Idyllic puffs of clouds drifted across a pale sky. Sunset, lying on a park bench with her head resting on Adagio's lap, glanced at her phone. “I have to go meet my friends at The Dorch soon.”

Adagio's fingers ran through Sunset's hair. She look ahead, chewing her bottom lip. “I might come along,” she said at last.

Sunset stared up at her.

Spoken as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Spoken as if Adagio hadn't ruled out all contact with her friends since their relationship had began.

“I'm going to go shopping with Aria and Sonata,” said Adagio. “We're meeting close to the Dorch anyway.”

That was it, then. It had been a week since Sunset had gone to Adagio's house, had learned that the former sirens were on speaking terms again. Since then, Sunset had heard about a tentative friendship growing between the three of them, hindered sometimes by pride on Adagio's part, inconsistency on Aria's, and obliviousness on Sonata's, but progressing nonetheless.

With that as a foundation, she supposed, perhaps Adagio was at last ready to befriend the rest of the girls.

She lifted her head from Adagio's lap, stood, and stretched. “Come on, then,”

Adagio gave her a brief smile and accompanied her out of the park. Sunset said nothing as they headed down the street, feeling that despite Adagio's insouciance, her resolve was fragile, and any attempt to push or investigate would shatter it.

As they approached the Dorch, where Sunset's friends would be hanging out, Adagio took a firm hold of her hand.

Pinkie's voice carried across the outside seating zone. There – she was sat at one of the larger outdoor wooden tables, telling a story to the rest of the group.

Rarity was the first to look round and see Sunset walking with Adagio. She raised her hand halfway in greeting, then froze.

Sunset put on the best smile she could, and announced, “Hey, guys!”

“Hi Sunset Shimmer! Hi Adagio!” shouted Pinkie before she looked over.

The rest of the group started, and Sunset was greeted by four bewildered faces and one broad smile as she walked towards them. Beside her, Adagio broke away and strode forward. She grabbed a seat at the head of table, sat, and swung back. Not as though they had always been friends – more as though she had always been their undisputed leader. Sunset took a nearby chair and squeezed in at the corner of the table between Adagio and Fluttershy.

Adagio surveyed the group. “I can't stay long,” she said. “I'm meeting Aria and Sonata soon.”

“That's … fine, darling,” said Rarity.

“Yeah,” said Applejack. “We're just glad you've decided to come and talk to us at last.”

“Actually, I – Ow!” Rainbow Dash stopped to glare at Applejack. She seemed to be rubbing her shin under the table.

For a brief moment it looked like Adagio was about to say something to either Rainbow Dash or Applejack, but she relaxed and gave a smile that wasn't entirely friendly.

Sunset realised that Fluttershy had retreated a little, so she was out of Adagio's line of sight.

“So!” said Rarity, “Now that we're no longer mortal enemies, it finally seems appropriate to say, I love your sense of style.”

“Couldn't allow yourself to show any respect to the leader of the enemy, hm?” said Adagio.

“I mean,” continued Rarity, “It's so flamboyant! And somehow you manage never to fall into the trap of gaudy. Aria and Sonata too, but I feel like you, my dear, still have them beat in that department.”

Adagio looked down, scanning her own outfit, then back to Rarity. “You've got a good eye,” she said, hesitated, then continued: “Thank you.”

“Oh, you're very welcome,” said Rarity. “And that new necklace works perfectly. I daresay it's even better than the …” She blinked, pressed her lips together, and glanced down at her drink. “Oh, I do apologise if that's still –”

Adagio held up a hand to stall. “It's cool. Don't worry about it. No point in pretending that the past didn't happen.” She looked around the group. “That goes for the rest of you: I'd prefer openness about the past if we're going to … talk.”

Her hand went to her collar. Not, Sunset noticed, to touch her necklace, but to trace the outline with thumb and forefinger of a gem that was no longer there.

“That's might good to hear,” said Applejack. “I can't say much for your style, but I know decency when I see it. And –”

“How didja get together?” asked Pinkie, leaning forward. She looked at the eyes on her. “What? It's like all we've been talking about since Rainbow Dash told us all. So how didja?”

“Um,” said Sunset. She ran her fingers across the table's edge. How she'd met Adagio, and that first night in her room were secrets she'd rather keep.

“Ha! Now there's an odd story,” said Adagio. “You know the nightclub the Starburst? It was there.”

Sunset felt her inside's tense. Beside her, Adagio reached over and squeezed her shoulder before continuing.

“I'd gone there. Honestly, it was just to get away from Aria and Sonata. You know I wasn't on the best of terms with them back then? So, I went to the Starburst, just intent on drinking a little and enjoying the music. And there, of all places, I bumped into Miss Sunset Shimmer. Literally bumped – I spilled half my rum and coke. I was angry at first! Not about the drink, but about the intrusion …”

And just like that, effortless, Adagio was again in performance mode. She recounted the night in a way that, while without lies, elegantly avoided the topic of sex which had been the core of their first interaction. In its place, other things took central place – the respect she'd felt from Sunset, the lack of patronising overtones. And of course, Adagio's own narcissism still shone through – she told the group how many times she'd been asked to dance, how many compliments she got.

It ended simply with them arranging a second meeting, watching a film in Sunset's room, and the decision to keep seeing one another.

Once Adagio had finished, Sunset, on a wave of admiration and relief, pulled her in for a quick kiss. Adagio responded with no surprise, as if she'd known that reaction was coming, then sat back to bathe in her audience's attention.

There came a simultaneous “Aww” from Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

Fluttershy peered out from her hiding place beside Sunset Shimmer and spoke in a barely audible voice. “That's so sweet.”

Sunset smiled at her. Adagio shrugged.

“Well, I reckon you're gonna do mighty fine now you're reformed,” said Applejack.

“Hrm,” said Adagio. For a fraction of a second her teeth bared in a snarl; Sunset wasn't sure if anyone else noticed it.

“Yeah, you did a real good job!” Pinkie said to Sunset.

Adagio's gaze went from Pinkie to Sunset and back again. When Sunset reached under the table to stroke the back of Adagio's hand, Adagio pulled away.

“I –” began Sunset.

“Rainbow Dash.” Adagio's commanding tone had returned. “You've changed your tune. What happened there?”

“What?”

“In the park. Don't you remember? You weren't just angry, you were disgusted by the thought of Sunset and I being together. And now you're playing the nice, quiet little girl who does as she's told.”

“Uh, Adagio, Sweetheart,” said Rarity.

Adagio made a show of putting her hand on Sunset's shoulder. “When my girlfriend came back from talking to you, she was pretty upset.”

Sunset looked from the group to Adagio, feeling entirely at sea. She knew Adagio was just using her as a prop, but to tell her off at this stage would make it seem like she taking sides and undo all the progress she'd made so far.

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash. “I was disgusted! Shouldn't I have been? Last time we tried talking to you …”

“I'm not saying that. Think whatever you like about me. I don't care. I just wanted to know what made you turn all nicey-nice.” Adagio's gaze flicked to Applejack and back again. “Under someone's thumb, are we?”

“Come on now,” said Applejack, turning to Adagio. “That's really ain't a proper way to speak to my friends.”

Adagio sat forward and wrung her hands, expression a caricature of penitence. When she spoke, her tone was high with mockery. “Oh, in that case, maybe you don't want to be my friend anyway.”

“Sunset!” said Rainbow Dash. “What –”

Fluttershy, back in hiding, was reaching forward for her glass. Before she could, Adagio had swept it up. She took a long draught and set it down in front of her.

“The heck d'you think you're doin'?”

“Adagio! We don't –”

Rainbow stood, knocking her chair over behind her. “You've not changed at all!” She turned to Sunset. “Don't you see? Or are you on her side? Huh?”

“No!” said Sunset. “I … we …” she turned to Adagio, looking for some support.

Adagio was just giving Rainbow an acid smirk.

“Maybe we just didn't kick your ass hard enough the first time,” said Rainbow.

Silence hung over them. Sunset stared at her. So did the rest of the table. Applejack began to reprimand her, when there came a loud crash. Fluttershy squeaked.

Adagio was standing. Her smile was gone. She'd thrown the glass down on the tabletop – fizzing cola puddled between the shards and dripped through the wooden slats.

“Fuck me gently with a chainsaw,” she growled, addressing the whole group. “All of you, self-appointed force for good. At least I was open about what I wanted.” She briefly closed her eyes and sighed. “I'm sorry, Sunset Shimmer, but I can't do this.” In a smooth motion, she pulled out a small purse, extracted a few notes from it, and threw them across the dry part of the table. “In case they charge you for the glass,” she muttered, and stalked off towards the street.

Rainbow Dash's fists unclenched. She stared at the broken glass and the cola and the money. “Wwwwhat just happened?”

Sunset stared at her, then at Adagio's retreating back. In the end it was logic rather than loyalty that lead to her choice. “I need to … I'll come back,” she told the group as she stood.

When Sunset called after her, Adagio drew to a halt, leant against the side of a building and waited for her to catch up.

“What was all that about?” asked Sunset.

“Like I said, I can't do it. I can't play nice with those girls.” Adagio shrugged. “Is that a problem?”

“I … I don't know.” Sunset's gaze fell to the floor.

“Don't ask me to choose. Your friends or nothing. I like you, Sunset Shimmer, but I'd have to choose nothing.”

“No,” said Sunset “No ultimatum. I just wanna know why.”

Adagio looks into Sunset's eyes. It was some time before she spoke. “Do you know why I agreed to talk to you when we met at Blue Stallions? Even when I rebuffed you and your friends every time before?”

“Because you realised I'm actually pretty sexy?”

Adagio smirked briefly. “Yeah, that's part of it. But also …” She stroked Sunset's forearm with the back of her hand. “I could see it in your eyes: You wanted me. Me. Not some pathetic, defeated wretch. Not some helpless little girl to be saved.

“It was just lust at the time. But even now, with whatever's developing between us, I can still see it. Respect for who I am. Your friends aren't like that. They just want some reformation story, a good little former-villain to prove they're right and cool and always prevail. I'm not going to be that for them. I can't.

“That's why.”

Sunset stepped back. “That's not true,” she said, aware of how hollow it sounded.

Adagio shrugged. “Well, I don't see it.”

Sunset was trying to formulate some response when a voice called out from down the street: “Hiya Adagio! Hiya Sunset Shimmer!”

Sonata skipped towards them, trailed at a brisk walk by Aria.

Sunset waved to Sonata, then turned back to Adagio. “Can I see you tonight?”

Adagio nodded. “I'll text you.” Then: “Hello girls!”

“Hey,” said Aria as she and Sonata came to a halt.

“You coming too?” asked Sonata.

Sunset smiled at her. “Nah, I gotta get back to my friends. Maybe some other time.”

“Aw, okay. Tell them hi from me and Aria!”

Aria nodded. “Yeah, that.”

“Sure,” said Sunset. She squeezed Adagio's hand and bid the girls goodbye. They returned in kind.

As she walked away, she heard Adagio speaking: “Glad to see you out and about, Aria.”

Aria replied, “Yeah, well … And what's up with you?”

And then they were out of earshot.

Her friends talked in hushed voices. The only evidence of the drama was a sequence of dark, damp stains in the wooden tabletop. Fluttershy was tentatively drinking through a straw from a new glass, and Rainbow Dash had returned to her seat.

Sunset sat at the head of table, where Adagio had been, flanked by Rarity and Fluttershy.

“How did it go?” asked Rarity, putting her hand on Sunset's.

“'How did it go?' Are you serious?”

“Hush, Rainbow Dash!”

Sunset look down. “I don't know. Alright, I guess.” She pressed the heels of her hands again her eyelids and sighed. “Fluttershy, I'm so, so sorry.”

“Oh, it's okay. Really.”

“No,” said Sunset. “It's not. It's not okay at all. Adagio has treated you horribly.”

“Glad you could see that, at least,” said Rainbow Dash.

“And I can't help but feel complicit,” continued Sunset.

Fluttershy sipped cola through her straw. “Oh … well, I accept your apology then.”

Sunset smiled thinly at her, then looked around the table. “Have I just convinced you all that Adagio is irredeemable and going to drag me back to the dark side, then?”

A murmur.

“Nuhuh!” said Pinkie Pie. “If you were close to turning bad again, you wouldn't be all apologetic and worried and stuff.”

“Plus, if you did, it's not like we'd have a hard time smacking you down again,” said Rainbow Dash. “So, y'know, totally not an issue. We just wanna help you. Adagio, though …”

“Well, darling, it's after today's little performance, it's hard to imagine anyone getting along with her. At least not for any reasonable length of time. And I think we're struggling a lot to understand what you see in her.”

Sunset sighed. “Sometimes I struggle with that, myself. Honestly? Yeah, she's selfish, narcissistic, arrogant, vain and entitled. And she's incredibly proud, sometimes to self-destructive lengths. And yet …” She scratched at the surface of the table. “I don't know how to put it into words. I wanna say I like her confidence and strength, but it's more that that. All I have is this: When I'm with her, everything feels right, you know?” She put her head in her hands and sighed again. “I don't know how to explain it.”

Silence hung over the table.

Applejack spoke first. “You ain't the only one who knows what it's like to fall head over heels. I reckon the point of the thing is how hard it is to explain. But I dunno if that's enough. I can't stop you from seein' Adagio, but I can't really give it my support either. Not the way things are now.”

“Damn straight,” said Dash.

Sunset looked around the table. Pinkie nodded; Fluttershy averted her eyes; Rarity …

“It's your choice,” said Rarity. “And we'll be there for you no matter what.”

“Okay,” said Sunset. “Thanks.”

She sat back while the conversation about Adagio guttered and was replaced by another of Pinkie's stories.

Author's Notes:

First, a quick warning: The next chapter is coming soon. After that, we'll be moving into serious drama territory. Because I don't want to leave any unhappy chapter endings hanging for more than a few days, I'm going to try and get the entire arc prepared before posting it. So expect a bit of a wait, followed by a full arc.

Second: If you're reading this, I suspect you may have some interest in deep-voiced alpha ladies singing villain songs. In that case, let me introduce to the works of Elsie Lovelock, who amongst other things, does female covers of awesome songs. In particular, check out:

Ferngully's Toxic Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8_WBqpdu2g
The Lion King's Be Prepared: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPmx3DCLv00

I mean, bloody hell. Going toe-to-toe with Tim Curry and Jeremy Irons, and PULLING IT OFF.

You there, DHX? Someone hire this girl as the next villain and have her character do a duet-battle with a reformed Adagio.