  11181. 11181.
    >"What?!"
  11182. 11182.
    "Did you think I told you the shop was nearby for shits and giggles?"
  11183. 11183.
    >Unsure of what to say, she rolls her eyes and shrugs
  11184. 11184.
    "I was letting you know that you'd get to enjoy this..."
  11185. 11185.
    >She squints her eyes as you hover the second half in front of her nose
  11186. 11186.
    "...any time."
  11187. 11187.
    >"What ever. Why should I even believe you."
  11188. 11188.
    >Because Sonata's currently getting that treatment?
  11189. 11189.
    "Oh, so what's holding you back is you don't think I'll deliver."
  11190. 11190.
    >"Huh?!"
  11191. 11191.
    "So eager to replace your leader..."
  11192. 11192.
    >"Shut up! I didn't say that at all!"
  11193. 11193.
    >Excitement rushes through you as you notice Adagio's head turn in your peripheral vision
  11194. 11194.
    >There it is
  11195. 11195.
    >What Aria seems to care about most
  11196. 11196.
    >Good standing with, and respect from, the one in charge
  11197. 11197.
    >Best to capitalize on this rare instance of Adagio appearing to care
  11198. 11198.
    "Your actions and attitude say more than you realize, twin-tails."
  11199. 11199.
    >She looks past you
  11200. 11200.
    >Probably right at Adagio
  11201. 11201.
    >With a trembling bottom lip, Aria looks away
  11202. 11202.
    >"I wouldn't betray my leader for anything, let alone a fucking sandwich."
  11203. 11203.
    >Her voice is somber and shaky
  11204. 11204.
    >You smile
  11205. 11205.
    >A few moments later, Adagio goes back to the wall
  11206. 11206.
    >Not a word?
  11207. 11207.
    >No show of appreciation for her loyalty?
  11208. 11208.
    >Aria has been sleeping on the floor and eating the most plain meal imaginable for weeks
  11209. 11209.
    >All things considered, her faith has been outstanding
  11210. 11210.
    >It's hard not to feel anger and pity
  11211. 11211.
    "...hmm."
  11212. 11212.
    >You unwrap the second half of the sandwich and tap her on the shoulder
  11213. 11213.
    >She looks at you in defeat
  11214. 11214.
    >Poor twin-tails
  11215. 11215.
    >Her eyes narrow as you bring the sandwich up to her face and she looks away
  11216. 11216.
    >Probably thinks you're being a dick again
  11217. 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. 11218.
    >She's clearly puzzled, looking from Adagio to you a few times
  11219. 11219.
    >Oh come on twin-tails
  11220. 11220.
    >You shove the sandwich into her mouth
  11221. 11221.
    >"..mpgh?!"
  11222. 11222.
    >Your cold stare signals her to be quiet
  11223. 11223.
    >At first she lets it sit there
  11224. 11224.
    >But as you pat her head she loosens up, and takes a bite
  11225. 11225.
    >...there you go
  11226. 11226.
    >She chews slowly
  11227. 11227.
    >Almost like she thinks Adagio will hear it
  11228. 11228.
    >Once at the point where the food must be mush, she stops to savor it
  11229. 11229.
    >Then shuts her eyes as tight as she can and swallows
  11230. 11230.
    >You smile at her
  11231. 11231.
    >She stares
  11232. 11232.
    >Your smile fades
  11233. 11233.
    >...and she keeps staring
  11234. 11234.
    >This is usually where she'd lose her temper and start kicking at you
  11235. 11235.
    >But her eyes have a certain softness that you've never seen on her
  11236. 11236.
    >You raise the sandwich again, and after taking one last look at her leader, Aria shakes her head
  11237. 11237.
    >Not in anger or with any semblance of attitude
  11238. 11238.
    >It feels simple, and honest. Almost like a request
  11239. 11239.
    >Continuing on would feel wrong, so you take the sandwich, the two bowls and stand up
  11240. 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. 11241.
    >You step outside
  11242. 11242.
    "Daily reminder that your aspirations are shit. Being a prisoner is a choice, I can fund a comfortable life style, yadda yadda."
  11243. 11243.
    >As you close the door you take note of twin-tails, who is just about curled in a ball
  11244. 11244.
    >Poor girl
  11245. 11245.
    >As bad as you feel... her conflict is exactly what you want
  11246. 11246.
    ___
  11247. 11247.
    >"BoooOOOYYYFRRRRRIIiiieeend!"
  11248. 11248.
    "Kitchen!"
  11249. 11249.
    >Sonata skips in, free of the confines of her disguise
  11250. 11250.
    >Sporting that big ponytail and a huge grin
  11251. 11251.
    >Plenty of jiggling as well. So stubborn
  11252. 11252.
    >"Whatcha doin'? ...Boyfriend?"
  11253. 11253.
    >Her enthusiasm is infectious
  11254. 11254.
    "Finishing my sandwich. Honey."
  11255. 11255.
    >She hugs herself
  11256. 11256.
    >"Heehee~"
  11257. 11257.
    >And then jumps into a more serious stance
  11258. 11258.
    >"Oh! I was supposed to tell you."
  11259. 11259.
    "Hm?"
  11260. 11260.
    >"Your laptop made the beep noise again."
  11261. 11261.
    "Oh!"
  11262. 11262.
    >A message
  11263. 11263.
    >...probably either from Twilight or Applejack
  11264. 11264.
    >Great
  11265. 11265.
    "Let's go see what it is."
  11266. 11266.
    >"Okay!"
  11267. 11267.
    >You stuff the sandwich into the fridge and follow behind Sonata
  11268. 11268.
    ___
  11269. 11269.
    >You plop down onto the couch
  11270. 11270.
    >Miss jiggles lays down beside you, her feet resting on your lap
  11271. 11271.
    >After gauging your reaction and seeing that you don't mind, she giggles and changes the channel
  11272. 11272.
    >You poke at the laptop's track pad
  11273. 11273.
    >The screen lights up with Twilight's profile image in the corner, under a floating number one
  11274. 11274.
    >This picture always cracks you up
  11275. 11275.
    >Twilight seemed more interested in the technology behind Rarity's camera than anything
  11276. 11276.
    >She's got these super focused eyes and had barely started opening her mouth to ask questions
  11277. 11277.
    >That's what you can make out of it, anyway
  11278. 11278.
    >...you're stalling
  11279. 11279.
    >Best get it over with
  11280. 11280.
    >You click the notification and position your hands over the keyboard
  11281. 11281.
    >"are you at your computer"
  11282. 11282.
    "I am now"
  11283. 11283.
    >"hello anonymous."
  11284. 11284.
    "What's up"
  11285. 11285.
    >"i went back to the mall"
  11286. 11286.
    "Didn't go well?"
  11287. 11287.
    >"they yelled at me for bothering them again"
  11288. 11288.
    "Oh"
  11289. 11289.
    "I'm sorry"
  11290. 11290.
    >"it's my fault"
  11291. 11291.
    "You were just trying to do the right thing."
  11292. 11292.
    >"i mean it's my fault for not getting the information the first time"
  11293. 11293.
    >Of course, there's only one person who can actually take blame for this
  11294. 11294.
    >Your fingers move slowly and cautiously
  11295. 11295.
    "It's not your fault"
  11296. 11296.
    "Period"
  11297. 11297.
    >"it is anonymous. theyre counting on me and i failed"
  11298. 11298.
    "Who's they?"
  11299. 11299.
    >"my friends"
  11300. 11300.
    >"but now that i think about it, all humans"
  11301. 11301.
    >"there are over seven billion of them"
  11302. 11302.
    >"seven billion people are going to hate me, anonymous"
  11303. 11303.
    "Twilight. That's not true at all"
  11304. 11304.
    >"it is, i have multiple sources. this planet is bigger than it appears"
  11305. 11305.
    "No I meant it's not true that everyone will hate you"
  11306. 11306.
    >"they will"
  11307. 11307.
    >"i told my friends they didn't have to worry because i can handle it"
  11308. 11308.
    >"they trusted me"
  11309. 11309.
    >"and now i don't even know how big of a threat i'm facing"
  11310. 11310.
    >Your chest hurts
  11311. 11311.
    >Every time you go to type a response, you backspace it away
  11312. 11312.
    >It seems as though no hollow one-liner will satisfy her
  11313. 11313.
    >So what can you do?
  11314. 11314.
    >Pretty much nothing. And on top of that, this conversation is going to torment you if it goes on for long
  11315. 11315.
    >You start typing something
  11316. 11316.
    >Anything...
  11317. 11317.
    "Twilight I'm sorry. Please don't worry. I think everything will turn out fine. I have to go"
  11318. 11318.
    >Just before your finger hits the enter key, your stopped by a message from her
  11319. 11319.
    >"i'm sorry anonymous"
  11320. 11320.
    >She's... sorry
  11321. 11321.
    >She's apologizing for her terrible crime of skepticism
  11322. 11322.
    >God
  11323. 11323.
    >Damn it
  11324. 11324.
    >You control+a and backspace away your prior bullshit
  11325. 11325.
    >"you might be in the history books"
  11326. 11326.
    >"i'll at least make sure they know you tried to stop it"
  11327. 11327.
    >"and that i was the fool who ignored you"
  11328. 11328.
    "Come on. Don't think like that. I'm tired of it. This is not your fault."
  11329. 11329.
    >You exhale sharply
  11330. 11330.
    >Here we go
  11331. 11331.
    >The "Twilight is typing a message..." text pops up and you get in there quick
  11332. 11332.
    "No"
  11333. 11333.
    "Stop typing"
  11334. 11334.
    "Just listen for a second"
  11335. 11335.
    >Sure enough, the message disappears
  11336. 11336.
    "I'm really worried about you, so I'm going to step in"
  11337. 11337.
    "From now on, I'm in charge"
  11338. 11338.
    "As your investigation manager"
  11339. 11339.
    "If there's one thing a manager can't stand, it's workers who blame themselves for mismanagement"
  11340. 11340.
    "What I mean is, remember how I forgot which room I overheard the sirens talking in?"
  11341. 11341.
    "I just remembered"
  11342. 11342.
    >"what room is it"
  11343. 11343.
    >That message came in so fast that you can imagine Twilight hunching over her keyboard with bulging eyes
  11344. 11344.
    "Nope"
  11345. 11345.
    "You'll go down there right now if I tell you"
  11346. 11346.
    "I want you to just calm down and rest"
  11347. 11347.
    "While I decide on how to handle the investigation"
  11348. 11348.
    "Your job today is to relax"
  11349. 11349.
    "Read a book or something. Knowing you, you'll read two"
  11350. 11350.
    "Okay?"
  11351. 11351.
    >There's a long pause
  11352. 11352.
    >The typing notification brings anxiety
  11353. 11353.
    >"Anonymous..."
  11354. 11354.
    >"Are you sure you want to help me?"
  11355. 11355.
    "I insist"
  11356. 11356.
    >"Okay..."
  11357. 11357.
    >"But."
  11358. 11358.
    >"What time will we meet tomorrow? What equipment will we need? I have a spare notebook if you need one."
  11359. 11359.
    "Don't worry, don't worry"
  11360. 11360.
    "I told you, I'm in charge. Let me do the worrying"
  11361. 11361.
    "I've got everything under control"
  11362. 11362.
    >"Okay..."
  11363. 11363.
    "Go relax"
  11364. 11364.
    >"Okay."
  11365. 11365.
    "Enjoy yourself"
  11366. 11366.
    >"ok"
  11367. 11367.
    >You smile at the shrinking confirmation and hope that she signs off
  11368. 11368.
    >Before that happens, she sends one final message
  11369. 11369.
    >"Thank you Anonymous."
  11370. 11370.
    >Sonata bursts into laughter
  11371. 11371.
    >Reflexively your eyes shoot up to the TV and catch Susanne with her shirt pulled up
  11372. 11372.
    >Seeing a woman's bra on daytime television...
  11373. 11373.
    >Feels kind of naughty
  11374. 11374.
    >"...excuuuuse me?"
  11375. 11375.
    "Huh?"
  11376. 11376.
    >She kicks at your shoulder
  11377. 11377.
    "Hey!"
  11378. 11378.
    >"Those aren't the boobs you should be looking at~"
  11379. 11379.
    >Her tone is threatening and cutesy at the same time
  11380. 11380.
    >With frail little toes digging into your upper arm, you feel you had best stand down
  11381. 11381.
    >But what fun would that be
  11382. 11382.
    "It's my TV. Why can't I look at it?"
  11383. 11383.
    >"...UHH. You're not looking at the TV! Duh."
  11384. 11384.
    "I am."
  11385. 11385.
    >You're surprised to find that this Susanne character's tits are still on-screen
  11386. 11386.
    "Wow. Check out the size. And that HD image quality. It's kind of getting me excited."
  11387. 11387.
    >"Uuurgghh!"
  11388. 11388.
    >Her big toe twists into you
  11389. 11389.
    >It's more painful than you'd like to admit
  11390. 11390.
    "And the low latency... gaming on this thing, I could fall in love!"
  11391. 11391.
    >"A-Anon!"
  11392. 11392.
    >She sits up and grabs you by the shirt collar, then pulls you down on top of her, like yesterday
  11393. 11393.
    >It's something you feel you'll never get tired of
  11394. 11394.
    >"You're not allowed to look at other girls' boobs!"
  11395. 11395.
    "Hahaha... okay, okay. I was only joking."
  11396. 11396.
    >"But you were looking!"
  11397. 11397.
    >You rest your arm against her side and snuggle up
  11398. 11398.
    >Maybe you'll stay like this while you make your plans
  11399. 11399.
    >Against Sonata's chest, nothing can quite get to you
  11400. 11400.
    "True. You caught me. I looked at the boobs."
  11401. 11401.
    >"Yes. Yes you did."
  11402. 11402.
    ___
  11403. 11403.
    "You're awfully quiet tonight."
  11404. 11404.
    >Aria bounces on your shoulder as you make your way down the steps
  11405. 11405.
    >Even when confronted, she says nothing
  11406. 11406.
    >So you head on through the kitchen and down the hall in silence
  11407. 11407.
    >You shut the door, and stop in front of the chair
  11408. 11408.
    "Prisoners don't have the privilege of keeping their feelings to themselves."
  11409. 11409.
    >"...I just don't want to talk to you."
  11410. 11410.
    "Oh? Are you mad?"
  11411. 11411.
    >She grunts as her ass hits the chair and you get down on a knee in front of her
  11412. 11412.
    "Let's play therapist."
  11413. 11413.
    >"Let's not."
  11414. 11414.
    "...not even a 'hang yourself'? You really are down in the dumps."
  11415. 11415.
    >Her reaction is amusingly overblown; completely baffled
  11416. 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. 11417.
    "Interesting..."
  11418. 11418.
    >"It's NOT interesting!"
  11419. 11419.
    "You've clearly got some baggage with a certain handsome slave owner."
  11420. 11420.
    >"Yeah. You're sooo handsome."
  11421. 11421.
    >Her tired, shit-eating grin suddenly flattens as she realizes what came out of her mouth
  11422. 11422.
    >You just smile and let her frustration soak in
  11423. 11423.
    >"Yo-you KNOW what sarcasm is. Don't even start."
  11424. 11424.
    "Sarcasm? That was the most sincere confession I've ever heard."
  11425. 11425.
    >"Fuck off... fuck off. Fuck off. Fuck off!"
  11426. 11426.
    >She wiggles left and right until the chair flips right over
  11427. 11427.
    >Laid flat on her side, she stops moving completely
  11428. 11428.
    >...poor, poor twin-tails
  11429. 11429.
    >Even when unbound and granted an opening she fails to get away
  11430. 11430.
    >So she must know that while flopping around like this, it'll never happen
  11431. 11431.
    >"Hey. Where's the pillow?"
  11432. 11432.
    "....ohhhh boy. Poor, poor, POOR twin-tails."
  11433. 11433.
    >"What?"
  11434. 11434.
    "Did you think that was going to be an every day thing?"
  11435. 11435.
    >She shows what you think is a bit of panic
  11436. 11436.
    >But reverts to her pathetic, mopey state very quickly
  11437. 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. 11438.
    "Didn't want to? You requested that we do it longer, this morning."
  11439. 11439.
    >"No! I d-didn't... I was just, um..."
  11440. 11440.
    >You lay down on your side in front of her
  11441. 11441.
    >"...I ju-I um, I just didn't want to see Adagio."
  11442. 11442.
    "Why?"
  11443. 11443.
    >"I don't have to tell you why."
  11444. 11444.
    "So then I guess you just wanted to sleep by my side."
  11445. 11445.
    >"Ugh. No."
  11446. 11446.
    "Then..."
  11447. 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. 11448.
    "Really?"
  11449. 11449.
    >"And now you're making it worse. Way worse."
  11450. 11450.
    >Her lazy, depressing tone slowly transitions as her emotions fire up
  11451. 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. 11452.
    >She sits up the best she can, and so do you
  11453. 11453.
    >"You just HAD to tell her about me not running away, huh? That was COMPLETELY unnecessary!"
  11454. 11454.
    "Aria..."
  11455. 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. 11456.
    "What happened at the bus stop?"
  11457. 11457.
    >Her breathing quickens
  11458. 11458.
    >And her eyebrows sink
  11459. 11459.
    >Oh boy
  11460. 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. 11461.
    "...And?"
  11462. 11462.
    >"...she lost her shit. Kept telling me she was in charge. Made me feel like an idiot."
  11463. 11463.
    >She pauses and scrunches up her face
  11464. 11464.
    >You're not quite sure, but
  11465. 11465.
    >Your gut tells you she's doing everything she can to avoid tearing up
  11466. 11466.
    >"She was just starting to stop lecturing me and shit. And then you had to go and... fuck it up."
  11467. 11467.
    >At the end of her little rant, the siren shakes her head
  11468. 11468.
    >It's nice to hear so much honesty from her, so you humor her and pretend to think hard about your response
  11469. 11469.
    "Once again, it sounds like the problem is Adagio."
  11470. 11470.
    >"Oh fuck off..."
  11471. 11471.
    "Seriously. You show yo-"
  11472. 11472.
    >"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"
  11473. 11473.
    >You raise your voice a bit
  11474. 11474.
    "Quiet!"
  11475. 11475.
    >...
  11476. 11476.
    >Just like before, she stares
  11477. 11477.
    >Looking a bit surprised
  11478. 11478.
    >Bringing such a mouthy ball of anger to silence...
  11479. 11479.
    >It's exciting
  11480. 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. 11481.
    >You lift twin-tails up onto the chair and stand before her
  11482. 11482.
    "Adagio's not worth following if you ask me. If she'll go berserk on her underlings over something so simple."
  11483. 11483.
    >"How's it different?"
  11484. 11484.
    "...huh?"
  11485. 11485.
    >"When you're so mean to me. How is that different? What kind of leader are you?"
  11486. 11486.
    >This time, you aren't pretending to consider your words carefully
  11487. 11487.
    "I'm a leader who takes care of his people. End of story."
  11488. 11488.
    >"Y-yeah, taking care of me by telling me I sm-eeehhhh..."
  11489. 11489.
    >You'd interrupted by pressing your face into her neck
  11490. 11490.
    >She smells...
  11491. 11491.
    >Er
  11492. 11492.
    >She actually does smell kind of bad
  11493. 11493.
    "You're like a guy, y'know. Jeez."
  11494. 11494.
    >"So...?"
  11495. 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. 11496.
    >"Your sake?"
  11497. 11497.
    "Yes."
  11498. 11498.
    >You move away and look into her eyes for maximum effect
  11499. 11499.
    "You're mine now. We'll be spending a lot of time together. Smelly twin-tails."
  11500. 11500.
    >Her eyes narrow, her nose scrunches and she groans
  11501. 11501.
    >"Wh-whate... yeah I bet you wish yo... urghh..."
  11502. 11502.
    "Something wrong? Critical error? Do you need rebooted?"
  11503. 11503.
    >"What does that even mean... just, tell me why you have to be so mean."
  11504. 11504.
    "Well that should be obvious."
  11505. 11505.
    >"It's not."
  11506. 11506.
    "Aria. Of course I'm mean to a prisoner."
  11507. 11507.
    >You rub her cheek
  11508. 11508.
    >She just takes it
  11509. 11509.
    >There's no way of knowing, but, you hope she feels comforted by it
  11510. 11510.
    >In fact, an urge to comfort her overwhelms you
  11511. 11511.
    >Probably not the best action given your position, but damn it-
  11512. 11512.
    "Hey. You still hungry?"
  11513. 11513.
    >"Of course I am."
  11514. 11514.
    "Wait here."
  11515. 11515.
    >"Uhhh. Duh?"
  11516. 11516.
    ___
  11517. 11517.
    >You throw the half of the sub into the microwave and hit the +30 seconds button a couple times
  11518. 11518.
    >Out of the fridge's bottom drawer you take a bottle of coke
  11519. 11519.
    >Ah, what the hell?
  11520. 11520.
    >Might as well give her a full meal
  11521. 11521.
    >From the cabinet, you take a half-eaten bag of Doritos
  11522. 11522.
    >Perfect
  11523. 11523.
    ___
  11524. 11524.
    >"What the heck is all that?"
  11525. 11525.
    "A one time thing as long as you're a prisoner. Let's make that clear."
  11526. 11526.
    >You place the shopping bag in the floor beside the chair, and lift Aria up onto your lap as you sit down
  11527. 11527.
    >"What? You got me some cold beans again? I don't want it."
  11528. 11528.
    "Ohhh no no no."
  11529. 11529.
    >You chuckle and hold on to her waist as you feel around for the sandwich
  11530. 11530.
    "Don't get get too excited."
  11531. 11531.
    >"Huh?"
  11532. 11532.
    >It pops up into her view
  11533. 11533.
    >You listen hopefully, but she doesn't make any noise
  11534. 11534.
    "It's still good. Nice and warm, too."
  11535. 11535.
    >"...I don't want it."
  11536. 11536.
    >That just might be the most obvious lie that's ever been told
  11537. 11537.
    "Buuuullshit."
  11538. 11538.
    >You haphazardly position her so that she's sitting sideways, cradled into your right arm
  11539. 11539.
    >She's left to just stare at the sandwich dangling in front of her face
  11540. 11540.
    "It's not cold like those beans, twin-tails. It's warm. Almost... hot."
  11541. 11541.
    >She starts to mumble, but is cut off as bread, meat and cheese press into her lips
  11542. 11542.
    >"...urmmpphh."
  11543. 11543.
    >At this point she stops responding
  11544. 11544.
    >Taking care not to go too far, you put on a tone that is only slightly commanding:
  11545. 11545.
    "Aria. Eat the sandwich. I'm not letting you go without eating."
  11546. 11546.
    >"...wph....wphtehvr..."
  11547. 11547.
    >With a roll of her eyes she opens her mouth and takes a huge bite
  11548. 11548.
    >Her chewing is full of sass
  11549. 11549.
    >You didn't even know that was possible
  11550. 11550.
    >Earlier today she took her time, but now she's shredding the food in her mouth like there's no tomorrow
  11551. 11551.
    >"...ahh. Happy? I ate it. I ate your stupid sandwich. And guess what? I'm still loyal to Adagio. So there."
  11552. 11552.
    "Ohh. You sure showed me."
  11553. 11553.
    >"...yeah."
  11554. 11554.
    "Haha... twin-tails."
  11555. 11555.
    >"...what?"
  11556. 11556.
    "You're cute."
  11557. 11557.
    >You stuff the sandwich into her mouth as she fires up her retort
  11558. 11558.
    >She squirms and closes her eyes and you struggle to keep her mouth plugged
  11559. 11559.
    >It feels kind of... rapey
  11560. 11560.
    >Thankfully, she just gives up and takes another bite
  11561. 11561.
    >"SEE?"
  11562. 11562.
    >Chomp, chomp, chomp
  11563. 11563.
    >"LOOK!"
  11564. 11564.
    >Smack, smack, smack
  11565. 11565.
    >"I'm EATING it!"
  11566. 11566.
    "Aria dear... don't talk with your mouth full."
  11567. 11567.
    "Shut UP!"
  11568. 11568.
    >She swallows hard, and takes another bite
  11569. 11569.
    >"You make... no fucking... sense!"
  11570. 11570.
    >And another bite down
  11571. 11571.
    >"Pretending you... care about... me!"
  11572. 11572.
    >She goes in for the next bite, but pulls away
  11573. 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. 11574.
    >Then, she takes that next bite
  11575. 11575.
    >"I don't... even... care... you're just... I just..."
  11576. 11576.
    >She keeps this up until the sandwich is gone
  11577. 11577.
    >With her breathing heavily, red-faced, you silently admire her spirit
  11578. 11578.
    >And then, you bring out the coke
  11579. 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. 11580.
    >You smile
  11581. 11581.
    >"Well fuck you! I won't be your slave in a million years! Are you gonna open the soda or what?"
  11582. 11582.
    >You twist off the cap and slowly tilt it
  11583. 11583.
    >A few drops roll down her chin with how forcefully she thrusts into the bottle
  11584. 11584.
    >She gulps down half of it at once
  11585. 11585.
    >Must not appreciate the water she's been getting
  11586. 11586.
    >"...ahhh. It wasn't even satisfying."
  11587. 11587.
    "Really?"
  11588. 11588.
    >"Yes, really."
  11589. 11589.
    "Well then. Do you want these chips?"
  11590. 11590.
    >"What!? ...I mean..."
  11591. 11591.
    >You pull out and unroll the bag of Doritos
  11592. 11592.
    >Her mouth hangs open at the sight of them
  11593. 11593.
    >"Oh. Those."
  11594. 11594.
    "Do you like them?"
  11595. 11595.
    >She shrugs
  11596. 11596.
    "You like them."
  11597. 11597.
    >The bag ruffles
  11598. 11598.
    >The chip you present is masterfully crafted
  11599. 11599.
    >Triangular with rounded edges, and smothered in powder that is already all over your fingers
  11600. 11600.
    >You raise it toward her
  11601. 11601.
    >She takes the whole thing into her mouth
  11602. 11602.
    >...along with part of you
  11603. 11603.
    "Ack."
  11604. 11604.
    >After you've retrieved your finger, she crushes the chip between her teeth with alarming force
  11605. 11605.
    >Every inch of her face is moving
  11606. 11606.
    >You'd probably be just as eager if you'd gone so long without eating anything with actual taste
  11607. 11607.
    >"These are... pretty well made."
  11608. 11608.
    "Think so?"
  11609. 11609.
    >"I mean, for humans or whatever. I always eat a lot of them."
  11610. 11610.
    >You claw around and bring up several additional chips
  11611. 11611.
    >She's already trying to angle herself to eat them out of your palm
  11612. 11612.
    >It's like feeding a deer or something
  11613. 11613.
    >After they're all stuffed into her mouth, she lets gravity take over and falls into your arm
  11614. 11614.
    >"You're sooo... fucking... stupid... what kinda... idiot..."
  11615. 11615.
    >She swallows
  11616. 11616.
    >"Gives his prisoner a treat?"
  11617. 11617.
    >You reach in again and she shakes her head
  11618. 11618.
    >"I'm serious. Tell me. Why are you doing this? Why be nice to a prisoner?"
  11619. 11619.
    >You drop the Doritos one by one into the bag and wipe your hand on the front of her shirt
  11620. 11620.
    >She barely seems to mind
  11621. 11621.
    "Aria... maybe I don't want you t